We Are Here

Bonjour mes amis! I know we are all happy that spring has arrived, although some places are looking springier than others. Austin is almost completely leafed-out, and the bluebonnets arrived early and are already packing up again. Spring always seems too short here- like if you take a long nap you just might wake up to summer, which always seems WAY too long. All the more reason to make the most of each day.

That reminds me of Amy Krouse Rosenthal, beloved writer and mom who died a few weeks ago at 51. If you somehow missed her beautiful essay in the New York Times, read it here, but grab a Kleenex first. After reading it, I wanted more Amy so I looked her up and listened to this Story Corp recording of a conversation she had with her teenaged daughter shortly after the recurrence of her cancer. If you didn’t use your Kleenex while reading her essay, you will definitely use it while listening.  Amy’s mantra, even before she had any idea she would be dying at 51, was this:

Make The Most Of Your Time Here

Her daughter mentions in the recording that Amy had engrained that command in her for a long time. These words have been bouncing around in my head ever since I heard Amy say them. Even though I do feel like I make a conscious effort to ensure my days are meaningful and intentional, this phrase gets to me because of the last word: HERE. It’s a not- so- subtle reminder that we have a return ticket waiting for us, and none of us knows when we will have to use it. So while “make the most of your time” is good and familiar advice, Amy’s addition of “here” adds urgency that we might otherwise choose to ignore. It’s particularly poignant that Amy, who lived each day with those words, ran out of time here so quickly. When I am tempted to go back to sleep, or to keep scrolling or clicking, I hear Amy reminding me that I am lucky enough to have life here today, and to get on with it. Thanks for that, Amy.

That life I am lucky enough to be living has been full of new places lately. Mark and I spent a weekend in Mexico City at the beginning of the month. My favorite spot was the Frida Khalo house, “Casa Azul”. I had just watched “Frida” on Netflix, making the tour much more meaningful.

Our small hotel in the historic district was a converted villa, with wonderful architectural quirks.

Fortunately the windows were sound- proofed, because there are a lotta people on those streets. That is one crowded city.

Last week we drove an hour to San Antonio for two nights at a fabulous hotel in an old beer brewery. I hope to do an entire post on the Hotel Emma, because it was so photogenic I couldn’t stop taking pictures. Here is a teaser of the lobby.

Finally, we loaded up our old SUV with camping gear and drove an hour and a half to Colorado Bend State Park for a night. It was primitive and peaceful, and the stars were superb.

When we haven’t been gallivanting, we have been slowly settling into our new house. Window treatments and furniture will arrive some day, but in the meantime its more comfortable than the tent and less comfortable than the Hotel Emma. Here is a sneak peek at my study. I am seriously in love.

May your days here continue to be full of what makes you happy, and I hope to be back in this space with you soon.