I'm off to Mexico for a week to a resort wedding, so I'll be darker than the grey-ish I've been lately.

I had an interview today, so after the fact jobma that they want to interview me again (or something!) is appreciated.

Off to NJ for family festivities, so I will most likely be dark grey for the long weekend, phone modem access time likely to be severely restricted due to visiting phone-chattery relative's house.

Tonight I found out that my theatre, after 27 years, is closing.

We're going to have one or two more performances -- mostly to say good-bye -- on Friday and/or Saturday and that's it.

Any prayers and vibes for the cast (one of who is expecting a baby any minute), staff, and students would be very much appreciated.

I'll be going dark until Thursday evening or Friday. I'm heading to the beach! Plans involve an aquarium, a bottle of scotch, and large quantities of sitting on the sand, watching the water. But they don't include computers. I hope all Buffistas have a lovely week!

Ladies and gentlespoons, a birth announcement:

It's a series!

From my editor this morning in email (the first part refers to cherry streusel, and "Dan" is her PA):

I should have told you, but I was at home, without my e-mail addresses. Yes they arrived in fine condition and were absolutely delicious, considering their trip, but if you keep mailing things across the continent you'll use up your whole enormous advance. Thanks very much for them, which I shared with my family, lucky dogs. Maybe next time I'll eat it all myself. Which reminds me, when I come back from B-con I will call your agent and arrange to buy Serving Man. It looks to me like the series is going to go well. Very well. (Dan loves the book, too; he's just read Weaver so far.)

I'm a proud mama....

I'm off for the weekend - driving to West Virginia for a wedding. I'll be in DC Sunday afternoon to Monday afternoon, as well. Sunday's pretty taken up with football (what?), but if any DCistas want to join us, or maybe try for lunch on Monday, I'll put my cell phone in my profile for the weekend.

After 4:30 or so, I'll be very dark grey to dark until Wednesday. Hubs is having minor surgery on Monday, and I'll be taking care of him for a day or so.

In breaking news - I'm still not dead, although continuing to be a darker shade of black. Still in Cairo, still working, still enjoying self, still got v. erratic internet access (curses) and very little privacy when accessing same. Love to all and apologies for scarcity of group emails. (Anyone else wanting added to list can email me at nomdesouris at yahoo dot co dot uk and I'll do so - but my epistles have been few and far between.)

Recent events (within the last 48 hours) include setting up a bank account with the Bank of Oman, friend & colleague getting her money stolen from her bag, hitting Cairo to have haircut (FABULOUS new bob) and pedicure and manicure and chiropody for the glorious cost of eleven English pounds, followed by hours of getting pissed in the company of friends courtesy of a colleague who's a blackbelt, a former formula one driver, part-owner of a pub AND related by marriage to one of the most famous (or infamous) wealthy families in Saudi Arabia, and who is presently teaching Year Two (six year olds). Then yesterday we had a big kerfuffle about the arrival of the President of Egypt to the school, although it turned out to be some other bloke in the end - it was a real Schrodinger's President moment, though. Mad.

Have continued to develop taste for smoking Sheesha pipes and am working on learning Arabic - not fabulous by any means, but getting there.

A week and a half ago we had a long weekend, during which some 14 or so of us went up to the coast and stayed in a hotel on the beach - truly gorgeous. En route we visited the war cemetery at El Alamein - depressing as hell, all the more so because my grandfather was a Desert Rat out there himself. Now it's Half Term, and tomorrow I'm heading off into the White Desert with two friends and a guide - we'll be spending three nights in the desert, hopefully without too many encounters with God's more venomous or pointy-toothed creatures. It looks spectacular around there & I'm v. excited about it all.

Sorry if this is out of line - it's not Apocalyptic by any means, I know (healthma and congratulations to all as applicable, btw - this thread really is a blessing for catching up on the important stuff) but I'm painfully aware that I've vanished off the face of the earth and there's no way that y'all know that I'm okay rather than eaten by monsters/sold into slavery etc. Um. So - not dead. And missing you.

About to leave for the airport for a two week trip. I hope to be able to check in, but I will probably be pretty dark while I am gone. If you need to get in touch with me, about SF plans or anything else, emailing is the best bet.

Have a good two weeks.