sorry it’s been so long.  so much has been going on!  matt and i are back in nebraska, and lauren is still exploring in the south. 

i have to say that, even though it wasn’t really our plan to come back here so soon, i’m happy we did. we saw so many inspiring things along the way (particularly in atlanta, where we were actually able to get involved in some of their community projects), but it really seemed like we’d be more effective in bringing these ideas home.  our town is full of resourceful, loving, creative folks, and bonus:  we know a lot of them personally.  having a grid of support in place is so helpful in doing most anything!  we were also pleased to find some new projects already in the works; all we have to do is roll up our sleeves and get to work.  awesome!

we don’t feel particularly stationary, though we currently have a lovely place to stay with good friends.  we plan to make some money, trade in our trusty van for a trusty truck, and buy a camper.  that way, we’re even more at home, wherever we decide that should be at any time.

(^ hopefully the case, soon! ^)

congaree forest. south carolina

textures and color from the NC arboretum, outside asheville. (oh, and me too)

a visit to the old cemetery and the park with the lovely, swampy lake

holiday spent cozy and with a trip to the beach, complete with jellyfish sighting.

rad.

today was a beautiful, misty, sometimes rainy, warm day.  we made pad thai tofu, then went to the aquarium.  AWESOME.

there were so many beautiful creatures to look at, and many of them live in the waters around here. 

after that, we went for ice cream, which, despite my ice cream snobbery, was delicious.

i’ve decided that my favorite days are often the G-rated kind. 

last night your beloved heroes attended a christmas party hosted by one of the greasiest defense lawyers in town.  the kitchen of the historic (read: fucking expensive) home was filled with hispanic women, all cranking out loads of relatively boring white-people food, and passing out blended margaritas.  combine that with bottomless bowls of sangria. kegs of beer, and a chocolate fountain, and voila!  we were stuffed AND trashed.  oh, and i forgot the shots of patron.  and the bourbon.  

yeesh.

we ate and drank much more than our fill, and were gaining more and more disapproving glances from fake-breasted trophy wives all night.

i consumed my weight in ferrero rocher.

homemade yellow split pea dahl and chapatis,  walks in the sunshine, and good thrift store luck.

yes.

after nearly two days straight haulin’ ass in the van, we’re here in coastal north carolina.  new orleans was wild and fun, and we made a friend there who i hope to cross paths with again someday.  however, i was definitely ready to mosey on, especially to a destination with promise of chilling the fuck out!  nola is an awesome, cultural, vivid, and often boozed city, and here in wilmington it’s so much slower.  

plus there’s a shower and a cozy house full of dogs and family. we’re loving it so!

a death in the family pushed us to move fast to get here, so though we had planned to move in this direction anyway, we hurried instead of wandered.  we’re looking forward to cooking a lot, resting up, going to the beach and spending our holiday time together here.

when you’re from the northern plains and wintertime usually means layers upon layers of ice repeating themselves, zero visibility snowstorms and sub zero temperatures, you should be happy with 50 degrees and rain in december, right? 

we broke down and paid for a motel last night.

it was righteous.

we bathed, did laundry, watched some shitty teevee, and snuck the dogglers in.  we all spooned in a queen sized bed.  maybe not exactly roughing it, but we had the money, and i have to say it really helped raise our spirits.  the room even had a little stove, so we could cook a hot dinner without using any of our propane. 

sometimes you just have to go for those creature comforts (at least, if you’re like us).  i guilt tripped a lot about the money, but it doesn’t feel like a waste after the fact.  today we were refreshed and less grumpy, and cooked a lovely coconut curry with local mustard greens in the park (even though it was a windy 44 degrees out there). 

any old motel bed is fancy as fuck when you’re used to curlin’ up in the van, constantly within a couple feet of a litter box!