Waitasec

They had cheap and accurate FTL, but they didn't themselves establish additional sub-colonies all over everywhere? To say nothing of manned exploration and mapping missions in all directions, constantly active?

oh well. (If this gets explained after ep 3 I'll be fine with it.)

Dad update

My dad is gonna be OK. While waiting to see the specialist again, he'd been put on a specific diet-n-exercise regimen, and his condition has improved. They say that he's in no danger of losing the leg now, and my parents have been cleared to go on vacation in Florida next month. They haven't been down south in years so they're very pleased with this.

I'll be taking care of Shadow while they're away. There was some weirdness with Ricky spontaneously wanting to take the cat up to Bangor instead, and he phoned me and asked if he could do that. I had to tell him repeatedly that it'd be a better thing to talk about it as a family during my Christmas visit. I think mom has since rewired him, though, to hear her tell it.