As part of my continued effort to answer my questions about the Civil War, I'll be gone for much of January. I'm approaching that time with a predictable mix of hope and sadness. Hope, because, again, I'll have some solitary time to answer the questions that keep me up at night. Moreover--as the photo indicates--any day when I'm not speaking is a good day. Sadness, because I'll be away from my family for an extended period. Ten weeks over the course of a year is a lot for me. Besides, I pride on keeping the boy at a distance which I deem yoke-able.