1/16 In Houston, yes Houston

Our flight to Dallas and then on to Mississippi had some problems. Weather delays caused us to not be able to make our Dallas connection and if we stayed with that airline we wouldn't get home until nearly noon tomorrow. All three of us have important meetings tomorrow, so that wouldn't work. So we changed airlines, flew to Houston, and are staying here overnight. We're flying out really early in the morning and will get to Mississippi by 8:30. It won't be so bad.

In the meantime I'm exhausted.

1/15 Still in Austin

Today was a very long day, and a rough one. We worked really hard to plan for the future, so there's a lot going on. I'm working with some nice people and we get along, so the hard work isn't horrible.

Just hard. :)

Tonight a VP took us to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner. A great reward for a day of work. Loved it.

We work in the Austin office tomorrow for part of the day, then off to the airport. We'll get back to Mississippi around 10 PM. Another long day.

1/14 In Austin

I've been awake since 4 AM, so am winding down. Have some work to finish yet tonight, but not too much. We got in around 11:30 AM and after lunch went straight to the office where we got the grand tour of the new building. We then met with my boss for three hours before breaking for the day. Tomorrow will be a very, very long day.

1/13 Odd day

Started at church where I cantored, plus had a solo during "Wade in the Water." It went well, but I made one error that sufficiently humbled me. So that's good.

The dogs have dug a hole nearly under the gate. Won't be long until they are both gone--running through the neighborhood like unruly children. I put their poop in the hole and hope that will deter them. I know they'll just start somewhere else, but at least I stopped one hole from getting worse. (Kind of like the "starfish" tale.) :)

My wrist feels immensely better, hurts a lot less; so I'm exercising it just a little bit. Then back into the brace.

I've been traveling way too much, according to my dogs. One of them has pooped and peed in the house three times this weekend. I honestly don't know which one it is, but I suspect it's Cookie. She's the one with the really bad separation anxiety.

Tomorrow I leave for Austin and later in the week will go to Los Angeles to see the grandkids. Hooray. (And of course Jill and Todd too.) I haven't seen them since August and am pining away for the little sweeties.

But this means that my dogs will sleep at Pampered Pets for ten nights, with only a one night at home in between. No wonder their behavior (and my nerves) suffers. I should be home for a while after these trips.

Adios, and I'll write from Austin tomorrow night.

3/1 A taxi driver with a story

He was originally from British West Africa, which became Biafra. After the Biafran War his country became part of Nigeria. He told an interesting tale about multinational corporations in his oil-rich country.

He's got a masters' degree in criminology and a wife who is a doctor. She's finishing her residency in Africa and their two children are living with her. He's a citizen now, as are his kids. But his wife is experiencing some difficulties with her green card, but they're confident it will be resolved in a few months.

He quit his government job as a probation officer. Enjoys driving a cab, and teaching at a local college.

He just returned from Africa after going home for his father's funeral. His father was the mayor of their (large) city. He showed a picture of the entire family standing in front of their home--a gorgeous mansion surrounded by coconut palms and banana trees.

The trip to the hotel passed by so quickly.