All three of us have the power alleys forming there, honey. I think it’s a sign of high androgen levels.

And when it comes to Eric’s looks, don’t believe him, folks. The man is adorable.

Sean, your ping — “have a nice day” — got sandwiched between “lesbian threesome” and “anime sex,” and before I knew it, my brutal fascist McCarthyite Mt Blacklist deleted it! I’m hoping you didn’t get blocked, but I won’t know unless you try pinging again. Sheesh; I hate technological glitches like this!

Connie, and Sean, thanks for the kind words. Merry Christmas to both of you. I hope we can all get together on one of these trips!

You don’t think Eric does remind you of Steve McQueen? It’s not so much in the overall shape of the face but in that they both have the ice-blue eyes (okay, you can’t see Eric’s in the photograph, but they’re deadly) and the impish smile lines.

“Is that a beard or did you have a hot fudge sundae with your STARBUCKS? Are those Satan’s coffee cups?”

Three days of growth. I give the jowls a rest when I’m on vacation. And we went to the sort of locally-owned-and-operated coffee house that the anti-Starbucks contingent would be happy to approve of. That the menu looked almost exactly like what you’d get at a Starbucks anyway was a nice illustration of life’s little ironies.

“(Merry Christmas! You get more handsome every year.)”

You, too. And Kim. And Wendy and David.

And Isabel.

When, oh when, will I be loved for my mind?

Is that a beard or did you have a hot fudge sundae with your STARBUCKS? Are those Satan’s coffee cups?

(Merry Christmas! You get more handsome every year.)