I'm Back!
And from the sounds of it, have I ever missed two tumultuous weeks on the blog! Glad you've emerged relatively unscathed from the carnage at your company, Dina. I've never heard of layoffs being conducted in such a horrific manner. I suppose nothing will surprise us in the workplace in a few years, unfortunately. All the more reason to keep one's resumé polished and ready to go any minute.

On a lighter note, I just got back from two weeks on a time-honoured tradition, the family vacation. It got off to a weird start, when we arrived at the Cottage from Hell and had to explain to the astounded owner that no, we did not think that miserable little hut by a mudhole was worth all that money and no, we did not feel safe having the kids around her "petting zoo" enclosed by electrical cattle wire. (And yet... her Web site made the place look wonderful. Damn those marketing people!)

After that initial unpleasant experience, however, we went on to spend a lovely week at a beautiful place on Lac Simon called Auberge la Pineraie. The next week, we stayed at a nice cottage on a lake near Mauricie National Park, which is really beautiful and has lots of pretty sandy beaches for extreme sandcastle builders like my bunch. All in all, it was relaxing and very enjoyable, although I now have a healthy respect for camp monitors and daycare educators--it takes real energy to keep up with small kids!

I'm also happy to say I have joined the ranks of Harry Potter enthusiasts. Camille and I got our daily dose during the holidays and both agreed that the series is the best thing invented since Fudgcicle ice cream. (For the uninitiated, that's an absolute 10 on Camille's list.) Long live Hogwarts and its ever-fascinating crew!