Change in Plans

Sometimes it really sucks to live in the 2nd largest state in the US.  And it certainly sucks to have towns named very similar to each other, but to be nowhere near each other.

I was planning to attend the 2nd Annual Texas Rattlesnake Festival on Saturday.  I thought it was in WHITE Rock, Texas -- which is only about 40 minutes away from me.  Turns out, it's in ROUND Rock, Texas -- which is about 4 HOURS away from me.  ::sighs::  Talk about serious disappointment.

Now, I only have myself to blame, as I've known about this festival for a while now.  I should have done my background research sooner and asked for Sunday off of work at Starbucks, as I have no problem making a 4 hour trip.  I just don't want to do an 8 hour round trip in one day. 

So now I'm scrambling to find something else to do this Saturday, as it's my 9th anniversary of being self-injurious behavior free.  And I always try to do something nice to mark the occasion. 

I'm not really feeling like doing a zoo trip, as I'll be going to the Abilene Zoo on Monday with my Mom.  Neither local exotic animal sanctuary was particularly calling to me, so those were out.  Hell, I looked at the various museums we have in the area and even those held no appeal.  I started trying to make peace with the fact that I might not be doing anything overly special this year, but that I would go all out next year.

Then I remembered....what about the Japanese Botanical Gardens?  I'm sure they're more gorgeous to visit in the autumn, but I haven't been there in ages.  Turns out, it's pretty damn cheap to go there!

So while I may not be neck deep with hundreds of rattlesnakes from all points of the globe....but maybe I wasn't supposed to go there this year.  Maybe, for the 9th year of non-injurious behavior, I'm supposed to spend some quiet time in nature.  Maybe I'm supposed to go to the Japanese Botanical Gardens with my camera and just spend the day loosing myself in the beauty?

At least, that's the mindset I'm adopting. 

I'm choosing to accept this as the better thing for me in the moment. 

I'm choosing not to pout at the door that's been closed, but instead, look at what's been opened.

And now that I understand geographically where the Texas Rattlesnake Festival is being held, you know damn well I'm planning for next year already!  I'm going to get my butt there for sure!  I'll take the weekend off of work (if I even have to), and I'll make a weekend event of it.  And with Round Rock being so close to Austin, I could easily travel into the capital and see things there as well.  I'll just do a better job planning that stuff a bit more in advance than just 2 days prior!  ::laughs::

So for now, the plan is the Japanese Botanical Gardens on Saturday.  Sunday, I'll do my shift at Starbucks and then I'm driving to Coleman.  Hopefully, somewhere around Coleman, I can get photos done in the bluebonnets, as those have really started blooming up quite nicely.  Monday morning is a trip to the Abilene Zoo (which has an AMAZING little reptile house, that just got a brand new 14 foot albino Burmese python).  That afternoon is my 6 month cleaning at the dentist (boo!  hiss!), and then I'm headed home.  Hell, I'm almost exhausted just reading all of that!