Happy Mother's Day

I am grateful to be home this Mother's Day. Too many over the past 20 years have been spent miles away from my mom.

Together with my dad, we had nice hamburger by the lake today. Then we came home and my mom made brownies. 

What's better than that?

In searching for pictures I've posted on previous blog posts, I came across writing from one Mother's Day we did spend together back in 2006. Mom and dad came to visit in New York City and I took her to see Jersey Boys. 

Read that post here. Read Part 1 here.

This is a picture of me and my mom.

This picture is my mom and her mom.

Here is a picture of the three of us in Crystal Beach before my grandmother lost her home to Hurricane Ike. My Momo has since died. Her name was Jeanette but was lovingly referred to as "Grandma cajun" by some of my friends.

Here are four generations! (I'm the one in yellow.) Jeanette, Lucille, Heather and Wanda.

My other grandmother, whom I called Na, has also passed. Here she is with my grandfather.

Austin

Whether in New York or London, when people find out I was born in Texas, the most common response recently has been “I like Austin.”
 I say, “Oh, you’ve been?”
“No. But I’ve heard.”

Up to this point I haven’t been able to properly gush about Austin like I guess they expect. I almost attended the University of Texas at Austin. I think it was the weekend we put a deposit down on my dorm I had a “meet the professors” journalism event. I broke out in hives. The doctor said I was allergic to mold. That day I received a letter from SMU offering more financial aid- so it was back to Austin to demand my deposit.

I was born in Houston, went to high school in an area basically in the back yard of Texas A&M. Texas A&M is basically the University of Texas at Austin’s biggest rival. I went to college in Dallas- began my on-air career there then moved to New York. So no great Austin stories other than the occasional visit to see my Aunt and eat at Chuy’s.

 The one exception is the year 2000 when I flew into Austin to see my parents and my decided I hadn’t seen the Capital building in a while. My dad agreed to make a drive-by… good thing I had worn a suit and makeup and did my hair because live and satellite trucks lined the capital.
 It was the day Al Gore conceded. I ran into my old buddies from KXAS in Dallas and since I worked at an NBC station in upstate New York, they scheduled live shots for me. One thing I didn’t have was my IFB. No problem. I borrowed Jim Schiutto’s.

And that’s not the story most people want to hear when they say what great things they’ve heard about Austin. I can tell.

But recently I’ve spent some time in the great capital city and am ready to discuss what I’ve seen. I some great pictures of all the historical markers and architecture. Really, it’s good stuff. I also attended the now famous South by Southwest Music festival (SXSW.) The music was great.

 However, I stick by my statement, “The best thing about SXSW is the architecture.”

Stay tuned.

St. Patrick's Day

Over my more than 14 years in New York, I grew accustomed to hearing bagpipes on St. Patrick's Day.

Spending the holiday in Austin, Texas this year at the South By Southwest Music festival, I made the statement, "the difference between New York and SXSW on St. Patrick's day is the music.

NO BAGPIPES!

But then I saw a man out of the corner of my eye... (actually my cousin Tammy pointed him out.) We chased after him because we thought he was carrying bagpipes- but oops.
Look- it was a fold up chair masquerading as pipes.


Willamena is in Texas as well. For now she has traded in Central Park for Central Texas.

Here you see her looking for a four-leaf clover. She actually found some pollen and spent the night sneezing.

Back in NYC over the years, McMena sniffed out some nice Irish bars for St. Patrick's Day. Here is a look back at some of her work. There are three tours. Click below.

Upper West Side Irish Tour
McMena's Upper East Side Irish Tour
McMena's Blackrock, CT Tour from 2007


Actually this St. Patrick's Day, a viewer sent me a picture he took of me in the Greenwich parade three years ago! Here I am with morning Weather man Paul Piorek. We had such a good time. However, I think my favorite Greenwich parade memory is from one year riding with co-anchor David Smith. "Connecticut" was spelled wrong on the side of the car.  The printers left out the middle C.
Maybe the bagpipes stole our note.

Nearly two years since I've posted to this blog.
It's a shame since "Reporter and her dog" was one of the biggest elements of my life since 2006. And haha- when I look back at  the writing from 06 to 08 it's much better than my "experimental times with social media" of 09 and 10.
I'm living in London now and trying to figure out how to get back into the Swinging 06's.
Olympics are coming up- anyone need a reminder?
I'm constantly reminded of Connecticut- the games are in Stratford, you pass the Stamford tube stop on the way there- not far past Greenwich- oh and these are the easy ones just off the top of my memory.
So from here- let's see where the future Leeds.
(Ugh that was a way dumb reference to UK football that had no place here :)) sorry....
Heather