It's marvelous to be back in Austin, where I lived for five years. The first two days were beautiful, 60s and mostly sunny, a welcome change from the seemingly endless 30s and gloomy we've had in Tivoli. I had a lovely family dinner with my cousins, Maria and Quentin, and their spouses and rambunctious offspring — all boys — at the home of honorary family member Edward Dreslinski. Pillow and tickle fights inevitably ensued, with me on the losing side.

The reading was yesterday at BookPeople, one of my favorite bookstores on the planet. Afterwards my dear friends Gene Brenek and Michael Helferich had a shindig at their gorgeously renovated house. Wonderful to catch up with them and all my old friends, many of whom have been busy reproducing since I last saw them. Such beautiful babies! Thanks to everyone who came: Katy Rees & David Carr; Doug, Michelle & Ian Irving; Michael Coffin & unbelievably grown-up daughter Tyler; Lesley Boucher & boyfriend Mike; Scotty, Kathryn & Amelia McAfee; Susan Clark; and Raif Harik, who brought some of his favorite Celine Dion and Barbra Streisand CDs to play at the party.

Keep Austin weird!