I spent the last week catching up on life and closing out the project I'd been working on with the NY State Senate since November.

A close friend of ours lost her mother last weekend, so we had another funeral to attend to this past week.

I'll be very, very peeved if I have a funeral of any sort this week (or this month for that matter).

I have decided it's going to be a good year from here on out, so no more of this funeral stuff, ok?

I'm driving out to Chicago midweek, depending on the weather, to start closing out the estate. I plan to spend a couple of weeks, I know it won't be enough but I'd like to get a big chunk done.

I'll bring Frisket out with me, she'll be entertained by the snow if nothing else.

Many thanks to everyone who sent their sympathies and condolences. I'm working my way through a stack of cards and emails to reply to.