I'm back-ish!

Just got home today!  Less than an hour ago, in point of fact.  And while I've finished reading The Steadfast Sky, I'm not feeling up to doing a review of it tonight.  I mean, sure, I've got about six hours until post time, but I'm tired and crampy and would almost certainly produce something more "cobbled together" than "intelligently critical" in nature.  When I do write something that looks cobbled-together, I like to at least have no excuses.

Instead, you will be regaled with highlights of my trip!  In bullet form, both for quicker typing and quicker reading--think of it as a twenty second-long slideshow, minus the pictures.

• I saw a wild gila monster for the first time!  It was right in the middle of the bike path I was riding on--I got within a few feet of it (not any closer, though; you don't want to get bitten by them).

• I spent over $100 on used books, and believe me, you can get a lot of used books for that price.  Fuel for future flights of imagination, or unmemorable dreck?  Time will tell!  Buying a used book always feels like playing the lottery, only with a lot more wins.

• My dad and I spent several days fixing up grandma's backyard.  She has a large cactcus garden, and there was a lot of weeding (and some brick re-laying) that she can't do on her own.  I enjoy that kind of thing--I have a black thumb, myself, but I do like gardens.

• And, of course, I got to spend plenty of time with my extended family.  That's what vacations are all about.  Or at least, what mine are.  Your vacation mileage may vary.

Anyway, thanks one last time to the guest columnists, and reviews again on Wednesday!