Back and Forth tweedle de dum

I go back and forth in this life - from Greenville to Ann Arbor to Seattle to Portland to Austin, these are the scuff marks on my sneakers. I don't know where I'll end up. I can see myself shuffling the Earth for awhile longer and finally settling down right where I started. I am not saying Barry St, but perhaps the farm in Amsden. After all, that is my favorite place on Earth. Sure I've seen a lot of shit happen there - piss buckets and bricks to the side of the head, but in some sadistic, morbid, comforting way, I feel safe. It feels like home and warm pancakes fried in lard and tiny pizzas and potato soup with caraway seeds and a pot of tea on the stove. And so I will open my eyes to the rest of the world, but focus on the place I've always known as home.

A Spoonful of Cactus Jam

I bought some Prickly pear cactus jam from a nice country lady at the Oatmeal Festival in Oatmeal, TX. How did I end up in Oatmeal, TX? In my visions of life, I never once imagined a quick stop in Oatmeal, TX for a festival whose name is much more intriguing than the festivities. The best part of the Oatmeal Festival in Oatmeal, TX was the festival's mascot - a personified canister of 3 Minute Brand oats that looks exactly like the Twinkie Mascot. I bought a canister of 3 Minute Brand oats at the Marble Falls H.E.B store, but upon bringing it home I discovered that not only did it take just 2 minutes to cook, but 3 Minute Brand oatmeal is not even made in Oatmeal, TX. An entire festival celebrates this brand (although the festival had very little focus on oatmeal aside for merchandise purposes) and it is made in St. Louis, MO. I feel like I've been cheated. I did, however, make the best of my disappointing journey and bought a baggie of cookies from some old people and that jar of prickly pear jam previously mentioned.

It has been awhile since I have blogged. I have moved away from Washington and down to Marble Falls, TX. My life has been an endless stream of packing and unpacking for several years now and I am starting to enjoy it. When I left Washington, I left most of my possessions behind in search of a fresh start. Biggy C had my minivan and pretty much everything else that I owned. Christian gave me his Ford Focus station wagon and I packed it with one large camping back pack full of stuff, a bike, a sleeping bag, bedding, and my fishing pole. What more do you need in life? It's all good so far. I am enjoying my job and my co-workers, but the children arrive tomorrow. Training is over and the real test begins.