Holy Bejesus...has it really been so long?

Damn, has it really been almost thirteen years since I left Richmond for Sweden? It never feels like that much time has passed but I guess it has. I am 38 now. I did move here in 1995. And the last time I was in Richmond was way back in 1999 when I was en route to my grandmother's funeral in Smithfield, Virginia. I stayed with my old roomie, Mona, at the house on Clay Street, and the only person I bumped into from VCU was Kendra.

Since then, my visits to the US have mostly been solely to Philadelphia. In 1998, my dad had his third major stroke and lost his ability to walk. He also had difficulties speaking and, in 2002, was diagnosed with premature dementia. He's in a nursing facility now that specializes in Alzheimer's and dementia cases. It doesn't make coming home easy but you do what you have to do.

Anyway, I will probably be in Philadelphia at the end of July/beginning of August for at least three weeks. If I have enough time, I may pop down to Virginia. Otherwise, I am going to a women's fiction festival in Matera, Italy in September and another in Ireland in October.

Miss having beers with you all at Chuggers... will drink a Kloster öl and think of you!