Week in Review: May 1 (with love thrown towards road trips)

I've led quite the charmed life, in truth. Sure, there were a few miserable years in middle school. A teenybopper heartbreak. The loss of close relatives.  I might not be rich - not financially, anyway - but I have a lot to be grateful for. Between the kids, the husband, the friends, the house, the closet clogged full of vintage, I'm pretty much a fat cat, livin' large and such.

But two years ago, I was withering away in dark times. See, I was living in Iowa. Iowa in and of itself is a lovely place. Green and lush in summer, populated by kindly people who drive below the speed limit and pickle their own vegetables and bring over homemade soup when you're sick, it's a laid-back state that emphasizes family values and simpler times. It's also cold as a witches tit. It's so cold that fog freezes. And it's so snowy that you'll go through TWO snowblowers before the winter's done. Basically, Iowa made me her bitch. Just one December there transformed me from a happy-hearted free spirit into a whimpering, shivering, whining crankapotamus.

While there are wonderful things about living in the Midwest, I am just not cut out to be a small town country suburban mom. I don't drive a pickup. I hate to garden. I have a proclivity towards driving a minimum of ten miles over the speed limit. I don't know the first thing about making casseroles. And I'm not a fan of scrapbook parties. Along with PTA involvement and book clubs centered around Christian novels, these all seem to be necessary requirements for moms out in Iowa. Despite my best efforts, I would never quite fit in.

Blessedly, life here in Dallas suits me quite nicely. The Dallas-Fort Wort area is enormous, populated by a diverse section of people, and houses an extensive number of smaller neighborhoods all within driving distance. So during the week, I take a lot of road trips. And road trips make me extraordinarily happy. I love driving to a Goodwill that hasn't been stripped clean by hipsters. I cackle over roadside shops with the words "stuff" or "junk" in their name. And there's nothing better than pulling in to a little country restaurant, ordering a basket of fried pickles, and eavesdropping on the heated conversations between old men in overalls.

Mostly, though, I really love when I catch sight of something I don't always get to see. Such as the 1940's pickup with a tempting for sale sign on the dash. 

Or a farmer's market with rows of fresh homegrown veggies.

Or a gas station selling cheesesteaks. Which is probably the very last food I would EVER consider purchasing at a gas station.

What are some simple things about your town that make you happy? In what ways do you lead a charmed life?

While you're pondering those questions, here's what went down on Dress With Courage this week:

• Wondered how cocktails in stores would alter the shopping experience;
• Explored Patricia Field's and Kotex's collaboration to celebrate our ladybits;
• Got to the bottom of my struggle with geting dressed in the moring;
• Delved into shopping for vintage online as part of my Thrifting 101 series.
• Answered questions regarding fitness for Fashion Beauty Friend Friday;
• Mentioned my inclusion in this week'd IFB Links a la Mode;
• and wrote a guest post for Kate of Divergent Musings on what not to pack for a trip.

And now, allow me to take a moment to welcome all my new followers:

Thank you so much for stopping by, and thank you even more for reading my inane and often rambling thoughts every day. You're amazeballs, and I intend to reward you with a giveaway soon. For realsies.

If you're visiting my blog for the first time, consider becoming a follower through Google Friend Connect, tweeting with me on Twitter, or becoming a Facebook fan. It would be like a massive virtual ((((group hug)))).