Rumours of my death have been greatly exaggerated

Well, I can't deny it. I've been a bad blogger lately. It's been more than a week since I've updated. And I haven't been round to visit many of you either. Some intense structured-writing and XML training, a presentation for my French class, and planning Leah's birthday party (which will be blogged in all its snaky glory, so be warned) kept me away from blog .

But here's how much I love you guys. Five minutes ago, I was upstairs in my living room. In my comfy chair. With a glass of red wine at my elbow, a fire burning merrily in the (fortunately squirrel-less) fireplace, the Sens one goal up on the Buffalo Sabres on the TV, and a P.D. James novel open on my lap. The girls were WWF wrestling playing nicely and I was trying to decide between brie on crackers or dark chocolate for a snack.

And now I'm here. Down in the dank ENAC-infested basement where the computer lives. Instead of being up there, in the warm bosom of my favourite hockey team family. The guilt at not posting more often was made that much more manifest since I spent a lovely few hours brunching with other Ottawa-area bloggers down on Elgin Street today. It was great to see the uh-may-zing bloggers I've already met -- XUP, Nat, Andrea, Maven, Jobthingy -- again. I also got to meet two of my other blog roll reads in person (finally!): Adventures in Mongo, and Raino M.O.T. And I had a great conversation with the Dandelion King's human.

So, here's the deal. I promise to get back on the bloggy horse tomorrow and tell you all about the 12-foot boa constrictor I had in my living room, if you promise to come back and read. And I'm a person who takes her promises seriously. (And on that note, Maven, I want to hear that you actually did deflower a masseur for me at the spa today, K?)