"How would you like to go and spend a pleasent summer somewhere else?"

So I am not a cow puncher (see Johnny Cash song ) and it is going to be more than a summer but I am going to the desert.

To put it another way....WE GOT OUR FUNDING! I can do the projects I REALLY REALLY want to do for my Dissertation work! They are challenging and exciting and put me right where I want to be at an intersection of theory and field work and getting my feet wet in a new subfield for the future. There are a lot of details and planning to be done but I am very excited and I am working on that pesky Proposal with renewed vigor.

We are dealing rather well this far with the leaving aspect of this new development. At least we KNOW what we are dealing with. I think the unknown was harder. This isn't that long, isn't that far and we will still be getting married so we have that great event to look forward too!
Sabertooth Seymour isn't very happy though....

(really he is yawning....I swear!)