2:58 a.m. You know all those big plans and high hopes from late yesterday evening? Move them back one whole day. No more panic -- just the soldier march to the finish line. One foot in front of the other ...

On the other hand, a couple of interesting things. Today I had my first big success with a refilled cartridge after a couple of misfires. And I do mean success -- I'm still printing as I type right now, but I'm happy to report that the refilled color is perfect. It's actually giving a more beautiful print, with fuller, richer colors, than the purchased cartridge. So, go figure.

One of the big secrets, at least for my brand of Epson, is to only put in the tiniest bit of color ink. The directions say to squirt in about 10 cc's, and that's about five times too much. It spritzes all over the place, precious valuable ink dribbling away ... so don't follow the directions. And don't fear, I guess, if you have an newish Epson printer and you're reasonably skilled with a needle.

Consider this info a public service. And let me tell you, when I changed the cartridge and crossed my fingers and hoped for the best -- and then saw the perfect printout -- I was one happy worker. This refill situation makes this the cheapest printing I've ever enjoyed -- and it's full color. Plus, I'm able to print think index card stock without any problem, no paper jams at all, even if I go away for hours and come back. Whatta printer. I'm in love with a machine.

The other really nice thing today was that I got a packet of photos from my sister back home and I was able to see just how grown up all my little nieces and nephews have become. They were all babies and toddlers when I left for California and now they are young men and women. It seems as if I haven't been gone than long, until I look at this evidence, and then I suddenly feel as if I've been on another planet.

The photo on this entry is not a family member, but I think the picture really looks like the essence of my brother. The portrait is an ancestor of one of the owners of the inn we stayed at a few months ago on Catalina Island. He's a turn-of-the-century Californian, but he could be a member of my own family, except for the chicken hair.

It's really way past time for a long visit home.

And, once again, it's way past bedtime and I'm going to load up the print queue and go take a bath and go to bed. Tomorrow is another tomorrow, and maybe this time I'll get the boxes into the mail. I might as well copy, cut, and paste yesterday's hopes for today, because they are completely unused. Fresh. Good for another day.

Maybe tomorrow.