What can I say - the chickens just speak to me these days. I had hoped after graduation I would be able to spend more time on OS reading, responding, and writing thoughtful, polished essays but alas - I have become the couch-bound chicken in my spare time. Part of this is due to the intensity of my work as a new nurse, which I love, but which drains me physically and mentally most days (especially the 12 hr shifts). And part of it is due to the reality of my life which at the moment consists of a husband disabled by back injury and chronic pain, a highly social daughter in middle school, and a son who is needing to be homeschooled this year because of non-epileptic seizures (anyone with knowledge or experience with this puzzling condition please e-mail me). My plate is full to say the least, but I still miss OS and the wonderful, creative, fabulous writers that I have met here. Hopefully someday I will be more than a ghostly presence - until then, best wishes to all for a Happy Halloween!