Appalling lack of commitment to the blog, I know -

But I have a really good excuse! On March 1, 2006, my niece Amanda Catherine was born, and I have been a little distracted since then.
Or, I was for about 4 weeks, and then I spent a few weeks recovering from those weeks. Because Mom came to Cali to help Lisa with the baby, so I had to make sure my house was really clean, instead of just tidy. [Although, she never came over, so I don't know why that mattered. Nonetheless.]

And then there was the Walk for Animals on May 13, for which I spent 4 weeks raising money at work. (I am listed on the event's home page as one of the TOP 10 online fundraisers for this year's walk - I know that's a pretty specific title, kind of like being Miss "Brown-Eyed Brunette Right-Handed" America - but I am still way proud.) Team Vistage was commended for its efforts: we hosted the Paws for Claws Bakery every week and raised almost $600; we held a Denim for Doggies day on Cinco De Mayo that raised $540; and our total was $2500!

And then I spent some time recovering from that; and then some more time recovering from being chastised by my boss for spending too much time on the fundraising, and not enough on my job.

So now I'm back.

In the interim, I have read some really good books -

• Weather Warden series by Rachel Caine;
• The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher;
• the Temeraire books by Naomi Novik - these are AWESOME!;
• the Arabesk series by Jon Courtenay Grimwood (Pashazade, Effendi and Felaheen) - as you know I am not inclined toward the Eastern milieu, but these books are really good, and have a definite sci-fi foundation;
• the Merchant Family series by ... I forget.

Since I joined the Amazon Prime club: 2-day shipping for free with a one-time payment of $79, which I long since paid for, I am now addicted to buying books online. (But don't worry, Mom - I sell them again, since I read them so fast, for half-price, on Amazon. It's very meta.)

And I got an iPod as the reward for reaching $2500 in donations, and I am addicted to it now. I take it everywhere, and thanks to it, have finally achieved my lifelong dream: figure out how to read a book while at work!! Also, I bought an audiobook on Mandarin Chinese, and have completed the first lesson. I can ask you if you speak English, or Mandarin, and tell you that I can't speak Mandarin. Or, since the meaning of every word depends on using the correct inflection on every syllable, I could be telling you that your father is intimate with rickshaws. I just can't be sure.

So, according to Janet, my continued financial viability depends on me thinking as little as possible. So I think I'm going to pursue my latest idea for a novel: an office farce written as though it's an episode of The Dog Whisperer. So stay tuned.

PS - Lori resigned last week - and I am considering knitting her a going-away gift. I am not sure what that means.

PSS - and the puppies are still handsome and pretty, respectively.