HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope yours has been a little happier than mine. While I’m certainly thrilled to officially be living in Austin, it’s not without its difficulties. I had a TERRIBLE move from Dallas to Austin last week and have been busy getting quotes and bids for multiple pieces damaged by my movers. In addition to them damaging several special antiques, they also damaged the wood floors on the stairs at my Dallas house when attempting to get the piano down. The level of incompetence from the initial team of movers blows my mind! They didn’t even wrap/protect several items before placing them on the truck. I’d call them out here, although I’m in the midst of filing a claim for the damaged items and don’t want anything getting in the way of that. Needless to say I’ve had a very stressful and frustrating week so far, and I won’t be moving again anytime soon. I’m eager to put this all behind me so that I can enjoy my new place and get settled into my new life here!

I’m happy to report that my dog Reeses has settled in quite nicely! I was a little worried about how she’d adjust to being in a condo building, especially since she had some heightened separation anxiety when we were in New York… but I waited to bring her to the condo in Austin until all of the furniture was in, which I think made a big difference. She arrived to all familiar smells, so I’m thinking maybe that helped? She seems very comfortable and relaxed! This place has a bunch of natural light, and she’s thriving being able to sunbathe every day. She’s also able to see out onto the street and keep an eye on people walking by, which she seems to enjoy. She’s never had the opportunity at my previous two homes, as all the windows were higher off the ground!

I’ve gotten nearly everything unpacked and put away, which is exciting, but I do to do a bit more organizing in my office and dining room. I’ve got a lot of clothes I need to sell/donate, and over the next few days I’m hoping to contain all of that stuff into my second bedroom, which is my office/gym at the moment. Right now I’ve got a bunch of clothes on racks in my dining area! It’s a bit of a mess, but at least I’ve got my bedroom and living space organized enough to enjoy. I’m sure I’ll share more as I get settled in, so stay tuned!