Hiding out in the abbey

Did you know that October is Adopt-a-Dog month? The Austin Humane Society is reducing their adoption fees to celebrate. If you live nearby and have been thinking about getting a pup, go in and take a look. And if you've been thinking of adopting a cat, there are some cuties of the feline variety in there too. Don't discriminate, that's what I say.

I just started volunteering at the animal shelter again and I love it so. I was a regular there when I lived here 5 years ago and have been waiting all summer for the schedule of weekend jaunts and settling in to quiet down before returning to my old habits. Which I have.

Being back there hasn't helped my recent anguish re the possibility of leaving Austin. Yes it's true. The possibility is out there. My strongest job nibbles right now are out-of-town. In Texas still, but not here. Which is hard considering I wanted so badly not just to return to Texas, but to return specifically to Austin. I love this town. But I have just had really crappy job success here. As in none. So we'll see. Perhaps I am meant to be just a regular person, a la Theo Huxtable.



Isn't that just the best few minutes of television the world has ever seen? I think so.

Anyway, I sorta feel like Maria and Austin is the abbey and the reverend mother's all, "You have to go find your life!" and I'm all, "I don't want to go!" And I left and then I came back and then I might be forced to leave again. (Um, yeah, I wasn't kidding about that Julie Andrews worship before.) It's just so hard, being torn like that.



Plus I adore my apartment. It's lovely and quiet (if a bit expensive). I took that photo above while sitting at my desk - yes, that's what I see all day. Not bad. Oh well, wait to worry, as my ma would say. As of right now, I haven't gotten a single job offer from anybody, so why get all worked up.



But really, go visit a shelter and adopt a pet right now. This one worked out.

On the topic of Susie Homemaker (that's me), not too long ago, I made this Rosemary Flatbread from Gourmet (via Smitten Kitchen). It's the perfect way to use up some of my crazy little rosemary plant. It's the only plant I haven't almost killed this summer. It's such a good little plant. Get those fresh herbs while you can, winter is coming!



I made this first batch to go with one of my favorite soups - Spiced Chickpea soup. It needs a good bread, or flatbread as it were, to go with it. Now I want to make more, just for nibbling purposes. You could really just sit and eat this stuff, as if it were a bag of potato chips. I kept sneaking a piece as I walked by the kitchen. It calls to you like that.

Okay, I better get to bed. I've got gobs of stuff to do tomorrow, so no sleeping in like I did today. But seriously, it was the first morning this whole week that either an alarm or roofers didn't wake me up at the crack of dawn. So I think I earned it.