An Acuña Christmas

I've been pretty neglectful of my blogging duties. I've been pretty busy with work and mainly lazy. My travels have been limited to Oklahoma (again!) and Texas. However, I did have a brief stint in Hawaii for a swanky wedding at the Ritz-Carlton on Maui in September. What can I say about Hawaii? Well, hanging out with my sister-in-laws family was fun, but Hawaii I must admit was disappointing. It was certainly beautiful...yet, I couldn't help but feel...let see, what's the right word...ah, yes..."mainstream". For being in a place as remote as an island 2,000 miles from mainland in any direction...it was a bit weird seeing a giant COSTCO, Home Depot, and then shopping at K-Mart. Sure the conveniences were great (and expensive!!), but it lacked a certain worldliness...Then again it is still America.

It could be cuz I couldn't run around exploring the remote areas of the island to find some local flare. We were pretty confined to the beautiful resort that had everything we could ask for. I'm not complaining! It was great...just not my style.

Now I'm back in Tucson for Christmas...Ahhhhhhhhh...I love just hanging out, cooking, and doing pretty much not a damn thing. Cannot ask for anything more. Very grateful right now that we are all here safe and healthy, and with a new Acuña arriving next year!

But of course my favorite think about Christmas week...is cooking the food..

Menu for this week:
Corn Tamale Pie with Cucumber Salad 20th
Grilled Steaks and Strawberry/Apple Green Salad 22nd
Roast Chicken with Sweet Glazed Carrots Christmas Eve Dinner
Pork Shoulder in Mustard Sauce with Sauteed Green Beans Christmas Day

Hmmmmmmm....

2010 September Sizzlin'

Labor day brought the parentals in town. It was Mom's b-day so of course we went shopping. Instead of shopping for herself, she shopped for me. Moms. Updated the second bedroom so now its a fantastic guest room and office. I once again went out on "the project"...Jeez this sucker just doesn't want to go away! But I have to say this was one of the best experiences on the project. This time we stayed in Naco and we did GPR or ground-penetrating radar survey. A non-invasive method of sub-surface survey to identify some graves. Don't know if we found them but the overall tone and people of the survey was great. Everybody and their mother was out there visiting us to see what this "gpr" was. It's really not that impressive...some guy pushing what looks like a lawnmower across a designated area. Nothing special. But of course sounds exciting. So everybody was there...watching us. It felt like a DOT project. One of the highlights as alwayas is that I got to see Jenni-Poo again...this time with the kiddo and dad. We ate at this yummy place called Aunti-Pastas. So great. I could tell JP needed this. Brought the rest of the crew out so she got to actually talk archaeology with someone who understands what she's talking about. She doesn't get that much. Luckily, her hubby understands how much she needs to get away sometimes and she was able to plan a gettaway...thanks Chuck Norris.

2010 Summer Summary

Good Lord its been a long time! Last posting was in May! Well, not gonna lie...I've neglected my blogging duties. But I have been busy. Let's see where do I begin...

May:
After survey on "the project," I had great mother's day with the family and a surprise visit from Dannyboy! Mom was so surprised and grateful. We missed Alison...but we'll catch up with her all together at Christmas. As always we had too much to eat..or should say I did...but come on! its the Valley! Where else can I get barbacoa, classic taquitos, buela's sopes and menudo...and I'm hungry again.
At the end of the month, Lindsey's good friend Chrissy visited from San Diego. Met last year at Lins wedding and she was hilarious! Since she'd never been to Austin we had to give her the tour. Started at South Congress to eat at Mighty Cone, then walked to Congress to see the bats. But no bats...kinda of a bummer. So we had to console ourselves by going to Malaga and have a variety of tapas. We then we went bar hopping to Casino el Camino and Red Fez. Lots of fun. Showing Chrissy around downtown made me appreciate living in Austin. Especially since spring and early summer brought lots of rain and filled the creeks. Went swimming as much as I could...after work and almost every other day. I missed swimming in the creeks!

June:
Started the month swimming in Barton Creek...sometimes with Ang, Ali, Tini, and even Kens. Hit the Hill Country for the Blanco Lavender Festival with a few of the girls. It was sooo lovely and not so hot! Did another round of "the project" survey in Lufkin. And not only did I get to visit with Jenni-Poo, but I brought her back to day-trip it in SA with SmallFry and her beau. The following weekend I had the best time in Vegas eva'!! My first friend ever had her Bachelorette Blow-out in Vegas...it was too good to recount...

July:
Surveyed on "the project" again...Had some fun nites out downtown and said good-bye to a dear friend who moved to New Orleans...or I should say...said "c-ya laters!" Since, 'Nawlins is one of my favorite places, you can bet I'll be visiting him. I went on a fantastic field job for a wind farm in Oklahoma...wwwwayyy betta' than "the project." Then started prepping for the two weddings in August...

August:
Two weddings...one nite. Oh yeah, it can happen! Best part is Patience and hubby made it west for both weddings! It was soooooo great to see her...I miss her bunches. Then celebrated two b-days...Lins out on on Port A (lots of food, lots of drink) and then Kells at vinovino (lots of wine)...Went back out on the windfarm...and ended the month with CrisMtz kickin' it at the Domain...

