Edmund and I are in a generously equipped (free Internet) Comfort Inn somewhere on the northern fringe of Binghamton NY. We had a great time at the Getaway. Thanks, Charlie!

I just checked in with my brother by phone and learned that our very creaky but exceedingly cute cat Lucy died in our absence at the age of well over 15, which rather takes the shine off the trip. She has been ailing for more than a year -- major surgery in September '06 for a big and very malignant mammary tumour -- and in her customary quiet way she shuffled off this mortal coil sometime between the cat-sitter's Saturday and Sunday visits. By now, the other house moggies -- Bill and Perdita -- must have noticed that she is no longer claiming space at the kibble dish.

I see that Wincing Devil has posted a bunch of pix, some of them including me ... must look.