And I'm here

The trip up was mostly uneventful, though finding the bus was not - this was the first day they were doing the bus thing and there was NO ONE to give directions, and I wound up walking all through the station not knowing where to go. And it was crowded (I am reminded why I don't live in a city). Finally, by being a little loud (I hate that, it embarrasses me) I finally got someone who knew what was going on and told me where the "secret" elevator was I was supposed to take. But still: I could have missed the bus, and it really wouldn't have cost Amtrak anything to post some signs. (And I just got an e-mail saying my trip back is being "modified" so I have to call to find out. If I'm gonna be on a dang bus all the way, forget it, I will just change my reservations and stay here longer - I really don't have any appointments to worry about (I can e-mail my research student) and I'm not teaching, so.

I have something that is not unlike poison ivy on my neck. I suppose I got it brushcutting before I traveled. At first I was worried that I might be developing shingles because it was briefly VERY painful and it doesn't look like typical poison ivy, but now it's less painful, so I'm guessing it's either poison ivy, or I got something like Conium maculatum juice on me, and it photoreacted.

That said: it's good to be here. It's nice to not have to worry about cooking for a while. (My mom is MUCH better than when I left in January. She still has a little trouble with that shoulder but otherwise is back to normal). It's interesting to see what's still the same - Channel 25 still has Garry Moore as an anchor; he was the anchor when I lived here nearly 20 years ago (and he looks much the same as he did then.) There's also a lot that has changed - there is a big new grocery store called Fresh Thyme that is set to open where the Cub Foods used to be. (And the Macy's, which used to be Famous-Barr, is gone, and apparently the JC Penney's is going....)

I'm knitting; I haven't done much so far, but I am going to go out and do some brushcutting for my mom this afternoon (I have more upper body strength, and am more flexible, and I need the activity anyway). I hope to get out later this week to do some clothes shopping at the Von Maur (they have nicer stores here than where I live, and it seems less of a pain to shop here than it does driving all over Sherman).

I finished "Family Matter" on the train/bus trip. Highly recommended if you like dark humor - it really is almost an inversion of the old "Murder on the Orient Express" trope. I will say the ending is *slightly* unsatisfying given that there's no CLEAR evidence for sure who the murderer is, and someone likely got away with murder, and also the people you think will end up together don't. But the book is quite funny and I may seek out more crime novels by this same author.