As I write, my boys and I are in Flagstaff, Arizona. We flew into Phoenix this morning, cranked the tunes on the iPod in our rented Dodge Caliber, and cruised north, making brief stops at Montezuma Castle (a Sinagua cliff dwelling) and Montezuma Well (a natural well and sinkhole, with cliff dwellings in its walls). We’re now sitting in our hotel room. The boys are watching a show about Celtic bog mummies on cable TV (a rare treat for them), and I’m checking out the hotel’s wireless network. It’s raining outside (well, it is monsoon season), but catty-corner across the intersection is a big Barnes & Noble.

We’re here on vacation, and over the next week, weather permitting, we’re going to do all kinds of touristy things. We plan to visit the Grand Canyon, and the Meteor Crater, and Wupatki National Monument, and like that. Tonight we need to do a little shopping, and hit the bookstore, and we’re gonna have dinner at the Cracker Barrel.

Life is good.