returned from a short whirled tour, and I am glad you bloggos out there were able to carry on without my earnest presence last week ('ceptin' a few pictures dropped down from on the road). a Logan airport to Salt Lake City connection, then a ramble across the desert to Sparks, Nevada (next to Reno), then a stopover at Boise, then a stopover at Orem, Utah (next to Provo), then a reverse flight into the humidity of Boston. see, the weather west was cool and rainy. the drive from SLC to Reno as for instance began in violent winds and lightning. as we neared Nevada, we met snowfalling. in Sparks rain was the weather quotient. the whole high desert region was way too green. I'm sure the mountains back of Provo and Orem were skiable, not just dusted, freshly laid snow at that. I could tell adventures, or whatever. Beth's niece graduated from a special school that features college courses. only 70 in the class (my graduating class was 700). the ceremony took place at the Hilton hotel. our first glimpse of the graduates came when they rose on a platform from below the stage. the final image to savour was at the end when the curtains parted and an American Airlines plane roared towards the crowd. decked out about the plane were the grads. we are talking a show! I didn't attend my own festivities lo these many, but I am pretty sure that it was a straightforward here's your goatskin, plus a bunch of go forth words by teacherly figureheads and the students who sucked up to them. as each grad walked across the stage to receive a diploma, a teacher would read words that the students prepared. pictures of each student were projected on a screen, a baby pic and something recent. Beth's niece sang the Star-Spangled Banner, kudos to anyone who can hit the notes and remember the words.