Yes, summer was full of fun...with one month left too...

On the road again

Out on another field effort for "the project." It's crazy that I can recall various details about this whole pipeline in just a manner of minutes as if I never left. Its scary and sad at the same time. Two years I've been on "the project." Which is good that I've been billable. However, its pretty much been a big part of my career and even life. I've gotten to know people along the entire line that are good, hardworking folks that are trying to make living in a very unforgiving and relentless project that is basically working for "The Man." And it is "The Man."They don't care anything but about the bottom line and liability. And that's how they treat everybody on this pipeline. As a liability that could possibly give the project a "recordable." They wanna look "good." Avoid incidents and recordables. And they focus on that rather than the people that work the line and don't consider the real circumstances and safety issues we mitigate everyday. If they'd really care about us, they'd think about actual protective gear specific to our job description.

Whatever...I'm almost numb from it all. Almost.

March Maddening

Winter is playing tricks with us all. There was a full week of 60 to 70 degree weather, winter finally retreating and then 40 degrees...dang it! Seriously! Well, its raining enough to where we'll have water in the creeks this year. Possibly even through the summer! Hopefully I'll be around to enjoy it. The Project is still going on but I'm in the reporting stage of it all. Its almost like thesis all over again...blah.
But I've been still trying to have some fun here and there.
Went to MichelleMyBelle's wedding at the end of February and it was so beautiful. And even better I got to see Babi and we had a traditional after wedding blow out and Michelle's parents. Menudo, tamales, yummy chicken-salad sandwiches, yummm....And I got to have a great dinner and great night out with Mel. And so many birthday's to kick off this March! Dannyboy, G, Lizzie, Marie, Chels...and kiddos too!
But spring fever has been hitting hard...the breezy, sunny days teasing here and there. Spring break, St. Patty's, and SXSW...all hittin' the same week. Even the boss man was ansy! St. Patty's day had him like a kid looking out the window telling everybody, "we need get off early today and go drinking!" And we did. Right at four we headed to the bar and had some Jameson shots. Normally, I don't do SXSW. Too pricey, too crowded, even for me. But a few of us headed down to South Congress to my favorite wine bar Cissi's Market and experienced the fringes of SXSW. Great people watching, awesome wine, and yummy food. The weather cooperated and all sorts of folks from all of the country were walking. Home slice was slammed as expected but we managed to get us a whole pie...for pick up of course. All in all good day considering all the work I still have left to do...a decent break. But back to the grind....then Easter!

The 4th Annual Margarita Throwdown 2010

Another great Throwdown! Twelve entries this year and they were all great! But there can only be one winner....Kiwi Margarita! Congratulations to Gina Miller...this year's Queen. It was a tough competition and every contestant brought their A-game. How I'm able to pack in 20+ people in this apartment...I don't know. But I make it work. A few peeps weren't able to make it...but there's always next year!

I have to say that I'm so very lucky to have the friends I do...old and new. This whole thing started at a time when I was pretty down recovering from a hard two years of completing a master's thesis and a break-up. I was a bit at my wits end. But the one thing that helped me keep my sanity...is my friends and family. One day I was tired of being depressed and figured I should just throw a party. Not for me...but for the friends who've each helped me in their own way. By making me laugh, hanging out, listening, and giving me a hug when I needed it. It was so much fun...I had to make sure I did it again. And again. And every year I'm grateful...

New Years 2010-Tampa, Florida

After visiting the family for Christmas, I turnaround and hopped on a plane on the 30th to visit my best friend in Tampa. Now you may have heard me talk about my best friend. There's Elda and Patty. I'm either talking about one or the other when I say best friend. But actually they're more like sisters.Patty, or Patience, is more the older sister who keeps me in line, scolds me when I need it, listens to me very objectively and without judgment, calms me down, and looks after me when I need it. Elda, or Trash, is like the sister I can pick on, make fun of, do stupid crap with, make fun of everything with, act silly in public and don't give a damn. Patty was sequestered to Tampa when she got married and Elda lives in the valley with her crazy-ass kids and husband. My original peeps. If I ever become president, they can each blackmail me to get any position they'd want in office. Patty=Supreme Court Justice; Elda=Federal Reserve Chairman. Just an FYI.
Anyway, so when I got to Tampa I had the option of driving a Mitsubishi Gallant or a red Dodge Challenger. I've had over 4 speeding tickets...in 5 years. Which one do you think I got.
So for New Years we hung out with Patty's office mates for a bit and then went over to her friend Melissa's. Melissa is Puerto Rican and her husband is Columbian and their parentals and the brother and sisters were there. It felt like we were in the Valley! They had pork, corn, baked potatoes, cookies....oh so yummy! We played cards, watched Dick Clark, there was dancing, and then we lit sparklers! We brought on the New years with good people. And I was with Patience, whom I hadn't seen in over a year!! Hopefully, bringing in the new year together will mean I get to see more of her...:-)
The following couple of days was sleeping in...chilling out, a video chat with Patience's hubby in Iraq, catch up, go to the movies, go shopping, and eat. It was like when we were in college. Just spending time together...talking about life, friends, family. It was great as I miss her terribly sometimes.
It was a great New Year...with the promise of many more good things to come.