5 Things

Holy Cow!  It has been forever since I did a 5 Things post ... remember when I used to do them every Tuesday?  I should totally bring that back, right?  Anyway -

1. It is amazing how many things can go missing in a move.  I couldn't find my Patriarchal Blessing anywhere after I moved, despite being absolutely sure that I wouldn't have thrown it away.  I ordered a copy, and it arrived.  And like most things of this nature, I found the original today.  In a very safe, albeit different place than I would've imagined it would be.
2. I have also lost my Social Security card.  I can tell you exactly where it sat for months and months and months in Philly, but here ... it has quite simply disappeared.
3. Ryker informed me that I will be accompanying T3 on their trip to San Antonio this month.  It was pretty darn adorable and just made my heart melt into a puddle of awwwwww.  I'm going to cross a couple of places on the list while I am there. (Fair warning to Charlie - I will be going to Sea World; I will try and remember to include a proper warning before posting pictures of those most evil of sea creatures.)
4. I am really missing autumn.  I miss the crisp air in the morning, the little bit of chilliness in the air, the leaves changing colors, and long sleeves.  I do not however, miss the dread that settles in my bones that "Winter is Coming".
5. I officially registered my car in Texas.  The best part is that I didn't go those horrible, ugly license plates.  Now, I just need to get a Lonestar Driver License

Bonus: /sigh  I really, really need to start looking for a job, but I just don't want to. :-P

5 in 5

In the last five years I've lived in five apartments - this is the latest, located in College Station, Texas.

First off, this is almost everything that was packed in my trunk and backseat on the drive from PA to TX:


These pictures don't even take into account the fact that Cortney was riding shotgun and had a GIANT suitcase in the backseat.  It also doesn't show the 2 camp chairs and the blanket that got cut at the Kentucky Derby.  There are also a couple of bags and the air mattress/bag in the closet.



The secret is lots of small boxes of different shapes and sizes so you have options when you are loading.  Even still, I threw away a few boxes before picking Cort up at the airport.  I was definitely worried that she and her (giant) bag wouldn't fit.


The rental market in College Station is crazy.  Everything here revolves around TAMU and Blinn.  That means that there is basically no "on demand" rental market.  Everything is pre-leased around the school year and landlords take advantage of the college student mentality.  Every rental I saw was based either around grad students living alone or undergrads packing 3 or more roommates into a house.  It also means that a lot of the pre-move in cleaning is substandard to what a "regular" renter would expect.  That said, after several months of looking, I did finally find a suitable apartment.  Unfortunately it was inhabited be stinky Asians before me.  So stinky, in fact, that the landlord volunteered to repaint and carpet (virtually unheard of in CS rentals) and the smell still lingers.  Don't worry I bought air fresheners.

Ironically, my apartment is in the same complex that my aunt and uncle lived in fifteen years ago.  Fifteen years ago when I first moved away from home and to College Station.  See, even then I had the itch to get the heck out of Utah.  That time around it didn't work out to well, and part of me thinks I've ended up back here to try and exorcise some of those demons.  I remain unconvinced that College Station will be a long term home for me (it really is just a small town - and I'm more of a city girl), but it'll do for now.

From the front door:







Living and dining rooms


KiLee photo-bombing before photo-bombing was a thing.  I really love this photo, though.


The picture in the blue frame is my favorite picture of the nubbins, ever!


Side table (with zebra striped scissors)


The box is from an ex, the pitcher belonged to my Grandma, and the turtle is from a roommate.


Kane gave me this pig for Christmas.  I love it!


Chicken-pecker toy that I bought from a Russian festival.  Also purchased at the Russian festival?  Kvas, which KiLee made the whole family try ...  ICK!


The plastic box in the middle contains roses from my Grandparents' graves.  I am happily surprised that they've managed to survive all my many moves in tact.


The shell box my parents gave me after a cruise, the stacking doll I bought in Sitka (or somewhere in Alaska), and the thimble I've had for ages ... a coworker gave it to me after a trip to DC.


The living room from the dining room.


The kitchen/laundry room.   The white garbage cans are where my aunt used to keep those giant tubs of laundry detergent and it was the time-out place for her youngest son.  It was also where the threat of being grounded with chores was issued.


Laundry nook


Little hall between kitchen/laundry and hallway with 1st bedroom door.


Hallway - just past the double door (closet) is where the other little kitchen hallway is.


First bedroom on right


Guest bathroom - it still  needs to be cleaned (see reference to subpar cleaning done by landlord).  I'm not that big on guests so I haven't really worried about it so far.  By the way, if you come to visit there is no place for you to sit.  I believe this photo tour will bear that out.


