I did not quite expect...

to be gone for so long.

But then somehow, nearly five years had passed. Of course, I've been reading, but almost everyone had gone away. And then, the length of the absence became a thing in itself - how to return after such a long disappearance? And would there even be anyone there, listening?

But. I am tired and bored with the short form and noise of Facebook, and although I stopped actually writing here, I never stopped writing posts in my head, which tells me that I've missed this outlet.

I've been doing a fair amount of reflecting lately - it's been two very tumultuous years here, although many of the important things remain the same (same employer, same husband, same child - different job, different address, different cats), but now things are finally settling into the "new normal", and I feel like I have space to breathe again.

So, anyway, who's still here?