Return?

I don't want to jinx it, but it's looking pretty likely that I'll be attending a meeting in Basel in a few weeks. Woohoo! I haven't been back since we returned to the States, so I'm really looking forward to it (assuming it actually happens). As if Gretchen weren't jealous enough already, I got in touch with good friends to see if they would be in town the weekend before, and he said they were going up to the Alps with a bunch of other friends that weekend, so why didn't I join them there? I still need to make sure that would be copacetic (leaving her alone with Mädchen for close to a week is not a decision to be taken lightly, although it helps that she'll be leaving me alone with Mädchen for the weekend after I get back), but regardless, I'm really hoping to get back and see old friends and familiar places...