OK, so a lot has happened. I'll update you in a few blogs...

Before SNG,Goofch and I entered a 2-week period of mourning, The last blog was before Easter weekend, coming home from Milwaukee (MKE).

As required by FAA regulations, all flights entering and leaving Chicago O'Hare airport (ORD) were delayed at least one hour and gates changed no fewer tha 3 times. Ironic because the flight from MKE to ORD is 14 minutes in the air. The drive is 90 minutes. I should have known to take a cab from MKE to Chicago. Anyway, so waiting in MKE airport on Good Friday I decided to get some lunch. Sat at the bar, had some food, watched the bartender make drinks. More than 3/4 of the drinks he set up were Bloody Marys. Is Good Friday an official Bloody Mary day and I just missed the memo? They weren't on special, either. I asked.

Finally made it to ORD, and then to RDU, and only ended up about an hour late overall because the pilot took some funky jetstream-express-lane from ORD to RDU.

On Thursday before I got home my friend James and his fiance Katrin came to visit and stay with us for the weekend. Katrin was doing an externship in RTP and although they've been together for over 3 years, SNG & I had never met her. SNG entertained them Friday with some hiking and lots of stories, and I got in just in time to go grab some dinner. We had such a fantastic weekend with them! We did all the local stuff- hiking in Umstead, wandering around the warehouse district in Durham, checking out the museum grounds, playing with the dogs. Even had a few adventures! It was really fun. James flew back home Sunday but Katrin stayed until the 15th.

Modean took a turn for the worse on Saturday when we took him hiking in the park. He was dragging up the hills and finally got where he couldn't walk more than a few hundred feet before he'd stop to catch his breath. Katrin noticed that his gums were white, which meant he wasn't getting much oxygen. He relaxed the rest of the weekend. After that he had inreasing difficulty with climbing stairs, and eventually even just walking on flat land.

We figured the end was near, but he still wasn't in any pain and his tail was wagging. He was pretty zoned out. As the week went on, he stopped responding to commands. If you said "cookie," or "Modean," about half the time he'd look up but that was as much response as he'd give. We gave him lots of love and chicken and ham and somebody was at home with them for lunch every day. As you know, he did expire on April 3 in his sleep. He was a really good dog. I really miss him, but we're getting used to being a one-dog family.

While Katrin was here we went for a ride with Eric and had some really weird weather. It was sunny/warm and them it rapidly changed to cold/WINDY/rainy and even at one point, hailing. Jeez. And none of us were properly dressed for it. The wind was so strong that K & I were in fear of being toppled off our bikes so we took the road bikes onto the dirt road (OH! GASP!) as a shortcut, to SNG and Eric's protests. I tell you, it was worth every bit of mud we splattered into our drivetrains.

We made it home just as the thunder started.

So that only brings you up to 2 weeks ago. Next post- I'll tell you about urban cycling, playing like Rocky, busy bad restaurants and empty good ones, and Amish cheese in Philadelphia.