Canyon Lake Park

We're trying to get settled here in Texas, but things are still a bit chaotic. I have no idea how to get anywhere other than the Target, the HEB and the Lowes. I'm still waiting to hear back about whether I got an interview from the job fair. Jeff is getting back into working mode now that I'm here to help with MacGyver. We're living out of boxes, but are hoping to change that soon. I'm either constantly sick or suffering from allergies.

It's fun. I know I made it sound like a mess, but I like it.

The other day we went on a picnic with Mac. We decided to go to a place called Canyon Lake, about 30 minutes outside of San Antonio on the way to Austin. It was gorgeous. There were hundreds of people tubing down the Guadalupe River, and the Canyon Lake itself was stunning. We had to hike down a bit of a rocky trail before getting to the water, which was a crystal blue against the gray backdrop of the rocks. There were even little waves from the boats on the lake; we think this was the first time Mac saw waves, so he was a bit hesitant at first, but he quickly fell in love with them. While we pseudo-ate (the dog was a bit excited), Mac galloped around the shore and teased the water with his white-tipped paws. He loved it, and, although it wasn't the typical relaxing picnic we have been wired to expect, we loved it, too.

When you come to visit we'll have to take you out there for a swim.

Nostalgia

I'm purging here at GHS on my last official day of school, I want you all to know that, even though I keep moving away from family, I don't want to rid or lessen the value of any of my relationships with you because of the distance between us. It's hard to be apart from people I love, but I hope this step serves as a chance to better the time I spend with you all. Plus, there is always Skype, right?

Though I'm in a bit of a nostalgic mood, it's well mixed with pure exhaustion, so I hope my message is coming across.

Kerri

Our new pup!

Here's the picture Michelle from Phoenix Animal Rescue took of us and MacGyver's foster parents the day we got him. I'll post more once Jeff can upload them to his computer after everything is unpacked.

Furr Drive Update

Hey guys,

So, we're actually going to close on the house this month. Our loan officer is bonkers, so I'm not sure I understand why the change back to May, but it saves us some money and is more comforting for both of us. The new--and hopefully final--date is May 27th.

We're also "buying" Mac today, so we will get him on Sunday. So, all I have to get through is Prom this weekend and then packing before Jeff leaves on Tuesday morning. And, all Jeff has to get through is writing his butt off to get as much of his dissertation done as possible before the move. It's going to be a crazy week/weekend, but we're generally looking forward to it.

Miss you all!

Love,
Kerri

MacGyver is ours!

It's all but official: we got MacGyver! The woman in charge of the Phoenix Animal Rescue hasn't gotten back to us yet, but the status on Petfinder has changed, so that's reason enough to celebrate!

http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/15430730

The Anticipated Abode

Here are some pics; maybe they'll give you a better idea of the place than the realtor's shots.

La Chua Trail

This morning, Jeff and I woke up and actually had time to spend together. After some lounging around, we headed off to the La Chua Trail to take some pics and go for a leisurely stroll. I warned Jeff that there was a new fee per person, but he still wanted to go, so we made our way to the trailhead. Upon arriving, surprise!, there were signs posted notifying visitors of the $2.00 per person entry fee. It might not seem like a lot, but we're used to free access to this great trail, and we were a bit put off by the hike (get it?), which is why we offered our receipts to two incoming visitors on our way out of the parking lot. Much to our relief, we didn't get arrested by a park ranger waiting for law-breakers like us.

The great thing about the La Chua Trail is that it has a different feel each time we go. The first time we walked it, the platform leading to the sinkhole wasn't even built, so we got a lot of views of the brush. When we went back, the boardwalk was built, and we were able to see a bunch of gators due to the low water level in the sinkhole. Another time, we went there for a run and almost stepped on little mice the entire time; there was an article in the Gainesville Sun the next day about the strange influx of mice into Payne's Prairie. This time, the water was extremely high to the point that we saw no islands in the sinkhole and we struggled to see gators, that is, until we passed the platform and saw nearly 25 of them lounging on the shoreline. We gawked, then walked, then gawked some more as we ended up seeing about 150 gators altogether. Some of them were babies, some of them were giants. We got close to more than I ever anticipated in my life.

We also saw five buffalo--two crossing the water out in the prairie--and an array of birds, including two American Bitterns, two Whopping Cranes and some Sandhill Cranes.

I'm not sure how many more times we'll visit the trail, but this time was, by far, the best time we've had there together. I guess it's true that you get what you pay for.