All the Southern Ladies!

Living up North has apparently forced us to be more southern. If you know us, you know that this couldn't be further than our perceptions of ourselves. We couldn't find tortillas at the grocery store, so we made tortillas. Actually, twice now, with two different recipes. Chelsea made peach muffins this weekend with a pecan crumble on top. Can you get more southern than that?  I'm guessing not. Also, have I ever made biscuits in my life, even though I lived in Texas for twenty-six years?  No, I haven't, but these sweet potato biscuits I just made? Delicious. 

Really, I'm quite proud of them. 

Oh, and you're quite welcome. 

Biking really is better in Boston.

Okay, so technically we live in Norwood, which is about twenty miles south of Boston. Technicalities.

So, last week, we packed the cat in a box, the dog in the back seat, the dad and brother in the moving truck, and we set out for the three day trek from Houston to Massachusetts. There was blood. There was sweat. There were tears. But mostly, there was a whole lot of this:

It was fantastic, and now we can officially call the Northeast our home.

Okay. I have a few complaints about the Northeast:

1. Mexican food is considered part of the ethnic food aisle at the grocery store.
2. This complaint is also about the lack of Mexican food. Anyone from Texas will understand that this is a serious issue. On day 2, after a near mental breakdown in the bread aisle at the grocery store, we were forced to take matters into our own hands.

This worked, obviously, because my girlfriend rocks. 

Tortillas for everyone!

3. I don't really have anymore complaints, because this place is awesome.

I mean, just look at it.

In love with Boston, Day 2

Today was the second day of our "go to Boston and figure out how to live in Boston" trip (we move in less than a month).  It was also a day of learning.  Today, we learned:

1. Boston has these awesome beaches.

Enough said.

2.  Sometimes, you go to the beach to look at sand sculptures and then the sky suddenly opens up and you get soaked from head to toe.  You continue on anyway.  You realize what all of the Dunkin' Donuts hype has been about since it is one of the only dry spots around.  You're from Texas, so you never thought you would get it.

3.  Sometimes, you don't exactly know how to use the commuter rail because you've never done so before and you end up in a tiny town called Canton, south-ish of Boston.

4.  Sometimes, you miss the commuter train to go back to Boston because you are sitting on the wrong platform.  Then you realize that you have to wait almost another hour to catch another train, going in the opposite direction of your intended destination.

5.  Sometimes, you don't realize that your Boston transit pass doesn't work on the commuter rail, so the commuter train staff member kindly tells you he won't write you a ticket for not having a pass and lets you out at the next stop.

6.  You learn that Sharon, MA is a beautiful place.  

7.  You realize that a lot of Massachusetts is gorgeous.

8.  Sometimes, you are finally back in Boston and on the bus back to your hotel and then your bus stops working.  You decide to walk the route to the hotel instead of waiting for the next bus to rescue you.

9.  You find this, and you fall in love with the little town you first didn't enjoy but have realized that it has the perfect amount of charm:

10.  You find potential places for rent in your new love of a town and also an adorable Italian restaurant which serves delicious prosciutto sandwiches.  You decide that your day was amazing.  You don't even care that it didn't start that way.

You guys, living in Boston is going to be one of the best adventures of our lives.  I'm so ready for it to begin.

Out Late

I watched a documentary today called Out Late.  It follows five to six LGBT people who didn't come out to their loved ones until after the age of 55.  There was one woman, Elaine, who came out as a lesbian at the age of 79.  In the film, she is 81, and she speaks a lot of her earlier years in the closet.  She married a man when she was young.  She had children with him.  She had an affair with another married woman.  She went back to her life with her husband and never spoke of her attractions to and her desires to be with women.

Okay, so obviously there's a ton of news right now surrounding gay rights.  I don't often throw my opinion out there when people get into heated debates.  I am in a happy and healthy relationship with another woman, and as far as our world goes, we're accepted by our friends and family.  It's easy for me to live in my little bubble and be happy for myself and not have to be one of these people:

(Googled)

Sure, I went to Pride last weekend and I shouted praise at the floats rolling by and I caught the beads that were thrown.  Yes, if I hadn't been tired that evening, I would have danced with the gay boys at the club until 3am.  I have done my small part like giving a small monthly donation to HRC and walking a few times at the AIDS Walk in Austin.  

