On the Train Again

I’m in the Chicago suburbs currently, staying with friends we met at the Be-All a couple of years ago, so while I’m somewhere with a computer, I thought I should say hi and update folks.

I had a great time speaking at Purdue, staying with Megan at a Best Western, and last night went to a Halloween party with my hosts. (It’s so lovely to be able to stay in someone’s home & not a motel room, let me tell you.) They even have a cat, a very very shy black cat, not quite two years old, named Ian. He apparently thinks I’m here to kill him, but he alternately lets me rub his belly. (Just going to show: all cats are crazy.)

I miss the boys, I miss cranky Aurora, and I miss Betty like crazy. I still won’t see her for another two days nearly – next I take the train (for 22 hours) to Dallas, and much, much later that night Betty will fly in so that we can speak to two classes at Austin College. The next day we speak to three more *and* I do a general talk for the college (& the public, who are free to come).

The train time has been great. Lots of staring out the window listening to music, and reading, and writing, and thinking in general. I’m looking forward to my sleeper car on the way to Dallas – more privacy, and a bed. Luckily, too, they announce stops that are long enough to go out on the platform for a cigarette (cigarettes are like $3/pack in Indiana!) but I’m not smoking much anyway. Which is good, & makes me wonder if I shouldn’t book two weeks or so on trains when I decide it IS time to quit.

Everything with me is otherwise well, and I do have a couple of new blurbs to post.