my apologies for all-around sucking in the communications department this week - i feel like i haven't had an opportunity to be in touch with anyone as of late, for which i am extremely sorry.

it's strange - the past week has just been a blur. at this time last week, i was preparing for the family visit, which then kept me busy busy busy during the weekend and whatnot. on sunday i learned that my partner in crime here in the front office had been diagnosed with mono, so this week has been a series of open to close shifts for me. fortunately, a former intern is filling in as a temp, so i'm not doing all the work by myself, but there was also the process of showing him the staff assistant ropes, so it made for busy days, to say the least, plus some tours and a few various other random tasks, so i've been bustling about and trying to get everything taken care of. today is my first day resuming a normal schedule, so i'm looking forward to getting out at 5 and being able to get home and relax a bit in the evening. the way things had been going, it felt as if my routine was: wake up, get ready for work, eat breakfast, go to work. go through morning, go to lunch, go through afternoon, get home. by the time i get home and use up some energy exercising (or, as the case may be, use up some energy deciding not to exercise) and eat dinner, it's time to talk on the phone for maybe an hour and then get to bed early because i have to be up early the next day. not to mention that i've given tours of the capitol every day this week, which adds to the weird feel of things - giving a couple of tours a week is typical, five in five days is certainly not - and i'm just waiting for the weekend to arrive!

so it's not that things aren't going well, it's not that i'm being antisocial or anything, but i'm in this tight little coil of a tight schedule and the need for sleep (an added annoyance - i haven't been sleeping well for the past week and a half or so, grrr ...) and will be making a very big effort to restablish some ties and let everyone know that i haven't fallen off the face of the planet (bethy - expect a phone call tonight if you're around!). in the meantime, know that knowing you're all out there and sending me love is helping me get through the crazy rush - i'm thinking of you and you're helping me through the insanity, even if you don't realize it!