The Battle

Well I'm still in Texas. Scheduled to leave tomorrow for Louisanna making my way towards New Orleans area by the 19th for some Habitat work I'm very excited for.


I didn't quite plan on being at Lockhart State Park for so long but a few delays...well really just one delay and it came from Monday night after doing some laundry. I discovered...somehow...fleas in the trailer. The next 2 days were spent engaged in chemical warfare against the little creatures. Loads of laundry later, a day trip to San Antonio to get my camera cleaned (fuzzy spots on all my pictures) and I was back in action.

I made my way across to Houston area and have been camped out at Brazos Bend State Park. I had dinner with some Linde folks on Friday, enjoying some margaritas and thoughts other than my own. Spent the weekend exploring the park, saw armadillos and went to the George Observatory at night to see the moons of Jupiter. Really. 4 of them.

There is apparently a 3000 year old hurricane on Saturn that is 3 times the size of Earth. Kind of puts it all in perspective. Granted the planet is a giant ball of liquid hydrogen. Makes me realize how absolutely unfriendly the universe is and how delicate our existence is at all.

The last few days been puttering around Houston area. Last night I went to see the journalist Robin Wright speak at the Junior League as part of the World Affairs Council of Houston. She has travelled and reported from the middle east for over 30 years and provided some unique insights and thoughts about the challenges in the region.

With the financial crisis in full bloom and the panic over it, it worries me a bit that the other issues get swept under the table. It's a big down, a correction, it will come back up. I say everyone unplug the TV, stop watching the news, and open up a book. I know there are people immediately impacted by this downturn in a really bad way. Like all things though it will come back, this is temporary. It may take awhile but it will. Maybe I'm just an optimist living in the woods right now but what other choice is there but to hope for the best?

I've been doing my part, at 900 Gallons of gas so far - I have certainly been putting my money back into the economy. :)

Hope everyone is well. Looking forward to getting my hands dirty next week for the Habitat work.

Cheers!
Kelly