For two weeks or so, I’m back in North Carolina to get an overdue dose of family and affiliated animals before I mosey back into the academic arena. The two diminutive gentlemen to the far right—Connor and Aidan—are the contributions of my older brother (to my left your right) and his wife. Apparently the latest Ballard installments were so excited about joining the clan that they popped out before they really knew what they were doing. Times have been a little tense since I left Chile but lately conditions have stabilized. Hopefully the twins will head home from the hospital relatively soon.
For two weeks or so, I’m back in 
