I can offer two reasons (speaking only for myself.)
First, on Labor Day I flew to the US for ten days of work, and a quick visit to Vermont. A long journey brought me to Alabama, where I much enjoy intense, face to face engagements with the colleagues who I see too little. I slowly acclimated to a six-hour time change, American food, driving on the right, and television. I drove a long day through Tennessee hills and hollows, and listened in disbelief to crazed countrymen spitting at each other and warning of "death panels." In Vermont too, though I had warm reunions with friends and family, visited home, and felt the first hard frost, I remained disquieted by My Land, wanting to get home to Lane End. Is America so uncivil as to be ungovernable? Can Obama and hopeful, progressive people make some difference after all? I hope so, from afar, sharing the pragmatic optimism of the American Bard: "When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro."
Also,as we came into Autumn it became more difficult for me to avoid thinking that we were over half-way through the time that we thought we'd spend here. It had gone too fast, the mild spring and long-dayed summer were behind us. Ellie was focused on her last (and seemingly very short) term at University, and we would be facing some decisions about our plans for 2010. We both were completely consumed with playing a Gilbert & Sullivan operetta during the first week of October, and the days had too few hours.But Autumn has moved nearly into Holiday Time, and the end of her University term is in sight. Despite hearing from you and from me what an evocative writer she is, My Wife is too consumed with her University projects, just now, to share her experiences and thoughts. I hope she will soon.
In the meanwhile, Her Majesty has let us know the terms on which she will entertain our application to extend our visas beyond February, and we have plans in Olde England stretching till the end of April, at least. My daughter Juliana was scheduled to come visit just before Christmas, but had to change plans, so our Christmas and Boxing Day will be spend in Gloucester and on the shore in Wales with friends. And we, at least I, am looking forward to evenings by the fire, days that will soon begin to be longer -- we are dreadfully further North, you know, than you are -- and plans to get out and see the countryside. Actually, we've had some great times out and about this fall, and I'll end this silence with another post soon.
