I have arrived!

Well, as you can by the pics below, it was a loooong drive. The bunnies did very well. I was exhausted. Jason did most of the driving. We left St. Louis on 12-23-05, drove 8 hours and stayed over in Oklahoma City the first night, 9 hours the 2nd day and stayed in Grants, NM the 2nd night, and 12 hours on the 3rd day and got to our final destination on Christmas day. Yup 1800-some miles. Ugh.

Babs got into Oscar's territory as we slept in the hotel room on the 1st night and picked a fight. We scrambled to separate them but not before he took 4 chunks out of her shoulder. Since it was Christmas Eve, and I didn't know the area, and the wounds didn't look too deep, I dressed them with Neosporin and kept an eye on them. They are not too serious, luckily, although Zena, my warrior princess, seems to have a death wish. Her wounds are healing very nicely. She stood perfectly still as I cleaned her wounds as if to say, "Mommy, I got beat up again." Ugh.

The rest of the trip was uneventful. I felt really naseous and sick by the time we stopped for lunch on the third day somewhere in AZ. I couldn't figure it out. I felt like such crap for the rest of the drive; I didn't know what had hit me. My stomach ached and cramped the whole way. My back was killing me, and I couldn't get comfortable. When we finally got to San Diego, I was also dizzy and weak and so achy, I could barely walk. Jason helped me to bed, unpacked the car, and helped me set up the bunnies, who stayed in the bedroom with me until I could feel better. Turns out, I had come down with the flu. I remained in bed for another day and a half with a fever and chills---sleeping, drinking 7-Up, and eating saltines.

I feel 100% better now. The apartment is totally unpacked, organized, cleaned, and de-bachelorized. The bunnies are settling in nicely, although Babs still doesn't get along with Oscar. She stays in the kitchen while Taz and Oscar get the rest of the apartment. When Oscar goes to rest in the bedroom, I let Babs out of the kitchen, and she and Taz roam around. I am continuing bonding sessions but Babs' jealousy of Oscar is relentless. It's hot here! 80s during the day with a light breeze and low 60s at night. It's weird. I don't start my postdoc until 1/23 so I'm getting ready to start my exercise program back up and explore San Diego. It's overwhelming and exciting. Most of all, it's wonderful to have my whole family (the buns and Jason) together again. Phew.