We’ve been here in the U.S.A. since last Saturday, hence the echo you’ve been hearing when you ramble around here this week. Johnny and I have been hard at work here at Yankee while Catherine, Oliver, Jodi and my mother have been exploring the Monadnock region of New Hampshire.

Last night Catherine and I had a brief time to ourselves — Oliver stayed with uncle, aunt and grandmother — and we stole away to the Wilton Town Hall Theatre to see Super Size Me (recommended by brother Steve, and a very good documentary, worth seeing, but may prevent you from ever eating fast food again). When we returned to our cottage at 10:00 p.m., everyone was fast asleep: Oliver exhausted them.

We’re off to Boston tomorrow morning for the weekend, and then we’ll slowly wend our way north back to the Island, with the requisite stops at Delorme and L.L. Bean.

When we get back to the Island, we’ll be joined by brothers Steve and Mike and by my dad, making for a complete Rukavina family matched set. We may be forced to challenge the Garritys or the Ledwells to some sort of challenge of strength or intellect.