Patrick (and about a dozen others) met up out in front of my house this morning at 4 am and headed off to Burning Man.  My driveway is clear, my house is emptied of camping paraphernalia and a good chunk of my garage is emptied out as well.  They will arrive at a hotel in Reno late this afternoon to spend the night and part of tomorrow, and will leave Reno tomorrow evening to arrive on the Playa at midnight for just over a week of camping in the desert with 30,000-40,000 other crazy geeks and hippies!

We had a great party last night prior to their departure.  Close to 40 people were here and I think they all enjoyed the cookout and the chance to visit with Julia and Pat from Canada.  Julia hadn’t been here for 5 years, so it was kind of like a mini reunion of sorts.  I was happy I was able to make this happen for Patrick and his friends.

My nephew, Brian, and his girlfriend, Stacy, arrived at LAX around 11 pm Thursday night.  I think they had a good time at the party even though they were a bit tired from the time change.  I sent them off to Hollywood today on the Gold Line/Red Line train to do all the touristy stuff like Graumann’s Chinese Theater, Hollywood Walk of Fame (stars in the sidewalk), Roosevelt Hotel, etc, etc.  They left around 11 am and haven’t called me as of 1:30 pm, so I’m assuming they made it there ok and didn’t get lost on the train system.

They’re going to be doing all the normal first-time tourist stuff (Disneyland, Universal Studios, Dodger Game, Venice Beach, Melrose Ave, Chinatown) and I’m happy to send them on their way each day.  I have absolutely no desire to join them.  I wouldn’t mind going to Disneyland again, but not in the summer when the park is packed with tons of other tourists.  And there’s always the pool in the backyard if they wind up with a few hours to spare.

I am ready to go back to work on Monday.  This past week has been so hectic and tumultuous that I need some stability back in my life.  I know I’ll have a lot to do at work, but I’m ready to just focus on that and not have to deal with the daily change that has been my vacation.  And, after only a week, I’ll get to enjoy a three-day weekend and the anticipation of only another week and a half of work before leaving for Seattle!

I need to get the house and yard cleaned up today and tomorrow, but am just taking my time doing it.  It’s kinda nice to just sit around doing nothing for the first time in almost 10 days.  And it’s very nice to have no noise in the house…no one talking, no tv, no music, no doors slamming.  Nothing but the quiet lapping of the water in the pool while the pump is running.  I think Murphy and the cats are also happy to relax today after the non-stop stimulation of being petted and held for the past week.  Murphy got so worked up last night that he stole a piece of chicken from someone’s plate and nipped at Patrick’s hand when Patrick tried to take it from him!  Too much of everything for all of us.

It’s a good thing Burning Man only happens once a year.  I know I couldn’t take it more often than that…and I don’t even go!