I'm back!

While my SO and I enjoyed our trip, our house is now filled with many contented sighs as we're both happy to be back home. The trip had lots of fun little tidbits, including:

• Staying with church friends of my mom in upstate New York; we were initially very hesitant to stay with complete strangers, but they ended up being among the nicest people we know. Both were in their 80s (yet are more active than we are), and were great fun to chat with over the breakfasts they kindly made for us each morning.
  
• Once again meeting my great aunt via a trip that entailed both of us traveling many more hours than it would take us to drive to each others' houses.
  
• Having yet more delicious food, including chicken paprikash (a favorite of ours that I've never gotten around to posting), an improvised chocolate version of baked French toast, and a tasty gathering at Buca di Beppo.
  
• Remembering why I love Firefox so much by being forced to use Internet Explorer for days on end.
• Providing a very good excuse for me to avoid reading work e-mail for a full seven days.
  
• And finally, an event that should make PZ proud: we experienced an upstate New York snow storm (~5.5" in one day), and were wandering around in 25F weather many nights on our way back to our lodging. Hats, scarves, gloves, and jackets were worn regularly!

I'll return to regular posting tomorrow; right now it's time to collapse.