Beginning my life in TX

I am here, really here, in northern TX wearing shorts and a sweatshirt.  Note I am inside a house and can feel the cold wind coming in through the doggy door.  It is about 37 degrees but with the wind it feels more like 24.  As a Southern California girl I expected these type of temperatures would freeze me.  If you know me, you know that anything below 70 was freezing to me in CA.

I have been busy and easing into the Texas life as I do my job search.  

I was fortunate to visit the Toyota facility and take some fun pics which will be shown below. 

At times I think it is time for me to go home soon but I quickly realize that is not the plan and I don't really want to drive back to California.  

I wont lie I did consider driving back yesterday morning when I realized airfare for this weekend was not a reasonable expense.  Even when I told myself I could and should buy an airplane ticket - sensibility kicked in and I thought of Sharon's last text to me:  I hope you enjoy Texas and it helps your life progress.  Making a huge purchase for a couple of days to attend her funeral would not help my life progress and I could hear her telling me how that would not be a smart idea.  Sorry I have digressed from updating what is happening in my life to sharing about my feelings about my dear friend.  I suppose that is only natural. 

I did get to Melissa in time to have a picture taken with the Christmas Tree.  It was huge and very nice.  I have enjoyed taking pictures by Christmas trees this year....not sure why but I did and will probably do so next year.

Having Lisa here the first week was fun.  We spent a lot of time with Andi and her family.  We took pictures - well Lisa took the pictures as apparently I like to post pictures of myself on social media.  I am not sure how true that is but stay tuned as some will be shown below.  Please note that these were taken at the direction of the photographer Lisa.

I had a rougher time on Saturday when I knew Lisa was going home and knowing Sharon had passed and wondering if she knew how much her friendship meant to me.  However, once I read the last text interactions I knew she knew and I felt better about things.  So knowing that "real life" would resume once she left seemed a bit overwhelming but it has been OK.  I don't know if Lisa reads my blog but I want her to know how grateful I am for her friendship.  She is always willing to do simple and huge acts of service for others.  I am so lucky to have such good friends and build memories of us driving being silly and tagging Cadillac as we drove out here.  

So while I miss my California weather and familiarity but I am enjoying the TX life and surprising myself with handling well the cold weather.  Below are some of the pictures I have from the past week and I will try to be better on posting thoughts in 2018. 

First order of business get a tag to drive the toll roads

CA and TX my two states I call home.

Lisa told me to pose with this and send it to
someone I apparently flirt with a lot...LOL

My response to her asking me to send it to someone.  Still haven't sent it and probably will not.

I love this but I don't like how my comfy top
makes me look so huge at this angle.

Being silly at Toyota Museum

Can you see me?   I am part of the snow globe!! 
How lucky am I?

I went a little wild in the snow but I am really in there.

Me inside the globe - had this not been the beginning of the tour, I
 probably would have done a snow angel.  As it is I had a lot of snow on me.

I was awarded a Gold medal for my efforts.

I also got my SUV

I gave it back as my Toyota hat was good enough
 for me along with my gold medal!!!!

This tree is huge and
 dangerous!!

It tried to take me to
Christmas Tree land.

But I jumped right out!!!