So... Where have I been?

Well, it's been about five months since I last updated, and given that so many people are still reading this, and commenting, and sending me messages, I think it's long overdue that I filled everyone in on what's going on and give some kind of explanation for the extended hiatus.

Short version? I was really busy for a while, and it's gotten very difficult to find the time to get back into the habit.

Long version...

From January through March of this year, I was actually taking an art class.  The idea being that I would learn some new techniques and improve my drawing here. Unfortunately, the class was on Monday nights. That was unfortunate because, being that I'm the way I am, I always put off doing the homework until Sunday night.  Which was usually when I would otherwise be drawing the comic.  So... for three months there was like... What? Two updates? Anyway, that's how it started.

So class ended in at the end of March, but we took a cruise the first week in April. GREAT Vacation. Western Caribbean. We really needed it too.  BUT... that was two more weekends with no comic.

A couple of weeks later I went to Germany on business. (One more weekend away.) And a couple weeks after that (in June) I was in Boston for my Grandmother's 90th Birthday.  (Another weekend down.)

Now, I'm not trying to make any excuses here, there were still a lot of free weekends left (and I'm sorry, but I just can not do these during the week. This is definitely a week-end thing.) But for the first six months of the year, we're really only talking about 7 or 8 that we really free. And I'll be honest: I just fell out of the habit. And I truly apologize for that, especially in light of all the comments you've all been leaving during that time.

Moving forward, I do NOT plan to stop the comic permanently.  There are still a few strips I'd like to do, although the list of ideas is not as long as it once was and as the kids get older the stories that I have resemble our current lives less and less. Which is a good thing, even thought it a bit of an inspiration-killer for the comic.  Add to that that the new material does seem to come as quickly (which is both a good thing and a bad one, at times) and it's been very difficult for me to get back in the groove.

The real tell-tale for me that I had gotten so far removed from this came a few weeks back when I pencilled and inked the next comic... and then never scanned, colored and posted it.  And that was over a month ago! And it was part one of two, so the next one was pretty much already written!

So... I DO intend to put those up, and I would like to get the rest of the strips drawn and posted.  I can't say when that will be, and I don't want to make any promises that I can't keep, but I'm not ready to call it's quits, for good, just yet. 

In anycase, we're all doing fine. And I appreciate everyone's comments and notes and words of support. I hope that everything is OK with all of you, and that we'll be able to share a few more stories in the near future.

Thanks so much for all of your support,
Scott