Hey Jakey,

See, this is the reason that I really should carry a proper camera with me instead of the stoopid phone camera thingy. I was driving up Kingsbury Grade this morning and there was this humongous cloud hanging over our house in the valley, lingering like doom, or death, or something. Really quite beautiful. But you can't tell from this "photo."

BREAKING NEWS: Mary Gauthier at the Reno Hacienda on February 23. Must get tix EARLY this time, the bouncer probably won't put up with my shit this time around.

Just wanted to reminisce on this last work day of 2005, about my favorite family-related, non-music, non-celebrity moment of the year. It's not an earth-shattering, bang-up moment, I just remember thinking at the time, "Damn, I'm happy right now..." Ironically, it was the evening before the WORST day/moment of the year.

It was when we were camping last summer. Your Nana and grampa were here visiting, and we were all out at the usual spot in Hope Valley. The sun was just about down, and it was getting dark. Your daddy and grampa were sitting around the campfire, talking. That's always nice, right there. When daddy and grampa talk. I'm so glad they get along. They get along so much better than daddy and his stepdad or his real dad. They genuinely like each other. So they're sitting there, feeding the fire and talking about grampa's super-secret Navy shit, which fascinates your daddy no end.

Nana's in the RV, making dinner. You and I are in the tent. I'm laying all comfy-comfy on the air mattress, nestled in a mountain of blankets and sleeping bags, reading Anthony Bourdain. You're running around the tent, playing nice and making baby noises. Jumping on the mattress and jumping back down and making more baby noises.

I looked up from my book and just realized that all was right with the world. I can hear you being happy, I can hear the pop and crackle of the campfire, your daddy and granpa mumbling and laughing, your Nana banging pots and pans together. I had my family around me, no one was fighting, the mosquitos were in for the night, the weather was sublime.

I had finally perfected the art of camping. I thought, wow, I have one more week of this perfect vacation before I have to go back to work. Every night will be like this.

Then the next day your daddy went and had himself a heart attack. Major buzz kill.

Ah well. Such is life. But, if you're a superstitious baby, consider this. The night daddy went down was the night of a full moon. At a performance of Shakespeare's Macbeth, no less. The play Macbeth is steeped in superstitious lore and legendary bad luck.

The media were given a backstage tour before the show. No one, but NO ONE, is supposed to utter the word "Macbeth" backstage during the run of a show. Major bad juju. I heard the word at least two times while we were back there. Hmph.

Anyway, chew on that. Sleep well, baby, and know that we are in for more perfect days. It's about our turn! Love you!