I just WALKED INTO THE SIDE OF A DOOR and am smarting from bruises and embarrassment. I think being away for so long made me forget the dimensions of our house.
Visa application is moving swimmingly along, although the woman at the travel agency reminded me strongly and frighteningly of P. It was the tinges of poison in her "dears" and coollness and biting little comments to her staff that don't really look biting on reflection, yet leave stings. And you know what? I shall live in fear of having a boss like that for the rest of my life. If I have a boss.
And Kingdom of Heaven is wholly, wholly full of crap. Either that, or it is just a very guy movie. Only the steadily heartfast leper king soars gracefully above that wreck. I don't want to see the queen cutting off her hair with a dead, noble expression, secluded in her chambers stoning while the Muslims wreak havoc on the castle outside; I don't want close-ups of Orlando Bloom being a blacksmith. Because I don't see how that helps. And important general runs away to Cyprus simply because he's sick of the fighting, and queen can decide to stop being queen and run away to countryside with hunky knight who can also decide to revert back to blacksmith garb, easily, no problems.
We saw Yu-Hsin off last Wednesday, still as stubbornly ridiculous (he insisted on wearing a nice collared long-sleeved shirt and overcoat with purple-tinged jeans and sneakers so he wound up looking like the kind of uncle your mum pulls you across the street away from when you were five). It'll be hard to forget now. Who else did we get crazyass emails and smses from, in the midst of monster planning? Who else beats the record for 'getting into the spirit of things'? All our scholars, I realize, are used to this boarding-and-travelling thing, just packing up and going, a briskness I hope to learn without getting lost on a farm first.

And now I know
Spanish Harlem are not just pretty words to say
I thought I knew
But now I know that rose trees never grow in New York City
Until you've seen this trash can dream come true
You stand at the edge while people run you through
And I thank the Lord there's people out there like you
I thank the Lord there's people out there like you
While Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters
Sons of bankers, sons of lawyers
Turn around and say good morning to the night
For unless they see the sky
But they can't and that is why
They know not if it's dark outside or light
This Broadway's got
It's got a lot of songs to sing
If I knew the tunes I might join in
I'll go my way alone
Grow my own, my own seeds shall be sown in New York City
Subway's no way for a good man to go down
Rich man can ride and the hobo he can drown
And I thank the Lord for the people I have found
I thank the Lord for the people I have found
- Elton John

I'm home.
Travel details here, with warning that it is a work very much in progress.