Bottled water, canned goods, and lines at the pump

We're in the midst of preparing for our first hurricane. It looks like Ike will make landfall early Saturday, and Houston is in the path of the storm. As of right now, we are not evacuating. Actually, our county has been asked to avoid the roads to allow for safe passage for those coming in from the coast. The biggest issue for us will be a loss of power, which affects water (think toilets being able to flush), cooking (even the gas cooktop won't work), refrigeration, A/C (it's currently 92), etc. I've learned some interesting survival tips from Texas and Louisiana vets, such as filling the bathtubs with water for flushing toilets and bathing, buying canned goods that can be heated through on a gas grill, and more. Our plan as of right now is to remain at home, with the option of heading to Austin if it looks like our power loss will last awhile. Luckily, we have some friends in Austin, so we have a place to stay. (All the hotels in Austin and San Antonio are booked).

So, that's the latest from Hurricane central. Let's hope Ike loses momentum and power as the day wears on and that he shifts further South.

Missing My Great Lake

We have just returned from a glorious trip to the homeland. Erie is a great place to be in the summer. We enjoyed beautiful, humidity-free weather, cool evenings, cheap drinks, and fun times with our family and friends. It is hard to compare Erie to Katy. They are very different places. But, what stands out the most is how much I miss the trees and water.

I've been on one Great Lake or another my whole life. Being landlocked is new for me. (I know I can get to Gulf, but we're on the West side of Houston. It's not like I can walk there in 10 minutes!) For one thing, I never know what direction I am going. In Erie, the lake is North and in Chicago, it's East, so it's been a bearing for me directionally, and emotionally. The lakes most dear to me, Erie and Michigan, look beautiful late in the day in the summer, when the sun is low in the sky. Of course, Erie has the best sunsets in the world. I've seen the sunset over the prairie here in Texas, and trust me; it's not the same.

Most of all, what stands out to me when I visit Erie is how steeped it is with a sense of place for all who grew up there. Good or bad, Erie leaves an indelible mark. You feel it when you walk into a smoky bar on State Street, when you talk to people who have literally known you your entire life, when you drive by every moment of who you were, and are, in a completely organic way. It's a place where you are all at once a person of a past life and living in the present. It's odd--slightly disconcerting and comforting at the same time.

But now I am back to Texas--a place so different from what I know. And I wonder how I'll find a sense of place here. Where will I turn, with no lake to guide me?

The Search for the Perfect Donut

Most people who know me (especially my former co-workers), know that I love donuts. (In fact, one of my friends bought me The Donut Book as my going away present when I left Chicago.) No, a love of donuts is certainly not a healthy love, but I don't consider it the worst vice around, either. Growing up in Erie, we'd get donuts from a great place on W. 26th Street, that has since closed. The cream-filled donuts were amazing, and I scoured Chicago to find a substitute. But, alas, even the City of Big Shoulders couldn't deliver the cream-filled from my Gem City upbringing. (Note to all the Dunkin' Donut franchise owners in Chicago--cake frosting jammed in a powered pillow is NOT "cream filled." I love your coffee, but the cake frosting filled nightmare has to go!) You can imagine then, my excitement when I saw a lot of independent donut places here in Katy. So far, I have tried two Snowflake Donut locations, both of which had great glazed numbers, but lacked anything cream filled. I tried Shipley's Donuts (not an independent), and it's the closest I've come thus far. The cream was light and airy, but it had a hint of a marshmallow-fluff flavor. So far, that's all I've tried. Don't worry. I'll update as I try the donut shops of Katy. The cream-filled donut wonder of my childhood will not only live in my past. Mark my words: I am a donut-loving gal, and I know the prize is near.
P.S. This post is dedicated to Michelle, who shared a bag of donuts with me on a San Francisco pier, igniting and sealing our friendship with one bite, and to Gretchen, who can appreciate a warm glazed over a bagel any day of the week, and knows that it's perfectly okay to drive from Western Springs into the city just because "that crack frosting" is so damn good. Miss you both....

Busy Season Begins

Even though Henry will not be attending school this year, there is something about the start of a new school year that results in being busy. I have been trying to figure out how Henry and I will spend our days, and, so far, we have some fun activities lined up. We'll be taking the "Tornado Toddlers" class at our gym on Wednesday mornings. I am thinking it'll be a faux Gymboree experience (which is fine with us!). We did Gymboree in Chicago, but there is not one that close to us here. Plus, as gym members, the price tag is a lot smaller. We'll also be doing MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers, which is a national program) every other Friday. On the alternate Fridays, I will be taking a golf clinic with my neighbor. We've got one sitter lined up, and she will watch Henry and two of my neighbor's kids while we master the links.

I'm also in the middle of training for one of the two adjunct positions I have teaching online. It's a great gig because I can do it when Henry is napping, without having to worry about a babysitter. It's going to be a unique experience teaching in this format, but I am excited about it.

We've also met some moms outside of our play group, so that's been fun. It's nice to have play dates that are not a huge group sometimes. Henry is very social, so it's a real joy to see him with his little friends.

We've decided that life in Texas is good so far. We miss our friends dearly, but we are enjoying the benefits this new lifestyle brings.

Train Table

Here are some pics of Henry enjoying his new train table. You'll see that the "gameroom" (as they call it here in Texas) is coming together. He has a reading corner, an art corner, train area, and (for his b-day) a kitchen corner.

Adventures in Suburbia

The last couple of weeks have been filled with a visit from Mimi, play dates, pool time, a job offer, and a "Welcome to the Cul-de-sac" party. We've been busy! Andy's mom came in for a visit, and it was great having help as we finally finished our furniture shopping. We did manage to have some fun at the Cinco Ranch Beach Club.


I have been enjoying my "New to Katy" mom's group. We meet-up for play dates and mom's nights out. It's nice to make connections with other moms and plug in to the goings on of the area. Henry and I have been frequenting the pool often, which is the only way to really beat the heat. We have made some friends at the pool at our gym, and we're looking forward to spending some more time with them.

In other news, I will be teaching some online college courses this Fall. I am really excited about having a connection to the teaching world without having to pay for gas or a babysitter. (I can do it all at home when it fits my schedule.) So far, I am signed up with one school, but I will be interviewing with a university in Iowa on Friday as well.

Here's the slide our neighbors had at the "Welcome to the Cul-de-Sac" party they threw for us. Henry had a ball. We love our neighborhood, and we really feel like we lucked out!

Dog Days

Last weekend was busy and fun-filled. On Sunday, we took an early morning trip to the Millie Bush dog park. Finally, a Bush I actually like! ;-) Kirby had a ball sniffing all the smells and swimming in the swimmin' hole. Henry loved seeing all the dogs, but we really had to watch him by the water because he wanted to jump right in!