2012 Brooklyn, Portland, Oregon, United States
More light
The sky is getting light already and I can see it from here. I wonder if it’s time to start setting the alarm again. I love these early hours at the end of winter, don’t want to miss the first hints of dark giving way to light. I don’t know why I have been sleeping so late; I didn’t go to bed late, didn’t wake up during the night. It’s more a trend than a fluke, days if not a week running. I’m working hard, that’s for sure.
Weather report
Yesterday was the most gorgeous day so far this year. I was out doing errands in just a turtleneck and sweatshirt, leggings and shorts. Today I’ll spend some time in the back yard, pulling weeds and measuring for raised beds. I rode my bike to the Chinese Garden yesterday, and I may do that again today if the weather holds. I didn’t have a camera with me yesterday, and I would so love to take some photos of the magnolia by the tea house against the sky.
Worldly goods
I didn’t do any Cave Printing yesterday, but I did set some implements aside for that purpose. They’re all in a portable metal file box I really didn’t want to get rid of but couldn’t find a use for.

2011 Leverett, Massachusetts, United States
Settling in
Papa is apparently much better, so I could be looking at a lengthier stay than usual in the States, or at work not far away. I’m going to give this a little while before I fret over it.
Getting restless
I may go into town today and shop for second-hand clothes to keep warm. One of my sort-of sisters - my father’s sweetheart’s daughter - is going to Vermont this weekend, and I may ask if I can tag along, especially if there’s a place to crash in Burlington. I could take the bus - I wonder if Vermont Transit still exists - to Middlebury and some time there, too, though March wasn’t when I was hoping to do any of this. I’ll call my uncle and see how he’s doing, too, probably take the bus to Boston to visit one of my friends of high school, then maybe I can go see my uncle in Maine, though if I’m to be here in May for Papa’s 85th birthday, that might be a better time to head north. I might be able to have a few months in Portland. The one in Oregon. It’s all a question of whether it’s best to head back there between now and Papa’s birthday or stick around these parts and head west afterwards. There’s a possibility of staying here in the sunroom on an air mattress, or staying with friends. But none of this needs to be worked out right away.
Locks
The train rides were lovely, and the second train was right across the platform from the first, so none of it was onerous. We went by Windsor Locks Canal and I remembered that great trip we took years ago to satisfy Papa’s curiosity about the Locks, a trip that ended up also including Mark Twain’s house. What good times we’ve had, and they’re apparently nowhere near all gone.

2010 Vientiane, Laos
Sleeper bus
It was a great night on my first sleeper bus. I spent half the night sharing a bed with Jessie, a lovely companion who almost missed the bus after the van she had been travelling in broke down, requiring her and her companions to push it uphill. She got off the bus early, and I had my spacious bed to myself for the rest of the trip here.
Buddies on the road
I spent the day wandering about Vientiane with Ray from London, with whom I’ll probably head for Vang Vieng tomorrow. One of my students from India who doesn’t seem to spend much time in his native Thailand is working here, and plans to come to my guest house this evening and we can spend a little time together.
More than a millionaire
I took two million LAK (I can’t imagine what the A stands for but L must be Lao and the money is known as Kip, so that must be the K) out of an ATM, which was highly entertaining and now I feel rich! What will I do with it all? Lemon-mint shakes! Fish on a stick!

2009 Tarnow, Poland
Close to home
I’ve traveled all weekend, but slept here in my apartment. Not much sleep last night, after I got in from Rzeszow after 9:00 and wanted supper even though I’d had tiramisu on the train, so I didn’t turn in until after 10:00. Then I woke up around 3:00 to the heater running, even though I turned the thermostat all the way down. I’m beginning to think I ought to unplug it when it’s not in use. It’s not dangerous like Yuri, my old heater in Russia that caught on fire, but I see no reason to waste the resources.
Out and about
Rzeszow was wonderful. I can’t fathom why I haven’t spent any time there, maybe because it’s too nearby? Turns out there’s an underground tour of the city, which we were able to take before the movie. Popieluszko, or a spelling close to that is the name of the film. It was long, but gripping. I didn’t understand a lot of it - subtlety is certainly the province of language - but I was riveted to the screen. Gorgeous production values, and an important story. If I want to be reminded of Poland in the future, perhaps I can find a subtitled version. Enormous wet snow fell on us in Rzeszow, but it’s mostly melted now.