Back from Nicaragua [sigh]

This post has little to do with living in Austin, Texas. In case anyone is wondering where I have been for nearly a month... it all began when my husband I departed on a much needed vacation (something we are definitely going to start doing more often) and then things have just been moving at a madening pace with family, work, friends, summertime fun, ever since our return. My beloved blog sadly fell by the way side.

Rewind to early May when I was working like a mad woman ... Central and East Austin real estate is especially on fire this summer in the $150,000 - $300,000 range. Lately I have been putting offers on houses for buyers right and left, and I am not the only one. Multiple offer situations have not been uncommon. Houses that are priced right, well staged, well marketed... are selling fast. It has been a real roller coaster of Austin real estate adventures this summer.

... but then, on May 16th, my husband and I packed our bags, dropped the dog at a friend's house, the kids at my in-laws, and hopped a short flight to Managua, Nicaragua. ahhhhhhh. nice.After arriving in Managua, we took a car 3 hours southwest to a little spot on the Pacific coast of Nicaragua and stayed here - at this masterpiece of an ocean front villa.

The villa is part of a beach front resort, Costa Paraiso, currently under construction...but open for business. (custom built luxury homes and lots still for sale, fyi) The 4000 square foot villa where we stayed has 3 masters and a double infinity pool. All of the linens and toiletries were luxury quality (most even nicer than I have in my own house). The staff cooked three amazing meals a day and incorporated as much fresh seafood from the ocean (right out front) as possible. My husband and I drank more local beers than we could count. We went fishing. We went surfing on nearly deserted white sand beaches. My Blackberry had no service. We both even managed to finish the books we were reading. Now that's a vacation.

As I sat next to the double infinity pool drinking my pina colada and looked out at the mountains of northern Costa Rica... I couldn't help but think to myself... there is no other place like this in the universe. It was truly paradise.

Now back to reality. It's taken nearly a week, but I think I have gotten control of my to do list and of course, once again, am very happy to come home to lovely Austin. It's summer. It's hot. It's beautiful though... and there is a lot going on. ! Stay tuned for more.