Beware: we're here! (Austin: motel, house, neighborhood)

[oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots]

It's lovely here.

The drive here and the one motel from hell is another story.

And now...back to unpacking.

One of the things I discovered was I couldn't get rid of many of the things,(I collect things) at our other home but now feel ok with it. You have a Salvation Army that picks up so next week there will be a huge pile of donations in our driveway. Unfortunately, had I been able to let go of the things, we would have saved some money in moving expenses but as usual the hindsight is 20/20.

My only complaint so far is the usual IT'S HOT! Also, I was bit this morning by a teeny, tiny little ant, (that got into the bed somewhow). The ant was no comparison to the huge bugs the children are finding. And...I hope the neighbors get used to me screaming whenever I see a lizard, or whatever those things are, crawling up the garage wall. OMG. And what the heck us up with the snails??? I thought snails were only found on the beach!

We've been here almost seven days now and I've only ventured out once to pay some bills, go to the post office and get some groceries. I like hibernating. I'm not going out until it cools off.

The neighborhood is quiet so far. We can see a huge windmill in the distance out our back window and that makes me happy. Also, I've seen BEAUTIFUL orange butterflies and hear wonderful songbirds in the morning. Looking forward to planting some things to draw more of them.

I don't know what drives other people to move here but ours was a new job. For us it's survival. Please don't hate us for moving here, we really didn't want to but did what we had to do.

From what I've seen so far it's beautiful and not anything of what I had pictured in my closed little mind.

Now please close all roads leading to Texas we don't want any more of those invaders from other parts of the world!

[TheCardinal]

Welcome. We're happy to have you.

[Trainwreck20]

or whatever those things are, crawling up the garage wall.

If they're pinkish, they are probably geckos, and they eat other bugs .

As for the heat, it is record hot....this is easily 10 degrees above average for this time of year, but it is a good preview of what August is often like.....

[mego65]

I really wish I could move right now. But, still waiting on that job. I don't mind the heat much, since it is just as hot where I am now. I'm happy that you made it and are happy.

[calel]

The kind of lizards that climb up your walls are generally cute and harmless (Common House Gecko and Carolina_anole). Don't scream at the lizards. Your kids will probably start grabbing them just to unnerve you.

Welcome to Austin.

[Jennibc]

Save your screamin' for the snakes!

[jobert]

for what it's worth, I found a 3 ft long snake wrapped around one of our cedar elms in our back yard yesterday. I went to water the tree, and to take out an old bird nest that grackels/mockingbirds where fighting over (grackels take over old nests). I took the pooper scooper to knock it down, and then resumed watering the tree at the base all the while holding a 6 mo old infant. I didn't notice the whole time I was reaching around the snake to knock down the nest that the birds were protecting. When I did notice it scared the s*** outta me, but then I realized that 90% of all snakes in Texas aren't poisonous, but my wife wouldn't let me take a picture with it which was the biggest dissapointment. I just rambled. point being, there are critters, they ain't purdy alot of times, but they are mostly harmless.

[McDavis]

Welcome! Sorry about the heat, but you'll enjoy the mild whether in late fall and winter.

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots

Beware: we're here! ... It's lovely here.

Welcome to Austin, I'm glad y'all arrived safely.

My only complaint so far is the usual IT'S HOT! ....I'm not going out until it cools off.

We warned you! Did we forget to mention the fire ants?



Plan your outings to combine errands and try to do them in the early morning or after sunset, is much more pleasant.

Now please close all roads leading to Texas we don't want any more of those invaders from other parts of the world!

LMAO

[txgolfer130]

Welcome! If you're not gonna venture out till it get's cool, then you should plan on being inside until mid-October at the earliest. The area is beautiful isn't it? The gecko's while annoying, really do help w/ the bugs. They are annoying (spiders and such, but w/out them the flies and other pests would be devastating!

Now, wait till your yard starts getting torn up by armadillo's or grubs in addition, and you'll be completely initiated! Also, watch-out for the "stickers". Aka, sandburs. If you've never been around them the first experience is not going to be pleasant. Some Greenlight MSMA will help to kill them if you have some currently, and the Lesco pre-emergent in the late summer early fall and again in the very early spring will help control the spread...just some important fyi.

Again welcome to Texas' own version of paradise!