Back to reality.

Summer is over.

We're back in our student housing apartment. I'd forgotten about the smell-- something between a dorm and a hotel room. It smells like cascades of tenants and chemical cleaning supplies. Even so, it feels really nice to be back in our little corner of Palo Alto.

In the last 36 hours we have driven 661 miles. In our separate cars. It's one thing to drive that much when I'm in the same car as Harry. We can talk a blue streak together. But when it's just me and the book tape, it gets lonely after a little while. Good thing "Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell" is the longest audio book EVER. I have 3 discs to go on this book-- I've been chipping away at for months. Will I ever get sick of hearing Simon Prebble's voice read about 19th century magic? No.

It's also a good thing that we used walkie talkies the entire drive. I felt like a kid from "The Sandlot" during that part when they try to get the baseball signed by Babe Ruthe back from the enormous dog in the yard next door by building a ramp and robotic car and lowering it over the fence. "Initiate retrieval suction!"

Our Las Vegas summer left nothing to be desired. I spent ample time with both families and read 5 books in my off time. I attended amazing concerts and movies and went swimming and ate snow cones and dippin dots. I hung out with my nieces and nephews. I played basketball and yoga ball. I visited with old friends and their offspring. It filled my proverbial life sponge with water of contentment and giggles. I'll admit, yesterday morning when we headed out, I became more than a little teary eyed. I really love my family-- both the one I grew up with and the one I married into.

That said I'm really happy to be back. We've got a good thing going here.

Now we're sitting on our couch (well, loveseat) watching KCRW reruns and cooking frozen pizza. I way like my life.