badly needed update

Well, I have managed to neglect this for a lot of valid reasons, but as someone said yesterday, "Reasons are not excuses." :)
A group of friends arrived last week, and I have been spending a fair amount of time with them. But last weekend, I traveled with my housemates and spent time with their family, since it was a holiday. This week has been filled with university classes and time with various friends. It has been very nice to get to be with Bethany again, as well as several other good friends who are here.
There are other bits and pieces to tell, but that's not for now...