Top of the hallway: second bedroom on right, master straight ahead, and weird nook to the left.


Second bedroom - I decided to buy a real bed after sleeping on the air mattress for one night.  It turned out to be a good thing because my trusty air mattress had sprung a leak, obviously.


Weird nook


Master bedroom


The closet is actually a good sized walk-in, although none of the doorways in the this place would be ADA compliant. They are all pretty narrow.


Master bathroom

I made a lot of cuts before moving from Utah to Pennsylvania and even more when leaving Pennsylvania to Texas (some of them hard and some of them not-so-much), and looking around I've identified even more cuts that will be made next time I move.

I have to also say a huge THANK YOU to the College Station LDS 3rd Ward because those guys rocked. I've never asked a ward to help with a move and I was extremely worried about having enough people show up, but show up they did and had me completely unloaded in less than half an hour. The guy that showed up first was baffled when he couldn't see the truck.  When I pointed out the 1 relocube that needed to be unpacked he was astounded and commented on how most Mormon moves come with three strikes 1)Food storage, 2) a piano, and 3) I can't remember, but really wish I could... I think it had to do with kids or bunk beds or something.  Anyhow, many of the guys commented on how quick and easy my move was, but I really, really appreciate them taking the time and effort to come help out.  THANK YOU!

And with that I am officially an Aggie (but not one that believes in giggin' anything)!

Four Corners

While not on The List, Four Corners is something that I definitely wanted to see.  Even though I had heard people say it wasn't that impressive the idea of standing in four states at the same time has always appealed to me.  Maybe it was all that Utah history in 4th Grade.

So, while in Colorado at Mesa Verde I took the time to drive out to the Four Corners.


It isn't really much to look at, it is just a ticket booth, a pavilion with Navaja crafts stalls set up all around it and a medallion on the ground.  But still...


There is a small plaque inside the larger seal that I am standing on.  I wasn't about to get down on hands and knees for the photo op although a lot of people did.











I bought some bracelets for my nieces from a little Navajo grandma, but the best part was clearly having real, authentic:



Oh my word - it was so good!  (Even if it was made in the sketchiest little trailer I've ever seen.)

1000 Places

I've met some new people and given them the URL for this blog, but if you're looking for my travel blog

CLICK HERE

and there will be new posts every few days for the next month or so as I recount my recent trip through the American Southwest.  Non 1,000 Places posts will be showing up in the next few days.  :)

A Small Sampling

I should've taken a picture of every plate of food I ate on this journey because it was all (BBQ Spaghetti, excepted) DELICIOUS.  Here are a few shots of the southern hospitality we enjoyed.


Rocky's Hot Chicken Shack, Asheville, NC


Huck Finn's Catfish, Chicken and Steaks; Pigeon Forge, TN


Juleps at Churchill Downs


Interstate BBQ, Memphis, TN


BBQ Shop, Memphis, TN



Biscuits & Blues, Natchez, MS  (the biscuits were the best part of the meal, but I don't have a picture of them.  Thanks, Cort, for this pic!)


Cafe du Monde, New Orleans, LA

Gators and Friends

When T3 drove through Louisiana on their way to Texas back in March KiLee had texted that I should consider stopping at Gators and Friends on my way through.

Nate had really wanted to stop, but given their hurried pace, the challenges with a certain 2 year old, and the fact that it wasn't open for summer hours yet they didn't.

Initially, I hadn't planned to stop here either.  It was about 2 hours out of my way (had I been coming directly from New Orleans) and wasn't prepared to end with a 9 hour drive.

Since we ditched New Orleans and mad it Baton Rouge on Saturday Gators and Friends was back on the schedule.


Medium sized alligator pit.



The have a baby zebra, born in February:


And a baby camel:


A bunch of goats:

You can buy cups of animal feed, and these goats are definitely trained.  Whenever someone approaches they jump up and stick their necks out the fence - even if you have no food.


Tiniest goat.


Please, sir, could I have some more

The capybara:




And about a bazillion mule deer:

I secretly suspect that the goats and deer may contribute to the care and feeding of the gators.


This gator is so big that he can't haul himself out of the water - hasn't been able to for over a year.

We saw the Big Alligator Feeding:







This is their second biggest gator.  He can barely haul himself out of the water; it was actually sort of hilarious.


Phew!  That was hard work!

And then, the whole reason for the visit ...

I HELD A BABY ALLIGATOR!



The belly of a baby gator is surprisingly soft.  I can see why people have them made into boots.

Cort told me that the alligator had peed once already, so when I felt something weird against my leg ...

Turns out, it was only the claws on its hind foot.

Nate is totally jealous!