Athena: Brave Bird or The Bravest Bird?

I had every intention of introducing everyone to Athena bird earlier this week, but I got caught up in house drama and kept forgetting to post. So let's start at the beginning...

Friday afternoon I was out on our apartment balcony when I noticed the beginnings of a nest in one of our abandoned planters. Having a relatively small balcony, these nests are usually denied in their early stages to prevent our balcony from being rendered unusable. This day was, of course, no different; especially since we would be moving out soon and would have to take the planter with us. In one quick movement the nest was discarded and I walked away frowning. We hate to do it, but it has to be done.

The next morning I walked by the balcony and saw Bird sitting there. Right back in the planter where the nest had been. What are you doing, Bird? Didn't you notice you were evicted? I point out Bird to Richard, and then grab my camera to take some shots of our lovely visitor.

Bird is brave and doesn't budge while I take several pictures of her, but when our dog leaps off of the couch to see what is going on... Bird takes off. Tania gasps.

Nooooooo. Bird, what have you done!?

Well, Bird wins. We certainly can't do anything about it now. I am relieved to find that the Internet indicates the egg will take 2 weeks to hatch and 2 more weeks of nursing after that. That should be enough time for Bird to get her baby flying before we have to move. I hope. I also read that doves usually have 2 eggs, but Bird only had one. Now the odds are against her.

Well now that's she's practically living with us, I suppose she needs a name. Richard and I named her Athena Bird. But her friends just call her Bird.

Last night there was yet another huge storm, and the tree that is right behind Bird was waving around like it was about ready to snap in two. It was enough to keep me away from the window... but Athena Bird didn't budge. She sat right next to crazy tree all night long.

So I guess that brings us back to the question of the day:

Athena: Brave Bird or The Bravest Bird?

Birthday Art

Yeah, okay, my birthday isn't for a couple more weeks. But, this weekend was the Main Street Art Festival and it is bound to happen that you see something you just don't want to go home without. This is, undoubtedly, one of my favorite times of the year. It seems like every weekend there is an art fair going on; and, lucky me, I'm just a hop and a skip away.

This year it all started in Fort Worth, and it was a great show. We saw a lot of great artists, and one of them was Jay Long. We walked the entire show and all I wanted to do was go back and look at more of his prints. My parents were kind enough to buy my favorite for my birthday. I spent most of today wandering around to find the perfect frame for it.

So, here is the finished product. I couldn't be happier.

"Hermann," 16X20
You'll have to forgive the photograph, I had a hard time getting a non-glare angle.

I know I said I couldn't be happier, but I suppose that's the problem. I can't decide if I could, IN FACT, be happier if I owed two more similar prints of his. I keep thinking about how great they would all look hung on the wall together... in our new house... that I should probably be saving the money for...

More House Hoopla

So, again last night with the storms. This time they had all the sirens going. I think they were making up for not bothering with them last time when there actually was something to be alarmed about. Anyways, I watch TV until it seems the worst of the storms have passed and decide to head to bed.

Then, I start to have nightmares. In this particular nightmare: we were staying in a house, which I assume was our house, but it had some weird leftover furniture in it that wasn't ours. It was the middle of the night, and we were both asleep in our bed. I woke up and it was one of those things where in the dream you know something is off.

I kept looking at the strange furniture. I don't really know how to describe it except that it reminded me of what I imagined it would be like to sleep in a doll musuem. Not to insinuate that we were surrounded by antique dolls, which would have been creepy no matter what, but that the furniture around us seemed like something you would see at such a place. I feel obligated to include a quick note here: in the master bedroom of the house we are buying there is an antique doll perched in an old pink rocker just her size.

Suddenly, all the TVs come on, including the two that were in the bedroom. Written on the TVs and on some other furniture in the room is scribbled, in glowing text of various colors, "I miss my pet cat." Then the lights flash and the tvs go off. We keep hearing someone knocking downstairs, and it seems to just get closer and closer.
All of the sudden there is a loud knock on our bedroom door. The TVs come on really loud and there is writing all over the room now.

On the TV there is a note from the seller saying "I can't figure out why the TVs come on at night sometimes."

We can hear doors slamming all of the house. Things quiet down, and Richard jumps up suddenly compelled to throw something away. He walks to the bedroom door, which now looks like an old front door with a deadbolt. I yell "No! Don't open it!" But he does. They always do!

Standing right outside our door are all these old Mediterrean people. They are just staring at us. Richard just glances at them and walks out into the hall way and throws whatever it is away. I peer out in the hallway and there are all these people in a small room to the right making food. And then my dad walks by with an Arabic food dish.

