Various

Well, I'm back in the States now. I actually arrived back home around midnight Sunday/Monday. Things have been somewhat busy. The time that I must report in DC has been bumped up - I now have to be in the office at 11am this coming Monday.

I haven't had as much time as I would have liked to update the blog, but I'm going to do a little bit now. I figured out a way around the fact that the digital camera I got (Nikon 5600 - 5.1MP) features software not supported in the now-antique Windows 98, and was able to upload my pictures today. Before I share some of those, I'll post a couple from New Year's Eve at Turck's place. I'm all smiles in all the pictures that Lindsay had added to her Facebook album, which seems a little odd. But I guess I was having a pretty good time.

The trip to Europe was good. Obviously I'll expand on that when I get a little time.

My dog Jane, more often referred to as Janie, passed away while I was gone. She was a cute little Beagle, but at 13 years old, her vision and hearing were almost gone and she was moving quite slowly. She was not doing very well when I left, and my parents made the painful decision to put her to sleep. I heard the news from Berlin when I called to check in on her. It's tough.

The veternarian Dr. Inkley sent a very nice card with a very powerful poem enclosed. I may post that. If you've ever had to have a pet you loved put to sleep for reasons of illness (my Springer Spaniel Blaze had cancer) or extreme age, it will make you cry.