Not Dead Yet

Frequent readers may have imagined that I had been killed or incapacitated during the past week, but in actual fact I merely flew to the Bay Area for the holidays. Small amounts of holiday shopping have occurred (mainly for food, as I am the designated holiday chef), the dentist has been visited (no cavities or other problems), and my writing group has met.
As one would hope, Calypso Spots and Orion were very pleased to see me. I hadn't thought Orion would even remember me, but although he is still a little wary of humans, he settled right down to be petted as soon as I put down my luggage and came near. Ms. Spots, whom I had been attempting to pet telepathically all fall, licked my hand the next day. She only does this when particularly moved (usually when I've just retold the story of her adoption).