Coons

So the mystery location of camping was revealed as Pedernales State Park just west of Austin. It was a beautiful spot! The weather cleared up after Thursday night and it was sunny and HOT! We luckily had the river nearby to chill out in all day during the hottest moments. I have not uploaded the pics from the trip yet so I will have to just steal some from the web for now.

The highlight of the trip was the raccoons! We went away to the restroom on Friday night and left our coolers out. When we came back I heard something going on in the campsite and freaked! "Someone is in the campsite!" I told Pat. So he takes the flashlight and discovers that a raccoon had pulled the zipper open on one of the coolers and was breaking into Pat's cherished birthday cookies. Sadly, we had to throw the cookies away and Pat was NOT happy about that! I got a good look at the culprit and he was a big, very cute, raccoon! So I attempted to speak to him in raccoon but I don't know if I had the accent right because he didn't answer me. :( I also didn't have any eye makeup smeared around my eyes in big black circles. I bet that is why he didn't trust me. The next night, we set out some tidbits of food for them to come and snack on and I got to see them again. So exciting!!

We were so enamored with the camping trip that Pat even asked the park host how she got the position...thinking that we could do that when we retired. She was a volunteer. I guess we could still volunteer, but we were hoping to make some money! However, there are workers that work in the main office... So maybe we will work for Texas Parks and Wildlife when we retire.

We also decided, or I decided, that since Pat survived camping in the dead of summer heat, I would now agree to go camping when it is cold out. So our next camping excursion should be on the chilly side!

Our first hike was Friday and we applied lots of sunblock. Unfortunately, I applied the sunblock that was not water or sweat proof. Stupid me... So I fried once the stuff came off with my sweat. Fabulous. I will have that nasty leathery old lady skin on my chest soon.

We took a very long hike on Saturday. We meant to leave early so that we would not be stuck out in the heat but we got a late start. Halfway through the two hour hike the buzzards were circling heavily and we feared we would need to beat them off with sticks... Luckily we made it back in one slightly dehydrated piece.

We are currently working on a list of items that we definitely need to remember for the next trip (spatula, broom, absolutely NO sunblock that is not waterproof/sweatproof)...

Now it is back to civilization and the unending barrage of cars that congest the streets of Pearland, which sucked immediately upon turning onto 518. Ugh...can we go back to the "wilderness" of Pedernales please??? I quite enjoyed sweating non-stop.

Oh, hooray for Pearland...we might be getting a park and ride METRO bus situation in about 10 years!! What the hell good does that do me now??? Whatever. I am still trying to find a way to quit my beloved Medical Center and find some good work somewhere that it does not take me forever and a day just to get from my parking spot to my office. Alas, my beloved Medical Center, you are too high maintenance for me!

Oh well, back to my job. I suppose that is what I am here at this computer for...