The household is getting an early start this busy Saturday. Sandra's brother, John, and his wife, Suanne, will arrive shortly after 6:00 for a trip to PEI with Woody. They'll be gone a week. J & S often spend a week in February at the the island. The weather looks good for the travelers both here and there. Mid-morning, we'll babysit Cassandra while Mike coaches Joe's basketball game. Later, Sandra's sister, Babara, will come for a visit, joining their brother, Scott, his wife, Valeria, and son, Russell.

On my ride home yesterday afternoon, after a tough, tough week at work, I was expecting the usual sturm und drang of politics, world misery, and Michael Jackson on the radio news. Instead, All Things Considered broadcast a magnificent segment on the Soweto Gospel Choir. Healing vibrations can find you, even on Route 9.

I first heard Turn Your Radio On performed by John Hartford on his Aereo-Plain album. It was and is one of my favorite tunes, about both gospel music and the power of radio. There's an apocryphal story about John Hartford, that he had his guest room decorated like a motel room. Most of his friends were touring musicians and he wanted them to feel at home.

Don't forget that Tuesday, 10 February, is Major Patch Day. It's not too late to get your cards in the mail. Seriously, though, it's really important to keep one's system up-to-date with the latest security patches. Having the latest patches, virus protection, and anti-spyware software doesn't guarantee that the bad guys won't break into your system, but not having that stuff guarantees that they will.

Oh, and on April 13, 2029, you might want to keep your head down.