Entries this day: Pre_Kiera kiera

Pre Kiera

2:41pm Friday 18 May 2001

I'm so excited! Today I get to meet Kiera, my pen pal of 14 years... and we've never previously met! Truth is that we wrote letters back and forth pretty consistently for about 4 or 5 years, and then we mostly fell out of touch during my college days and the past few years.

But(!), when I went through all my old school letters (oh my gosh I should bring hers!!!), I found Kiera's address and wrote her a postcard. Her parents were still at that address and she got it!

AND(!) she is in Austin to see her sister graduate tomorrow, so I'm going out there to see her tonight!

My excitement level just got boosted because I actually called her dad and learned the hotel room numbers they're in and all that. I'm hoping to be out there by 7pm. Yay!!

kiera

4:57pm Friday 18 May 2001

Driving and typing. En route to Austin to see Kiera! Wonder if I will stay with her family in the hotel or if I will say with Rodd and Stacy. Part of me thinks (and all of me definitely hopes) that I will stay with Kiera in her own room so we can stay up all night talking.

The reason I even think there could be a chance of her having her own room is that her dad said her room number was different than their family hotel room number. And he was quite friendly and aware I was coming out and all that. Super great! They might have gotten her a room specifically for me to come visit!!

I'm pretty much on speedy higway now, though I don't really have a sense of how many more hours it is and if I'm basically on time. I think I'll be here by 7:30 or less.

How ironic that Sally is leaving Austin to go see her brother (?) graduate in.. Massachusettes, where Kiera is from.!!!!

6:19 pm

I'm 40 miles from Austin now and I just got a call from Wende who said that the whole gang was over at our house and Meredith was about to open the present of the salad bowl I painted for her for Christmas last year. Actually I painted it this year, but it was her present that was really from me instead of the ones that Wende bought for Meredith for me.. I admitted to Meredith that I played a very small part in the present-getting for her because I didn't really know what to get her. The bowl was a gift in make up for not getting her the original gift. Still of course, it was painted with great love and care specifially for Meredith.

8:02 pm

So great! Kiera is awesome, her kids are way cute and talkative! So much to say!! Kiera had some mexican take-out for dinner and, bless her heart, thinks I drove 'all that way', when really, it was just three hours!

We are about to go swimming now. Yay!!!

1:07 am 19 May 2001

We (Kiera, her sister Monica, Monica's friend Tanya) visited Empanada's and watched Grupo Fantasma... When I saw their instruments, I pegged them for Jazz / Blues / Rock combo.. However, they had a much more Cuban / Latin sound and even bit of ska sound with upbeat and horns.

I was all sleepy tired while we were sitting waiting for the band to come on, but I woke up dancey dancey when they started.. We only stayed for about 4 or 5 songs, thought they were long songs and vacated around 12:45am

2:00 am

I get my own room tonight! Wow! Actually I'm in John's (Kiera's brother) room; he is sleeping on the futon in their parent's room.

I will pprobably choose to join them for breakfast, but skip the graduation and just drive straight home.