Hello, world!

Just a quick post to let you know I'm still alive and doing well. The past few months have been crazy busy and I'm sorry for having let my website/journal/email lapse so badly. There has been a lot going on. In addition to all of the normal work and usual life things, we recently took a trip to California for a wedding and visited Lassen National Park. Also, in approximately five hours, I will be heading to the hospital for shoulder surgery. The calcium deposit in my rotator cuff never resolved (in fact, it's gotten larger) and I have no choice except to have it surgically removed. It's going to be a very long and painful recovery, which could take upwards of 18 months to restore full use of my arm. It won't be fun, but I am looking forward to the day when I have full range of movement without pain again. Since I won't be able to do much of anything for the next several weeks, I'm hoping to have a chance to get caught up with a bunch of backdated posts while I'm recuperating. I've been taking lots of notes and photos so there's lots to post. I'll be on heavy pain medication and doing nothing but resting for the next week, but I should be able to use the computer after that. Check back for updates then. Again, sorry for disappearing for so long and thank you to everyone who sent messages to check on me.