visit

Today our niece E arrives, staying until Thursday. She's recently returned from six months in India - studying, traveling and, from I what I gather, falling madly in love with the country. She's staying with her parents in New Jersey before heading back to school in Oregon, so we arranged the visit while we're still in easy distance.

E's mom is wmtc commenter mkk; her dad is my brother. We haven't seen each other since last US Thanksgiving, so I'm really looking forward to it!

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Someone recently asked: I have five nieces and nephews, now ranging in age from 17 to 25. I adore them all and I adore being an aunt. There's something about not being a parent that makes one a better aunt or uncle.

I'm especially close to my brother's kids, having spent a lot of quality time with them when they were teenagers. (Allan and I used to enjoy being the oldest people at those grunge shows.) And of course my sister's kids are no less special to me. A step- nephew and niece were recently added to the crew. I don't know them very well, but I'd like to, and perhaps I will as they get older.