(It would be in bad taste for me to finish that sentence.)

Right on cue, he's back. Earlier today, I was musing on how someone obviously didn't know the Rules of the Dragon when he reappeared last week: he disappeared almost as soon as I'd taken his picture, and I assumed that someone had stolen him. But tonight, walking home on the first leg of my voyage to get grocery store sushi for dinner, I could see a little spot of orange up ahead. And I found this little poser waiting for me. (I think he's posing as someone who might take an interest in fixing the yard-scars from last fall's pit meter installations up and down my street.)

Poser!

Today, trees started showing their buds, nuthatches mewled as they foraged for grub, and I got to walk around in shirtsleeves for the first time this calendar year. We're on the fast climb out now, my friends.

There's more--when, all gratitude given, is there not more?--but first there are all these photocopied and microfiched books to be read, all these proposals to be written. The ruthlessness is upon me.

And at nearly 7 p.m., there was still a little bit of light. In my book, that's the best news of the day.