I’m playing everyone’s favorite game, “how many hours of work can you cram into a week?” It is not helping my mood. Varia is earning an infinite number of brownie points (not that she needs more) by taking good care of me, making sure I am fed and rested, and putting up with a very cranky Jeffrey.

Entertaining moments included the discovery of the Dresden Dolls, an odd little duo which classifies itself as “Brechtian Punk Caberet,” and a number of failed attempts to extemporize jokes featuring God, Jesus, and Buddha in various locales.

And the leaves are changing color.