Marge is downstairs on the treadmill, singing along with the Willy Nelson song on her iPod at the top of her voice. I can't stop smiling about it. If I tried to speak right now, however, my throat would catch. If for some reason you can't understand that, I guess I don't know what to say to you.

On Friday we left Portland for an overnight trip to Saratoga Springs, New York to attend Skidmore College's graduation. I felt liberated by the hours on the open road, and we had a great time in Saratoga Springs. We got back to Portland at about 9:30 last night. The trip was the sort of thing I thought we might never be able to do again, and the gratitude I feel for it is simple and profound.