MRS. O'TOOLE FILE AND I will be heading up to NC later today for her regularly scheduled quarterly round of tests, studies, scans, and consultations. I'll have the laptop along, but don't expect much in the way of blogging until we get back, either late Friday or some time this weekend.

POSTSCRIPT: As always, you should feel free to help these good people out with a small donation while we're away. They'd really appreciate it, and so would we.

UPDATE [12/10-12:35pm]: Like the man with the corn cob pipe, I have returned. Look for blogging to resume as soon I've had a chance to catch up with the news cycle.