Return from Absentia

I was just thinking I should check in here. The pace at work has slowed down monumentally, to the point that I'm scrambling for things to do to at least look busy, and as I began my scramble, I also began to think... was it about this same time last year I was trying to blog? Do you know I had to look up my password?!? That's how long it's been since I've been here. That's shameful, and if anyone has been watching, you have my apologies.



What's new here? School's new here. I finally enrolled at one of the local community colleges and am taking ONE WHOLE CLASS! Since it's been twenty-four years, I decided I should start slow in an attempt to keep my sanity. Next semester and every term thereafter, I will take a minimum of six hours to keep me eligible for a wee bit more financial aid.



The really good news is I'm poor enough that the federal government is paying for ALL my tuition and fees and leaving me some to take home. The extra money has become my new photography fund, and I'm seriously looking forward to next semester when I will have enough to buy a new digital SLR (should have done that from the beginning). And in the meantime, I'm fighting the urge to buy a much cheaper pocket digital camera, just to have one to drag around with me.



Some of the really bad news is that I'm being audited by the IRS. This is not as bad as it might sound though, as I have all the documentation I need to prove the numbers I originally provided. Yes, it was scary opening that envelope, but once I got to reading, I realized my butt is pretty well covered, and if it's not, I don't believe it's really my fault, just a lack of knowledge on my part. I'll try NOT to blame TurboTax if I do end up having to pay anything extra and just thank my lucky stars that I have the money in savings.



So how about a phot? I have taken very few pictures since this time last year, but thankfully, I've taken a bunch recently. Sadly, few of these are any good, so this may be a crap shoot. Let's see what we can find, eh?

I actually have never liked this photo, or at least the completely cluttered composition. The primary subject, however, totally slays me. I love little Wilbur and that he took up so much of that pitcher. He was the biggest puppy in that litter, bless his fat little heart. May he rest in peace.