farlands | traveling near and far

Now that I've started to travel more for work again, I always look for the opportunity during a jam-packed few days to enjoy a view or outing if time permits.  When booking the hotel for my couple of days in Austin, I chose the downtown Hampton Inn because it was close to several of my appointments.  What I didn't know was how great the location was going to be: I saw the river as I crossed over it coming into town.  Oh, wait, it is called Lady Bird Lake (formerly Town Lake).  But it's really more of a river. At the end of the day, it was great to go outside in the sunshine with only a fleece jacket on (not my down coat, scarf, gloves, hat and boots), and drop down a set of stairs for a walk along the water, cross to the other side on the many options for bridges (some only pedestrian, others shared a respectful distance from the snarls of commuter traffic), and checked out the other shore. People out walking and jogging, sometimes with their dogs, stroll...

As a kid growing up in Muncie, Indiana, freedom came on two wheels:  my bike.  It was a beauty:  a royal blue Schwinn, with no top tube so you knew it was a girl's bike, and 3, count 'em, 3 speeds! That sweet ride took me all around the place.  And a special pilgrimage was the ride to the Marsh grocery store.  Why?  Two reasons: 1)  Marsh. Glazed. Donuts. 2) Star Hits Magazine! Every month the new release was out, and my ritual began.  2 donuts - check.  One new magazine with my favorite British stars on the cover (this was the mid-eighties, after all).  I would carefully ride home with my bags of treasure.  Up to my room, and with a glass of ice cold milk, I sat in my beanbag chair and savored every page of that beautiful, glossy magazine while carefully enjoying some seriously delicious treats. Every time I have a glazed donut I wish I had a Star Hits. Also, every time I have a powdered donut I feel like ...