Perhaps the saying that absence make the heart grow fonder is true, but time and distance also work wonders on a worn and weary heart and soul. I have flown away from SoCal to the snow laced woods of the Shenandoah Valley and at the moment I have no desire whatsoever to leave. I went sledding this afternoon in the fading winter sunlight down a relatively shallow hill. The snow was all iced over and there were tufts of grass breaking through in random places. Tholnar's coment was that it was like being in Narnia at the end of the Witch's reign. As I looked up at the surrounding hills, letting my eyes wander over the brown tree branches up to the pale blue sky, (and except for the drop in temperature) I couldn't have agreed more...

My postings will be rather spotty and random for the next few weeks. But I will be going into DC a couple of times and midnight mass and hiking and shooting and reading and talking and watching Tholnar milk the cow twice a day - in short just being happy. And then I'll head down to the fey Wandering Minstral's home for more adventures over New Years...
Right now life - for the most part- is good.

Hey I've passed 200 posts... pity I am too worn out to write something long and substantial to commemorate it... other mile markers, my car is (mostly) fixed thanks to the mechanical genius and patience of Toque. I looked down at the odometer last night as I was driving back from the beach and realized that I will not be the one driving when it rolls past 150,000 miles and the thought made me sad... The beach was breath taking last night and not because of the cold. The moon is waxing and the tide was wandering in, long breakers taking on an almost bluish shade in the moonlight. I wished I could have been there by myself instead of with 8 other people... but if not for them I would not have gone at all so in the end it all balances out.
I am in a rambling mood but to no avail, lab final studies are demanding my attention. We'll see what becomes of my writings over the next few days...

A bit of something for all of us coming up on finals...
"The poet only desires exaltation and expansion, a world to stretch himself in.
The poet only asks to get his head into the heavens; it is the logician who
seeks to get the heavens into his head. And it is his head that splits."
~Chesterton

Music, song, laughter, drink - everything one need for the perfect evening...
And it very nearly was. It has been too long since those nights of last year
spent singing until the throat was raw and the voice hoarse. I've missed it so
much more that I allowed myself to realize. How many more such nights lie
ahead? Time moves so quickly, carrying all of us in so many directions. It is
so easy to forget the beauty of the people and the places and time right before
us at this moment while working toward the future...