Dragged from my deathbed* to give you this update

I see from the webcam, that Ottawa seems to be under a bit of snow yet again.**

A propos of nothing entirely, this afternoon when I got home from school, it was so nice out that I opened the balcony door for a bit of fresh air, and, uh, I'm considering sleeping with it open, as the air is just deliciously lovely and fresh and just the wee bit crisp. It is mid-April, after all. We're well into spring.

And tomorrow evening we are headed to the Takayama festival for the weekend. (I forgot to start a countdown clock.) Takayama is two hours north of here by train. Looking forward to it, as we missed their October festival. Except I think it's supposed to rain. Anyway, this means that proper blogging (can't blog, must travel) is yet further delayed ... I know you've all given up hope on me ever properly maintaining and updating this site. In a nutshell, in addition to Hokkaido (which I flickered about, and that's almost the same thing), we went to South Korea mid-March, and Inuyama (a castle town near here which was having a festival) on Sunday. Food was eaten. Sakura (cherry blossoms) were viewed. Portable shrines were followed. A good time was had by all (despite my near-death state at the time).

* I am just finally getting over being sick now. I've also been bitten by the horrid can't-stop-playing-Rollercoaster-Tycoon bug. Very hard to shake.

** Of course, the world is a terrible place, and she who laughs first, or last, or loudest, or the longest, or something like that, is also she who cries. For it's just entirely too possible that this time next year, I myself will be mired in snow along with the rest of the Ottawa suckers.***

*** By which I mean Harper and his gang. Why? Who else could I have meant? And, ugh, even the mere mention of his name makes me shudder. Visceral reaction.