dealing with stress

This week has been somewhat exciting - a presentation for Big Country Audubon by Matt and the beginnings of Attwater's Prairie Chicken madness for me. Classes and lifestyle rearrangement (I can see the floor in my room now!) has kept the weekend less relaxing than I'd have hoped, but at least I was spared the 8 hr drive to Houston. This time. Next weekend is more likely. Dad's condition is stable, from the sounds of it. On a more local scale, my closest friend in Abilene has just started chemo and our thoughts & prayers (and chocolate!) have been with her and the family. On a less local scale, my über-awesome cousin, Pete (in Santa Fe, NM) called this morning to let us know that his wife, Annette, hatched Phoebe Ann(e?) this morning! Matt and I are currently debating which of the Tyrannidae she is named after. I vote Eastern Phoebe, for the call, Matt thinks Say's Phoebe for the range (and his personal affection for the species during the fall and winter months on San Clemente Island).

Otherwise, Matt and I had a lovely afternoon at the Abilene Zoo (the zoo, for work and leisure) and fetched quite an exciting variety of children's toys. Linda, the store manager seemed concerned, but not once Matt and I clarified that the recipients were not, in fact, ours. So desert creatures will go to the west coast, marine creatures will go to the high desert. Puzzles and ducks will migrate to the eastern portion of Texas. And Matt and I will share a weary evening picture of our true alien nature.