And We're Back . . .

It was three weeks today that my family and I embarked on an odyssey that meandered crazily across country, with a starting point of Houston, Texas and destinations that included Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Omaha, Nebraska; Rapid City, South Dakota; Fairview, Montana; Minot, North Dakota; and Minneapolis, Minnesota. Of the three weeks we were gone, a solid week was spent driving to destinations, eight hours on average.

Returning today felt triumphant. Driving up to the house, I noted that it still stood. Entering the house, I observed no break-in. Personal possessions, all there. Pipes, holding water. No inch of standing water in the kitchen, den, living room. You laugh, but these ideas crossed my mind occasionally. 1,500 miles distance brings out the imaginative worrier in me.

I have much to write out in the coming days. A lot went down while I was gone, including a major announcement by Blizzard and the downing of a famed boss on the part of my beloved raiding guild, Requiem.

But time enough for all that later. For the moment, I'm going to grab a beer, chuck myself in my favorite chair, and scan hundreds of channels of digital television, some in HD.

All those places I rattled off earlier, they were nice to visit, but I wouldn't necessarily want to live there. It's good to be back.