In the dream, I remember thinking that I didn't care how awesome the house was I was so glad it was still in option because I was NOT moving in there.

I wake up and Richard is talking in his sleep. He lets out this distressful "No!" I'm convinced we had just had the exact same dream. I wake up him and asked him if he is okay. He mumbles something and rolls over. I couldn't sleep I was so terrified.

So, of course, I get online this morning to tell Richard all about this, and he says he had nightmares too.

Richard: In my dream, Obama and Hillary were debating each other about the repairs for our house. It was really stressful. Hillary kept insisting that we were getting a good deal on our house and we shouldn't be selfish in asking for repairs. I could be making this up, but I'm pretty sure in my dream Obama gave a speech about how we need to Change the Lightbulbs.

Welcome to Our Home

Not too long ago, in the midst of our second house hunting disappointment, my friend Amber massively cheered me up by sending me a drawing of what Richard and I would look like when we finally found the right house. It was a wonderful, very thoughtful gesture that put smiles right back on our faces.

Exactly one week later, a house came up on the market. It had only one picture, a front view of the house, and a brief description. I read it and re-read it, this house sounded promising. Richard agreed. We couldn't help but get excited about it. I took Amber's drawing, photoshopped it over the house, and declared that it must be the one. We called and made an appointment to see the house immediately.

I'm glad to say that a couple of stressful, nervewrecking days later- they accepted our offer!

So here it is, ladies and gentlemen, for your visual enjoyment:

The hopeful new home of The Cardenas Familiy!

There is still much to be done before we can actually stand on the lawn, kick up our feet, and rejoice; But, we are one step closer, and I'm feeling confident that things will work out.

Everyone take a moment to knock on wood. Go ahead and knock twice just in case.

Done? Ok, thanks. Have a great weekend everyone!

Tis the Season...

Finally, things were getting to the point where I didn't have to check the weather every morning to see if it was suppose to be 40 degrees out with a chance of snow or 80 degrees out with unrelenting sunshine... and then BAM. Welcome to tornado season.

When does this scared season of all seasons arrive, you might ask. Well, my friend, for us it arrived this morning at about 3 am. I woke up to what first seemed like the world's largest German disco: lights flashing everywhere, bass shaking the walls. Then the power abandons us.

About 45 minutes later things quiet down and the residents of Valley Ranch emerged from their closets to assess the situation. (This experience, I might mention, not nearly as fun as what I would expect from a German disco.)

Drowsily we peer out the windows...

"Is your car ok?"
"Yeah. Yours?"
"Looks like it."

It is too dark to see much of anything. Listening to sirens in surround sound, we fall back asleep.

First thing in the morning I step outside. Our apartment complex looks like a disturbed ant hill. Everyone and their mother's uncle is outside to see what exactly happened last night.

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Welcome to The Land of Updates

Check this out people, I'm actually keeping up with the blog!

Don't get too excited, it wont last long.

This is a short post to say "Hey, look, I updated some stuff!"
I've got a great new link up for the website/blog/store of a my good friend, Amber, on my "Links" page. And, now I'm going a step further and putting it on the blog! If you haven't checked out http://www.ashadebetterthanstickfigures.com/, then you ought to be ashamed of yourself. Don't worry, that text up there is a link to redemption.

I also finally updated that 'ol reel of mine, which can be found on... yeah you guessed it... the "Reel" page! If you are wondering "Where has she hidden the link to this magical page?" then might I suggest you close your eyes, rotate your head ever so slightly to the left, and then open your eyes! Wa-la! What black magic is this!?

So, how is that for a busy bee? Updated reel, updated blog, updated links... I'm not sure what else you could ask for. But, knowing you, I'm sure you'll come up with something.

Oh, the holidays...

I think it is wonderful when a holiday comes around and the people around you really take the time to show how much they appreciate having you in their life. I know that our apartment complex really cares because I don't know anyone else who would take the time out of their busy schedule to give us an old, failing air conditioner and then spend all evening ignoring our pleas for help. I don't know anyone else who would drop everything to not answer their "maintenance emergency hotline," just to prove how much we mean to them. Nothing says "I care" like three-hundred dollar electricity bills. Nothing says "I don't know what I would do without you" like pretending your loved one doesn't exist.

Here's to you, apartment complex, for making those holidays truly special. I know that you probably think we don't notice, but we do. We notice and we just want to say thank you.
Thank you so very much.

Oh, and... April Fools.

You guys suck.

And now, because I think this blog needs some cheering up... let's all take a look at Mosley dressed in his finest Easter wear.

Shame on me for not posting Easter pictures, oh say, around Easter.