What the day holds for me

Cups of Lady Grey tea with a splash of milk because even when it's in the 90's, I love the comfort of a hot beverage.

A quick lunch date with my Mom because she truly is one of my best friends.

Stolen moments for daydreaming; briefly giving into my unsettled feeling that tends to arise when I'm stressed. Australia has consumed me ever since I got back from my trip, and I can't decide if it's due to a shift in me or if it's because my mind and body need a little more then the 2 weeks I gave them to fully digest my experiences.

Juggling my Fire Invoice Auditor hat with my Fire Invoice Trainer hat...I love the additional help, but rarely give myself enough credit as a good teacher.

Reading this blog, which encourages, rather than helps, my unsettled feeling.

Contemplating yoga again.

Itching for an evening jog; just me, my music and my thoughts.

Wondering if I should pick up a bottle or two of wine on my way home. I'm all out and I like having them around in case I need to bring a bottle to a girls night or gift one (unopened, of course) to a friend, but the knowledge that I need to pack for my upcoming move has me second-guessing my usual actions.

Wishing I hadn't brought up the move...too stressful at the moment.

Wanting a chat with Jamie, but unable to find the time for more than just a few random snippets between our crazy schedules.

Needing to see Harry Potter 7.2. Again. I feel like a door of my childhood was just closed.

The balance between Summer and Fall

This weekend had me craving Fall just a little bit. Granted, I did spend some time laying out by the pool, keeping my tan up and eating frozen yogurt with my Mom, but thoughts of Fall are still in the back of my mind. I'm not sure if it's because I'm over the hot temps or if it's the afternoon mini monsoons we've been having, which make me crave tea and reading under blankets, but I think I've hit my Summer peak. I'm not ready for the days to get shorter, for the pool to close nor for my little patio garden to bite the dust, but I am more than ready for chilly, brisk mornings, pumpkin spice lattes and cardigans...you know, just a few of my favorite things. I'm also ready to rock the new skinny jeans I found for $9 (yes, you're reading that correctly) at the Ann Taylor Outlet this weekend. Perhaps that little deal is what's really putting me in this Fall mood...that and the pumpkin spice lattes, of course!

Fill in the Blank Friday

I feel like it's been a while since I played along with Lauren's Friday blanks, but to be perfectly honest I cannot remember exactly when the last time was...before I left for Australia, maybe? No matter, I'm playing today and encourage you all to link up as well!

Happy Friday!

1. People always tell me I look like my mother, even though I see more of my father in my face. My personality is pretty much all Debby, but I physically look more like my father.
(I've never been told I look like a celebrity, by the way)

2. Friends don't let friends make big decisions without first discussing the pros and cons; they don't let friends walk around with food in their teeth or things in their hair.

3. A sunny day is perfect for drinking coffee on the patio, going for a long walk or hike, reading at the park, grabbing a glass of wine and then wandering around Old Town with the girls.

4. My favorite accessory is a fun pair of earrings. I love earrings, and because I have short hair they are usually visible.

5. If I could afford it I would quit my job, pay off whatever officials I needed to in order to get the residency required to live in Australia, move into a killer flat with Jamie, call it my home base and then travel the world. Yep, sounds like an awesome life plan to me.

6. The cure for boredom is to go for a long drive or walk, and to get just a little lost, both in direction and in your thoughts. A good book works, too. As does spontaneous wine nights with friends.

7. I am currently "in like" with If I Die Young by The Band Perry because it references my favorite Tennyson poem, with the idea of a pixie-ish cut (I may chop off my hair this arvo!), Twinings Lady Grey tea, long walks when it's sprinkling outside, avocado and tomatoes on toasted sourdough, etc, etc...

Tea Tins

I just saw this image on weheartit and I am in love! I think this idea is so clever, sweet and charming, and I may need to try it out. I currently have 2 empty tea tins that I've been saving because they're just too pretty to get rid of, and even though they're the same tea (Harney & Sons Paris blend...try it, you'll fall in love) I still think they would be pretty with a little herb or flower in them.

My generous mother has already gotten my pots ready with lime mint, basil and a few pretty flowers, but maybe I'll try out my gardening gloves this weekend.

