Our New Home & Eeyores Birthday Party

2 weeks ago today we moved into our new house, and life is so much better since. Its taking us a while to get everything sorted. The house is pretty big so it still looks a bit empty! It definitely needs some art work and pictures up on the walls. We have been buying plenty of indoor trees though! Here are just a few shots of downstairs, not very exciting but people have been asking to see, and I’ll take some more of upstairs when I can.

8313 Canola Bend (AKA Home)

Now whooo liiives in a house liiiike thiiiisss.......??

Our lovely huuuuuge sofa
Where the pool table will go (if Geoff gets his way!)

The view up the stairs

Last Friday night we had our housewarming party. I had decided that with it being 2 days after St. George’s day in England and with us being English, it should have a St George’s/English theme to it. Could I get St George’s decorations anywhere? Could I heck! I looked all over the internet and NO WHERE in the US seemed to know what St George’s day was. I went on flag sites in the hope I could at least get the St George Cross, but nope! It was very strange that you could get the Irish, Scottish and Welsh flag, and that some sites recognised St Davids day and St Andrews day. Panic ensued as the invitations had gone out all announcing the theme!! So, I asked my friend from England, who was coming our here that week, if she would mind bringing some stuff for the party. She was more than happy to. EXCEPT at the last minute she couldn’t make it. More panic!!! Luckily Goreti was at least able to provide us with a Flag. By that time I couldn't do anymore except where my England top with Pride!

I made sure I invited lots of people down our street but no one turned up except our immediate next door neighbours on one side! There we a lot of people from Geoff’s work though, as well as the usual suspects, so it was a good turnout. Everybody I met was really friendly towards me – in fact this is one thing that I love Austin for. The people here are very friendly and warm, and helpful too, giving suggestions of things to do and places to go.

In keeping with the English theme Geoff went to get Fish and Chips for everyone. We also had a Cottage Pie, Strawberries and Ice Cream (which didn’t get eaten as we were all too busy drinking), and Anne Marie made a giant chocolate chip cookie with a St George’s shield on it in frosting.

Fish and Chip supper

The Yummy St George Cookie

Everyone seemed to have a really good time, and there were quite a few hangovers the next day. Personally, I blame the mint schnapps shots people were doing at the end of the night!!

The following day was Eeyores Birthday Party, a big festival in Austin which is held on the last Saturday of April, annually. How to describe this…… well, it has nothing to do with Eeyore, or any of the Pooh Bear characters - although there WAS a donkey there - for the kids I guess. I actually felt a bit sorry for him as he was in this tiny pen with kids poking and prodding him and it was baking hot!

This year Eeyores Birthday Party was held at Pease Park, and it has a lot to do with dressing up as weird as you can, being silly, drinking and eating lots and apparently playing drums!!! It seems that people just bring any old drums and congregate in big groups together and start banging them. It may sound odd – definitely part of the ‘Keep Austin Weird’ campaign - but the atmosphere it created was amazing!

There were some bands playing too, which was fun, and we witnessed a sack race and the maypole dancing. We ran into Ron, the guy who was forcing the Schnapps on us the night before (that’s MY excuse!), and Ken – Geoff’s oldest friend from Austin - too. Along the path into Pease Park there were various buskers playing music, and artists selling their work. I wish we could have stayed longer than we did and chilled out a bit more.

Merman
Grrrrrr!

I think he was running a bit late ...
Eeyore

Drum Central!

I am so much more settled now we are in our new house - it's made a huge difference to how I feel. I feel happier and excited about the future. Although England will always be my 'home', I am feeling like Austin could be my home too. Life here is going to be great!!