So the adventure has come to an end. Some extraordinary things have happened since last I wrote. I went down to Big Bend with Aaron and we saw 3 black bears and some beautiful scenery. I started working back in the field again with the guys, which is always alot of fun. Had a dinner grill night with Charles and Aaron. There was a fire on the other side of the mountain in the primitive area and I got to run up the mountain and bring some people down.

I had a completely different experience than I originally expected, yet it was still a fun, amazing one. I met more wonderful people than I ever could have hoped for- I miss my friends and really everyone collectively in Ft. Davis.

The starry skies are un-real and its sad not to have them here in Austin.

Well..... The say 'every new beginning comes from some other beginnings end'. My next excursion happens soon- it will be much longer and much farther away. I'm going to West Africa with the PeaceCorps in late October to do HIV/AIDS community work and education. But this blog isn't about that, its about the beauty of west Texas.

Almost 3 months in west Texas- some of the happiest, most beautiful moments in my life. I'll be back!

Thanks to everyone for reading!

Lazy Tuesday

Today is a pretty lazy Tuesday. Hung out with some friends, ate brunch at Nel's and now its hot so I've taken shelter in the library.

Been super busy with all my lovliest people coming to visit me.

I went to a concert on Friday, bit of a folk/rock sort of deal at the Blues, it was super fun and I even got in a dance.

Mountain lion sighted in the courtyard of the indian lodge, looks like we've got a young male snooping around, hopefully he'll stay away from areas with a lot of people- lions that are too comfortable with people really are dangerous.

The biggest lightening storm yet happened the other day right in the middle of my program, which is outside. Lightening struck the mountain right behind the amphitheater, it was huge and so so loud. After I ran to the car, soaking wet but protecting the equipment I watched the storm from my porch.

The javelinas have taken to romping around outside my front door at night, eating the acorns that fall from our tree.

I go back home in just over 2 weeks. I'm not ready, I'm very happy here.
Still no word from PC, so my life is still a little bit on hold.

Jeannie B, who is an angel, gave me an interesting bit of wisdom to contemplate...
" I would rather spend my whole life wanting something I didn't have, than having something I didn't want".

Food for thought.

Morning Routine

Park visitors really like me I think, especially the older ones. It makes me happy when I can give them a lot of good information and make them laugh too. Still no updates from PC, I'm checking every day and getting more and more anxious.

Laura- I'm ready for you to get here!!!

hours of my day

I spend several hours of my day at work blogging (like now) or checking my email or reading Peace Corps Blogs and checking my placement status for updates (there aren't ever any). Working at the front desk is slow- and I hate being idle. I'm getting paid to do nothing- I ask what I can do and my boss says nothing really, or gives me 1 minute easy tasks. I'm reading a very powerful blog of one woman's experience in Nambia. http://africanspirit.blogspot.com/
Her life sounds so tough- working with households where the head of house is sometimes only 10 years old and is completing all the duties of an adult- finding food for the younger children, cooking, cleaning , clothing the children. She is making a big difference in their lives. They are like the children in the book I've been reading, the Lost Boys of Sudan- the book is called They Poured Fire on Us from the Sky and I definitely recommend it.

Peace Out

July 21st already

Seems like it was the 4th of July yesterday and now its already the 21st.

The family came down this past weekend and that was really wonderful.

I've got this really cute song stuck in my head:

"If I was a flower growing wild and free
All I'd want is you to be my sweet honey bee.
And if I was a tree growing tall and greeen
All I'd want is you to shade me and be my leaves

All I want is you, will you be my bride
Take me by the hand and stand by my side
All I want is you, will you stay with me?
Hold me in your arms and sway me like the sea."

BARRY LOUIS POLISAR

My hands burned so much last night I couldn't sleep at all- it was from the jalapenos I used to make some salsa. Now, I'm sleepy.

Karl Rove

I met Karl Rove today. I volunteer at the library in town and I helped him set up for a children's story time. We didn't talk about politics, but we did talk about the joys of small towns and open spaces- and rumps- both the kids and Karl Rove thought 'rump' was a particularly amusing thing to say.

I almost didn't get to put on my program tonight because I accidentally locked the projector in the office, but I found Maria at the last minute and she gave me the key to get it- and of course I'm so happy I got to put the program on-- there were a whole bunch of people again (like 35) and tons of fun inquisitive kids and I've been catching lots of critters and other people have been catching critters for me so I had lots of cool live stuff to show the kids. When I first realized I locked the projector in the office I was excited, just because I always get cold feet before the presentation and don't want to do it, but again, I'm glad I did.

I feel very 1920's tonight- I think I'm going to start a new Fitzgerald book tonight.

Yesterday my co-workers got me worrying about my finances- so I went to the library and got some books and I made myself a budget and some goals- its quite exciting to be grown up and doing this sort of thing.

Peace Out.

Night

Ft. Davis is the only town I've ever been in where I have to turn my brights on when I drive down Main Street at night. It is so dark everywhere.