Ah, Ms. Brown! We've been of course expecting you, and, as ever, I find a compelling desire to write. But now it seems we also have news (and you know how we love news). So it's Europe at last, is it, and congratulations on becoming a Foreign Correspondent. I very much look forward to seeing you cavort about the Old World, and to hear it presented in your own, shall we say, unique... um, idiom, with your ebulliently and seemingly effortless manner that has more than a hint of lilting and felicitous poetry we so admire. Some of us (moi?) may not have behaved as we should have in your absence, trying to pry information from Dr. Kel about her famous Tea, but then you callously left us all here to freeze for the entire winter
, and Lord of the Flies-esque uprisings were bound to occur in those unhappy Samless circumstances.
But also last time you mentioned having played Viola in college, and I'm forever curious as to what it's like to play a major Shakespearean role upon the stage, and have always deeply admired any actor's ability to recite sheaves of blank verse verbatim, much less to present them effectively. So I'd love to hear, Sam, any strong impression or recollection you might want to share from your old Twelfth Night experiences. (The Globe in London this summer is in fact doing Romeo & Juliet, Much Ado, and Measure For Measure for those who might be passing through. A subtle hint, you see.)
And as for Shakespearean actors - I only heard this recently - one of your apparent favorites, Alan Rickman, was actually up on the Little Mountain here as a humble tourist the day after Christmas, while you were gleefully plugging in your shiny new crockpot with visions of "stew du lapin au vin rouge avec creamed corn" (cat hair optional) dancing in your head. I did get to do a tour for A Prominent On-Air Personality from ESPN last month and great fun it was, but, sports fan that I am, I'd still have traded five of him for one tour for Alan Rickman.
And how can I post here without weighing in about Costanoa? (By the way, great to read you again, Carol the Hummingbirdlady, and aren't you up early today?). I finally saw it on second airing, and thought it was charming in concept, appearance, and of course in your frisky presentation. I'd have loved a billowing Arab bedouin tent myself had there been such a thing. What a wonderful break from reality for its guests (as long as it isn't raining). Nice to see in your Chatham Bars doorknocker sequence that you still remember Young Frankenstein lines as well (my favorite is Gene Hackman's "You must have been the biggest one in your class"). Looks like Grove Park Inn and the gracious old hotels at Yosemite, Glacier and Yellowstone may never get their chance to embrace you. Oh well. Their loss. Some later day, perhaps. You have Alps, the Riviera, the Loire Valley and Newcastle Brown Ale Brewery to see now. How exciting.
But for now, welcome back, Sam, and I hope you're having a wonderfully gentle and restorative return before you seek even broader horizons beyond. Looks like I may have to resurrect those pleas for you to watch Charade (for Paris, naturally on AMC again tonight as it happens) and Local Hero (for northern Scotland - Mother Orange has actually made a pilgrimage to that village, so she can tell you far more about it than I). And may you discover your own Cinema Paradisio this coming year. So is this my longest deranged post yet? (sorry; a New Year's resolution was to send fewer posts to you... but not necessarily shorter ones). But Shakespeare; tell us about your time with Shakespeare... Oh, and if I may say so without shedding all my remaining dignity, I thought you were never lovelier, Samantha, than at Half Moon Bay.
Travel Channel Discussions 
I know I feel that way, because I'm just like you. 
Anyway, I will defenitely be trying to get there even if just to stand outside. Wish me luck!!