Whew!

It's been a while since I had the time and energy to sit down and write.

We had 27 folks for Thanksgiving, and, although I had a bit of a meltdown and ended up having an apertif while still wet from the shower and wearing my robe, it was a big success. As always, the group was a great mix: Two French, one Pole, one Italian, two Koreans, one chinese, one German, one Hungarian, two Washingtonians, two Montrealers, four American blacks, two gay people, two French speaking children, two prominent conservative newsmakers, an ex-congressman, at least one prominent liberal activist. You name them, they were here, loving each other and eating great food, much of it brought by the guests.

I was exhausted.

The following Sunday we left at 4:30 am with Jack Buechner and Andrea Dravo for a week on the Seadream Yacht. It was the first time ever traveling with another couple, and was just great. That boat continues to dazzle, and is an amazing bargain to boot. A hundred people, unlimited champagne and no nightlife. What could be more relaxing?

The day after our return, I hit the road again. Two days in Atlanta, working from dawn to after dusk, then off to Minneapolis, where I arrived at my hotel after midnight and left for work before eight am. Te