Back in Asheville

Monday I finished packing up my stuff and drove from Morehead City back to Asheville, where I am spending a week with my parents before heading to Chapel Hill. I'll likely spend most of the time sorting through the stuff I left in storage, trying to figure out what I can take with me next week and what I need to find a longer-term solution for.

The drive was incredibly hot. Fortunately Asheville is in the mountains and is much cooler.

Gas prices have skyrocketed. I mentioned that last week I paid $2.39.9 for gas, which was 10 cents higher than I've ever paid in the past. Driving here on Monday I paid $2.48.9. Then in Asheville a day later (yesterday) I paid $2.63.9. In total that's a 34 cent increase in about a week. I had just gotten used to the idea of $35 fill-ups, but yesterday's was over $46!

In honor of Cindy Sheehan, the mother of a serviceman who was killed in Iraq and who is camped out in Crawford TX outside Jackass' ranch during his vacation, I am adding Iraq fatality figures to my blog.

Iraq U.S. death count: 1858.
Since Jackass declared "mission accomplished": 1721