This issue has been a long time coming. Some of you may know that I was making a move. Now, I hadn't expected the move to take up so much of my time, then two things happened. One, I suddenly had a couple of extra projects to get done before I left my job. Two, an unanticipated and nearly catastrophic increase in work volume threatened to derail the whole organization. My departure wasn't as smooth or easy as I had anticipated.

Now, that shouldn't have been too great a problem. I mean, once I got to my new place (in Halifax), I would have all the time in the world to work on anything I felt like. Well, those of you who have good memories and can remember a move around twenty hours from your previous residence would be able to tell me to expect the worse. I'm an optimist. I expected everything to go as planned. I can now admit that I'm an idiot.

The drive itself wasn't the problem, it was the loading and unloading of the truck. I learned that the lives of my beautiful spouse and I can be fit inside a 17' U-Haul truck. Somewhat sobering. Very tiring. I planned to have everything packed up in a few hours (based on the last time we had packed). That few hours extended into the late afternoon (as anyone with a lick of sense could have told me) and our departure was delayed a day.

Twenty hours of driving is entirely endurable if you have plenty of cushioning on your seat or the seat you are sitting in (I have the former). I got to listen to CBC Radio One for almost the whole trip (sort of Canada's version of National Public Radio, but, in most cases, better funded), which I considered a rare treat. Also, we took plenty of breaks and stayed at a small, comfortable motel near the border of Quebec and New Brunswick.

The unloading took about four hours (less than the loading, granted) but my wife and I were completely spent by nine that night. The next couple of days were spent unpacking and figuring where everything would go. That's the day we also found out we'd be without a phone for a week. That's right, miss your appointment and pay the cost! We had arrived a day later than expected, and so missed the guy to set up the phone. No phone, no Internet connection. (That's right, I'm on dialup. Pity me.)

Ouch.

Well, I've never felt so isolated in my life. I know precious few people in Halifax (my new home), and without a phone, I had no chance to contact them. We also were waiting for our car (which a friend delivered the next week--he and his buddy did the drive overnight without a break; yes, he is certifiable) and we are pretty far from the city centre. It was a heck of a week.

Well, the dust has settled. Everything's in place. My wife has been registered at her school, I've started my job search, and I've finally sat down to compile another issue of Sword's Edge. I'm sure there are people out there who figured there would never be another issue. Well, it's here, and--hoping it doesn't sound too clichéd--better late than never.

Next issue, the editorial should have some editorializing rather than lame excuses or whining. Then again, maybe not.

By the way, anybody have a job for me in Halifax?