The current diary, Seattlemania II, was going to be the first diary in a long time to be completed before the next trip. I was going to make a concerted effort to get it done before MFM (which is in 2 weeks).
THEN my mom gets an infection accompanied by fever and shakes severe enough to send her to the hospital. THEN my dad strains his back in that stupid parking garage in the midst of all that nasty evil construction around the hospital. Then my mom gets to go home, but her infection's not gone; she's taking pills for it, and her leg is still icky and needs daily bandaging, which I'm probably going to have to help with because of Dad's bac back. THEN today I've got a cruddy feeling in my throat like I'm coming down with a cold.
Obviously there is some sinister force at work in the universe trying to prevent me from ever completing another cartoon diary. I'm offering a billion quatloos to whoever can vanquish it! (I'd do it myself, but I ain't got the time right now.)