Did I smile when the Supreme Court threw out DOMA and Prop 8 a few weeks ago?  Absolutely.  Do I believe that my sweet girlfriend and I will marry one day, and it would be amazing if we could do so in the state that we grew up in?  Definitely.

In my group of friends, I was a little late to the "coming out" party.  I did marry my high school sweetheart.  However, I didn't have to hide my attraction to women from him or from anyone else who knew me well enough to discuss my sexuality with me.  There are a multitude of LGBT resources for people who are questioning their sexuality or gender identity or who are already out and proud.  There are communities full of people who welcome people just like them with open arms.

I didn't start dating girls until I was almost 25 years old.  Did I know sooner that I was attracted to women?  Yes.  I came out and I was scared that I wouldn't be accepted and although I had all of these terrified feelings, my life is beautiful and I was accepted and I do live in this happy bubble with my girlfriend and our pet children.

This documentary made me think.  Elaine was 79 when she was finally comfortable enough in her own skin to be honest with herself and her loved ones.  I honestly can't imagine.  Sure, there will be debate and homophobia in this country for years to come, despite any rulings in the Court.  For the most part, though, at least at this point in my life, I'm unaffected.  This will change in the coming years, I'm sure.  But Elaine went almost 80 years of her life hiding a large part of herself from everyone she knew.  In the documentary, she speaks about how difficult it has been to find a woman who is interested in starting a relationship with someone her age.  I just can't imagine having that inner struggle for that many years of my life.

This photo is from Elaine's obituary site.  Apparently, she passed away in January of this year at the age of 87.  She was supported by her family and friends, but I don't think she ever found that love she was looking for.

I really am just grateful that I am young in this time period and this generation.  I'm grateful for the family and friends that I have.  I'm happy that I haven't struggled, and I probably won't have to.  

I feel like a lot of people my age and younger take these things for granted.  They wave their rainbow flags at the state capitol building and they create their adorable cardboard signs and they protest for their rights.  I agree that these things have to be done for change.  I guess I'm just grateful that we are in the time period that change is inevitable, and regardless of the laws that are put into effect to keep change from happening, I do believe that most of our country, and most of the world, will see change happen in our lifetime.

Saturday thoughts.

I can't do anything these days except for think of houseboating.  Houseboat accessories!  Pets on houseboats!  Mini storage areas for houseboats!  Ridiculous.

(Pinterest-ed)

Just know, though, that our pets will be wearing something similar to this.

(petsmart.com)

If not only for safety, but also for our personal amusement.  Because, really, what is the point of having a pet if you can't laugh at how awkward they feel during dress up time?  Yes, this has happened in our house recently.

So has this.

Anyway.  I'm pretty sure that I will become an old man by the time that this adventure comes to fruition.  Yes, I did just find and fall in love with Houseboating Magazine.  I can't help it.  This will be awesome.

Introductions go in this post.

Hello there. This is a new blog. I'll get through the awkward first post and just lay it out: this blog will be a collaboration between my girlfriend and me, and I don't really know what kinds of things will be posted here. I do know some things, and they are:

1. Girlfriend and I are making the move from Texas to Boston in two months.
2. I have never been to Boston.
3. I'm very excited about this move. I've lived in Texas fooooorrrreeeeevvveeerrr and I'm so ready to move on and try something new.
4. We have recently decided that we are going to be building a houseboat over the next couple of years. And then we are going to live on it.
5. We've told a handful of people about Houseboat Plan 2013 and have gotten a handful of "you're nuts" reactions. Our moms think we're pretty cool, though.
6. There will be a lot of posts about Houseboat. We are both very excited about this.
7. It will roughly look like this:

(from berkeley-engineering.com)

 8. Our houseboat will be cooler than that, because we're cooler than that.

 There you have it.