10 signs that it is time to leave Austin

1. The orchids have fallen off the orchid plant we bought when we moved here. I think that is symbolic. The bloom is off the rose, so to speak.

2. It was 100 degrees at 6 p.m. yesterday. At 6 p.m.!!!

3. In the middle of the night I realized after three months here I only know where one mall is.

4. Every a.m. I am waking up with a new spider bite. They only bite me; they leave He-weasel alone. He says it is because I am sweet.

5. Did I mention the heat?

6. I am growing tired of Tex Mex. I know there is more than Tex Mex to be eaten in Austin--but try telling He-weasel that.

7. Monsieur Inkey's cardiologist from Chicago called yesterday and told us we could take Inkey on the plane with us. He suggested we do a test drive. We will give Inks a half of a Benadryl and wait a half an hour and then to take him for a drive and see if he still meows like crazy. He said if that didn't stop him from singing would come up with another medication that would quiet my tiny tiger without hurting his heart. The shopping of the light weight cat carrier begins as does the singing the praises of the best cat cardiologist in the world, I love you Dr. Luethy!

8. I have 80% of my long stay visa application done. I am only waiting for two documents to arrive. And, it is only 15 days until I go to the French Consulate in Houston.

9. The aforementioned heat is making me break out. It is not cute to be in your 40's and be needing Botox and benzoyl peroxide. One zit was a shock. Well, today there are four. I should go to CVS and buy some products to treat this pimple plague--but as it is 9 a.m. it is already too hot to leave the house. Perhaps I will mail order something. To emphasize how sad and pathetic that last statement is, we live less just blocks away from a drug store and I am thinking of paying for shipping of a tube of Clearasil.

10. Each day it is growing hotter and more humid and it will continue to do so. I no longer want to go outside because of the weather. I am living like an air conditioned shut in who only occasionally goes out for meals. If only I qualified for Meals on Wheels.

Now let me say, Austin is a great town. There are many fantastic things about it and there are great things to do. But, as I am a heat hater I cannot get out and enjoy many of those things. As soon as I go out doors I start complaining, "it is toooooooo hot." Then He-weasel says,"It's not hot, it's warm." Then I say,"Well, I am hot." And, then he says, "Well, I am not." And, then I say,"Well, you're Greek--you can take it." I know, its riveting conversation isn't it? That folks, is how we begin every outing from our air conditioned town house. Our most frequented Austin locale in this Dantesque inferno is Snowbeach Hawaiian Shaved Ice. On weekdays there is rarely a line which cuts down on my whining and fantasizing about trying flavors I might try, like wedding cake or margarita. What I do get is a medium shave ice with sangria, cherry coke and strawberry. I try to eat it before the elements turn my mound of flavored snow into a melted mess of over-sweet syrup. I know I said I was whining the other day and you all kindly said I wasn't. Well, today I am a whining weasel. It's toooooo hot.

Picture of thermometer is from here.