Autumn

It is the best time of year--fall/autumn. And I don't want to waste a second of it. I am always so glad to have the cooler temperatures, the crisp air, the changing leaves... Fall is such a welcome relief after the long and hot days of summer. Here are a few things I want to do this year to make Autumn 2012 special. I would have added "Go the the State Fair," but that has already been checked off this year.... with one more potential trip to come. What can I say, I just love the ridiculousness of the OKSF. (Speaking of ridiculousness... give this news story a look.)

Monday Reads

Here's what I am reading on this lovely, autumnal Monday. 

• 102-Year-Old Woman Isn't About to Let Anyone Else Change the Oil on Her 82-Year-Old Car, via Relevant Magazine (related:  Margaret Dunning, 101, loves her 1930 Packard 740, via SFGate)
  
• Pin your way to social activism, via Darling Magazine
• Motherhood Mondays: Heart braid, via A Cup of Jo (I'm not a mom, but I want to find someone with long hair just so I can make this braid. Takes me back to my Little House on the Prairie obsession days, ha.)
• To Share or Not to Share? That is the Social Media Question, via Mashable
• Want to talk politics at work? Think again, via The Oklahoman
• Secret style icon: Angela Lansbury, via Rookie Mag (thanks for sharing, Abigail!)

And here's a glimpse at my reading list when I am away from the Internet:

• The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
• James: Mercy Triumphs by Beth Moore
• Barnheart: The Incurable Longing for a Farm of One's Own by Jenna Wogenrich
• The Mitfords: Letters Between Six Sisters by Charlotte Mosley

Cheers, and happy reading. Hope your Monday has been beautiful! 

My vacation abroad: the Olympics

One of the biggest bucket list goals that I have accomplished so far is attending the summer Olympics. The. Summer. Olympics. Even a month later, I get all teary-eyed when I see the pictures of all that took place during the two week period. And it's even better knowing that I was there to experience a small part of it.

The back story: about six years ago, I started plotting this trip, and I jokingly asked my cousin, Cheyanne, if she wanted to join me. Chey was 10 at the time. So imagine my surprise when her grandmother agreed to let her go with me! It started coming together in 2011, when tickets went on sale and I bought some. No turning back at that point!

Fluffy clouds on our flight into London.

Oh, you know, just running into random friends on London streets.

Waiting in line to get our tickets.

Our first event--beach volleyball!

The men's teams from Canada and GB.

Our first view of Olympic Park and the torch.

It rained, in typical London fashion. 

We happened to meet some of the Team GB Basketball players. KD would have been better, but I can't complain!

If you go:

• Consider purchasing tickets to semi-finals or finals matches. Even the cheap seats had good views. If I could do it again, I would shoot for tickets that take place closer to the medal ceremonies. Your chances of seeing someone from the USA will be a lot greater!
• Buy tickets to something the host country is good at. The spirit of Team GB was fantastic, even though they lost both matches that we saw. I can only imagine if we had seen dressage or cycling or crew! 
• Give yourself a day to catch up from jet lag. We had to hit the ground running, and I may or may not have dozed off at the beach volleyball. (At least I didn't fall asleep in the National Museum, like last time.)
• Stay within walking distance to the major attractions. The Tube station got a little crowded, but we lucked out and could walk to Hyde Park, the London Eye, Buckingham Palace, and so on. 

All in all, I had a wonderful time, and I am already planning my next Olympic adventure. I've always wanted to go to South America! I think know I watched too many Betty Grable movies as a kid.