I'm back in Brooklyn, safe and sound after a slightly more eventful drive home than we'd planned (minor car accident in the middle of upstate NY -- only the car was hurt, but since we had to stop and replace a blown-out tire, we got home a day late).

Canada was wonderful, and I miss it already. I'm thousands of posts behind, but sloooowly catching up.

[eta: Photos from the trip begin here (just click "next" until you get to the end -- "prev" will take you back in time to last year's pics). Titles and descriptions are forthcoming.]

This is my last yapping at you until I'm a couple timezones away. So if anyone in LA would like to just say hi or offer directions to a Roscoe's or something, please leave a message on Almanzo's (aka. Chris) cell phone - 414-807-7088. We hope to see a few people while we're out there from the 4th to the 7th.

Starting this evening, I will be pretty much dark(might get access to e-mail once in a while) until the 15th, as I travel to Glasgow.

And I'm in Vermont until the 8th, though I have my laptop with me (posting from the Detroit airport right now), so I'll probably check in. Often.

And I'll be with my family touring such states as Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina until the 13th!

I have no vacation, but could I ask for some health~ma and bravery and resolution~ma for my father-in-law? Direct it toward Arizona, if you would be so kind. He just had a scary health experience and is on medical leave from work.

Ta ever so.

I'll be going dark for vacation later this evening until the 12th. As discussed in F2F, I'll be in San Francisco from the 4th to the 9th. Perkins has organized a dinner on Saturday the 6th if you want to get in on that and haven't been in touch yet. If you want to get in touch with me in SF, my cell phone is area code 416, 624-2239.

My grandfather passed away last night, at the age of 89. He was an exceptional man, kind, thoughtful, and loving, and he dedicated the last 25 years of his life to providing homes for low-income people and families through Habitat for Humanity. In the best sense of the phrase, he was a good Christian, devoted to serving others as best he could. He also had an adventurous and intelligent mind; he always loved hearing my travel stories, and he had plenty of his own. He was a much beloved member of his family and his community, and I already miss him more than I can say.

Popping in to say I am still darker than dark, but will start school (with internet access...o beloved internet access!) on the 15th! I am temping till then, and things are going ok for me, but I can't wait till OCtober or so, when I can afford to hook up home Net again.

Miss you guys.

I know I've mentioned things here and there, but now my plans are finalized: I'm moving to Florida!

I will be heading from Grand Rapids, MI to the Gainesville, FL areas over Labor Day weekend. I have already met the owner of a music store and studio and will be teaching piano, voice & beginner saxophone lessons to the kids down there.