Update

Here I am, back in merry ol' England. First on the docket of things to do:

1. Finish compositions (due at the end of the month; so far on time)
2. Practice my butt off to get chops for concerto performance (end of the month; so far so good)
3. Find a flat which will allow me to practice (a bit difficult, as they all think I should live in a detached house, which of course would far exceed my income capabilities)
4. Apply for the International Graduate Scheme, and look for a job.

Besides those tasks, I'm trying to keep up-to-date with the news, and organize my online communities. Catherine and I will occasionally read stories from Garrison Keillor's "Leaving Home", but I find it difficult to capture his nuance - which, believe me, adds so much to the story.

I'm currently engulfed in Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States" which is as fascinating as it is dense. I've just passed the Civil War, where I learned about the not-so-honest Abe (a flip-flopper?), as well as the plethora of black delegates elected to state houses. On every page I find a quote worth reading again, so I'm slowly plodding along.

Thank you to everyone who made Catherine and my trip to the US fun and enjoyable. We're both exhausted beyond compare now, but that's what the weekends are for!