I apologize for the lapse in blog posts, but back in the week before St. Patrick's Day, my entire family came down with one of the worst GI bugs I have ever experienced. If you have ever been in a home where both parents and all three small children are simultaneously going through a nasty GI virus, you can appreciate what I mean. In fact, over a WEEK later, I still was getting around to eating bananas, rice, applesauce or toast.

This year Savannah celebrated St. Patrick's Day on the Friday before; St. Patrick's Day in Savannah for us is a family event (my in-laws are long time members of the Savannah Irish community) and for the first time in over 17 years I was unable to march because someone had to stay home with our middle child, who was still recovering (we had to take her to the ER on Wednesday). On St. Pat's Day actual (Monday), I was able to sneak out for a few pints of Guinness, but the next day I could tell I just wasn't up to my regular speed.

So anyway, just today I am getting caught up with the e-mail and other work missed throughout and lo and behold, I came back to the Nation and it's like you all moved or something. I don't even recognize the place. It looks good though, but it's gonna take a day or two for me to get reoriented and change some settings so I feel comfortable again. Hell, I couldn't even find Cancel The Engine on the Groups page right away!

I did, however, get a new shield from my brother in commemoration of my pinning, so I'll close with a picture of that and say, bear with me, I should be able to drag up something interesting to think about here in a day or so.