Winter is the time for staying indoors and I've been using my time to do some cleaning. The dust is driving me crazy and I'm popping pills to take care of the symptoms. Ah-Choo!!

It's been a great experience because I've come across old chess books and articles that had long been forgotten in the tombs of Chessvinetopia. I hadn't realized just had spread out my collection of chess books had especially gotten. It seems like every nook and cranny has at least one chess book in it. I've seriously got to organize this mess and get my library together.

This may also be a great opportunity to reread some books I haven't looked at in awhile. That's something I always like to recommend my students do ... refresh what you already know. After all ... it is possible to get entangled in the newest chess ideas and forget the classics.

I was sad to discover yesterday after Susan Polgar added me to her friends list on facebook that her grandmother on her mothers side has passed away.

She has gone to Hungary to attend the funeral and as far as I know her sisters are going to attend as well. Naturally, I don't know exactly where the funeral is being held and if I did it'd be highly inappropriate to send the information out on the news wire.

My heartfelt condolences go out to Susan and her family. I too have lost grandparents and I know what it's like. Chessvine will be here when you return Susan and we wish you well.