The Heritage Tea Rooms

I'm hormonal, annoyed with cost share agreements, in desperate need of a haircut and, unfortunately, wearing my cranky pants today. We all know these days happen, and they really aren't anything to get too worked up over, but having the ability to escape them is always nice. Now, when I say "escape" I don't mean a literal one because, obviously, I'm kind of stuck with my hormones and hair no matter where I go, but a mental escape usually does wonders for the psyche. So, please join me as I jet across the world to Townsville, Australia. You see, this university town in North Queensland just so happens to be home to the most relaxing (and possibly happiest) place on earth: The Heritage Tea Rooms. I kid you not, if I lived in Townsville I would spend entirely too much time at this place, drinking heaps of tea, eating scones and just taking in the scenery. It's wonderful.

(located in North Queensland's oldest building)

(used to be the Eureka Hotel in the 1800s)

(truly amazing tea)

(blueberry and pumpkin scones)

Fill in the Blank Friday

Hooray for the end of the week, gorgeous sunshine and Lauren's blanks!! I am done with being in a mellow mood, work is hassel-free today and I am practically bouncing off of the walls. Yea, my coworkers just laugh when they walk past my office...

Anyway, before I get all scattered and babbly on here, onto my favorite weekly feature:

1. If my house was on fire and I could only grab 3 things I would grab my laptop, the old photos of my grandparents (this is several frames, but let's count it as one thing) and Perry, my trusty stuffed panda who has kept me company since I was 6. For the sake of the blank, I would like Perry to be draped in my grandmother's costume jewelry so I can save that from the fire, too. I have my clever moments...

2. A smell I really like is freshly brewed coffee, rain, lavendar and my rosemary-mint conditioner.

3. Something you might not know about me is that the caffeine in coffee doesn't affect me. This might have something to do with having built up a high tolerance (read: I'm a coffee addict), but nonetheless, I could drink a quad americano just before bedtime and have no trouble sleeping. But, give me a cup of chamomile tea and chances are I will be drowsy before I even finish it.

4. Some of my favorite websites to putter about on are Anthropologie, Amazon (I'm constantly looking up books and new authors), We Heart It and I'm a Facebook whore.

5. This weekend I will probably play trivia with the boys tonight, possibly grab lunch with my Mom tomorrow and I'm sure I'll do the usual gym, errands, cleaning and cooking rotation that makes an appearance in most of my weekends.

6. Nothing makes me happier than starting a new book that hooks me instantly and makes me want to ignore the world in order to read all day.

7. A bad habit I have is not wearing my shoes when I'm at work. I tend to take my shoes off when I'm sitting at my desk and I rarely remember to slip them back on before wandering around the building. My coworkers have taken to guessing what color socks I'll be wearing on any given day. Oh, and this only applies to the cold months, otherwise I have sandals on and I leave those on even when I'm at my desk.

Today's mantra:

Fill in the Blank Friday

Happy Friday, everyone!! I am in an annoyingly chipper mood, which probably has something to do with the excessive amount of coffee in my system, the possibility of some cuddle action tonight and the general fact that it's FRIDAY! My poor coworkers don't quite know what to do with all of my energy this morning. I think I'll channel some of it into Lauren's blanks this week!

1. The first thing I do in the morning to start my day is make my bed (Courtney, I know you're on the same page as me with this one), brush my teeth and take off my makeup, grab a cup of coffee and check the weather so I can ponder my outfit while I shower.

2. Today I wish I was curled up on the couch at my favorite coffee shop, sipping on an americano, munching on a pastry and reading...in yoga pants, of course. Who, honestly, wears real clothes on cozy days?

3. If I had an extra $100 in my bank account today I'd splurge on a couple of nice bottles of wine for the weekend and let the leftover money hang out in my bank account.

4. Tomorrow needs to involve homework (writing a paper...ugh) and cleaning, and possibly catching up on DVR'd Fringe episodes.

5. Two things that don't go together are naturally flat hair and humidity...because I love when my hair is plastered to my head; it's oh-so-attractive.

6. Something I can never pass up at the grocery store is a new tea that catches my eye. I have so many boxes of tea in my house it's ridiculous! But, in my defense, I do take it to work with me and I usually have a cup or two of tea at night.

7. The last time I tried something new was when I did yoga a few weeks ago. I'm dying to go back, but between dog-sitting, being in Michigan and my currently injured ankle I haven't made it back yet...next week!