I'm back

Whew. I have hit the "too much of a good thing" threshold in my life this week. So much has gone on that I cannot possibly post about it and expect you, dear reader, to read more than the first few paragraphs before wandering off to a more interesting blog.

Here is my abridged week:

1. New York is like hell, but with a really good restaurant and theatre scene.
2. If people laugh when you say you're going to drive through downtown Manhattan, take the hint.
3. If you wish hard enough that an old friend has gained weight so that you don't have to feel bad about your own size, it will come true.
4. Allowing your wife to take the vacation pictures will result in blurry photos of Rupert Gee.
5. Detours on upstate New York highways are not straightforward. Be prepared to make many U-turns.
   
6. Tipping the camp counselor can help increase the chance that your son will take a shower while there.
7. Cats pooh on your carpet when they are angry that you left them behind.
8. Don't tell your daughter that you're inviting Daniel's parents over for a cookout if the neighbor's son is also named Daniel. She will invite them, and you will be surprised when they arrive.
9. Getting together with your closest friends for dinner is as close to the perfect evening as you can get. But how can 4 couples have 10 kids between them, with a boy to girl ratio of 9:1?
   
10. Don't be surprised if your sister asks you to be the godmother to her daughter even though you're an atheist. Be amused that when she gets around to baptizing her 11 years later, she realizes her folly and unasks you.
11. 10 year old boys are silly, stinky, messy, loud, and absolutely wonderful. Get invited to their birthday parties. Better yet, host one. You won't be disappointed.