From Flood to Fire and ending with a Squirt!

Last weekend (seems like a million years ago!), about 20 Dismas residents and staff set off for camping at Kettle Pond State Park, under impending threat of Hurricane Irene.  It was a super-sunny Friday afternoon when we piled several of us into several cars and all the accoutrements too! A couple of hours later we arrived at a secluded and incredibly peaceful campground, which is located on the shores of Kettle Pond, (not sure what the difference is between a pond and a lake - but there were no ducks!). It's pretty rustic, no running water, but luckily there was a "composting toilet" (strangely drafty in places you don't expect wind to blow up when you are doing "the necessaries"!)

The weather was just perfect enough for us to get in an early evening swim in the lake which bordered our pitch - refreshing and absolutely fabulous! One of our number turned out to be an expert "woodsman", who worked incredibly hard to keep a glorious camp fire burning all evening.

After a lively round of "charades", we drifted off to sleep to the sounds of the water lapping on the shore and loons calling.

Saturday dawned bright and cloudless, mid 70s. We drove to another lake: "Groton Pond", where we spent the day variously on the beach or on the boats on the lake, interspersed with a delicious picnic, procured from seemingly thin air by the ever efficient Dismas team.  We enjoyed another evening around a blazing campfire, told silly stories and ate "Smores", a chocolate coated sandwich made of crackers and toasted marshmallows. Yum - no calorie counting needed!

Irene was hovering so we packed up as much as possible and dived into tents just ahead of the torrential rain that arrived at midnight - and continued through the night (but had only minor tent-leakage  ).  6AM Sunday morning we squelched around and wetly piled the sodden tents and chairs into cars and "aqua-planed" back to Burlington!

Burlington didn't suffer too much from high winds or excessive water, but the flooding all around is still causing complete devastation and affecting a number of crucial services, particularly anything government-related as a number of their servers are located in basements (yes, really!)

************************************************************************************************************



Au revoir, my friends!

Leaving Burlington was very sad. In the last few days a couple of wonderful events were thrown for me - a farewell party and a "last night dinner", it was so touching to see how many residents, staff and volunteers came to say goodbye. 



A beautiful farewell card



I spent the day flying south and thinking about Dismas, or more to the point - the people. The fabulous office team I have been working with and all the guys (and girls) I have been sharing life with.  It felt like I was leaving home and I shall miss my Burlington life and new friends very much. It really is an honour and a privilege to share in people's lives as intimately as I have and I was so lucky to be completely accepted and welcomed.

Landing in Austin and seeing Kathia and Meli waiting for me was a wonderful moment. They whisked me away to a typically quirky Austin Mexican restaurant, Polvos and it really felt like coming home.

************************************************************************************************************

I always thought that the Brits talk about the weather a lot, but I have never been so conscious of weather as I have these past few months. First in Burlington the incredible floods back in May, finally the deluges from Irene, punctuated in July/August by unusually high temperatures.

Now in Texas the weather is once again dominant. The Texas summer has brought unprecedented high temperatures of higher than 100F every day for over three months and no rain at all. Everything is SO dry, everywhere is like a giant tinderbox, which has meant a lot of wildfires - the worst fire season in state history.  At least 56 fires across Texas have burned 30,000 acres destroying 700 homes in two days - 3.5 million acres have burned since the start of the season in November.  It's very close to home now with fires raging south and north and some people evacuated, or on standby for evacuation - luckily not us (yet?).  You can read more either at the Daily Mail or CNN.

************************************************************************************************************

Over the last few days Kathia and Robert have been terrific hosts.  We've had a typical family weekend, shopping (at my beloved HEB), doing chores and going to a couple of fun restaurants.  

Big Daddy's Burgers and Bar was of course an expierence not to be missed - although I managed to resist the challenge!  

 

 

Gardening...so who doesn't re-plant their garden in 100 degree heat???  I rather impressed myself by devising (and volunteering for) the "collecting the leaves from the bottom of the pool job", which of course is a VERY long job and frankly the only way to be working outside in this heat!  "Before" and "After" above and below.

Kathia has an amazing back yard/garden with lots of birds and squirrels who come twice daily for food - and of course much needed water. Even tiny little humming birds, which are just too small to capture on film.  It's really an oasis in the middle of suburbia.

 

Today we're looking forward to the VTEL "Book Club" reunion.  "Chef Roberto" is expertly grilling ribs and Kathia is creating a delicious drink: "Casuela" which originates in Guadalajara, Mexico. It's a thirst quenching orange-y/ grapefruit-y long mix, which is topped off with copious quantities of tequila and a local soda called Squirt (yes, honestly that is the name!).

 

So with that, I'm off to squirt a Squirt!