We had a nice visit in Kingston with Remy's family, and arrived in Pittsburgh around 6:30-ish. The drive was a breeze; the only place the roads got crowded was around Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (?). I actually had fun zooming down route 79, which leads into Pittsburgh. In the two years since my departure, they've been doing mad roadwork there, and the highway is now as smooth as silk. Only took them, oh... eleven years to get around to that? Way to go, PENNDOT!

The neighborhoods around here went all-out on holiday lights this year. Apparently no one minds a much steeper electric bill. I think I had a conversation with my dad once about how the abundance/scarcity of holiday Xmas lights are a good indicator of the country's economic health (or at least peoples' perception of it)... anyway, it was all very pretty, and weird in that I still know how to drive around this area as though I never left.

I've reacquainted myself with my parents' cat Tootsie, and have met my sister's cat Buffy. With any luck, our little furballs back in Albany haven't destroyed the apartment yet. Very soon, there will be fire, hoagies, and Steelers in high-def.

We'll be online sporadically; my parents only have dial-up, and no wireless for our lappies. Have fun and be safe, everybody! =)