For the first time in several years, I am travelling to Tallahassee without the Woodgate house to call my own for the weekend. Steven and Erik are back in Orlando, Claire and Ash are settling in to their new place in town (which I will get to see for the first time) and the new Woodgate tenants are moving.

In the absence of Woodgate's reliably generous hospitality, I will be staying with Erik's girlfriend Lauren who continues to live in the Capitol city. Her apartment is a hop, skip and jump away from the Florida State University campus so this weekend might feel more like my visits did back in 1999 when I started regularly coming to town.

I am looking forward to the FSU graduation ceremony I will be attending to watch Steven walk. Specifically the FSU English professor Mark Winegardner who has taken a leave of absence to author a new novel called The Godfather Returns. Apparently, this chapter of the story will take place between the first and second books. I am pretty sure I mentioned before how dismal the guest speaker was for Erik's graduation a few months back, so I hope this will provide some redemption.

In other news, I think I may have an ulcer that has been causing me rather regular discomfort. My original theory that it was my lactose intolerance worsening seems less valid on the basis of the various medical articles I have read about ulcers. As soon as I return to Orlando I will be using my newly activated medical insurance to figure this one out officially.