But the travel part is a major hassle and the 8 hour time change makes it harder. A lot of the difficulty has to do with how many hours in advance you have to arrive at the airport. We left the hotel in Madrid at 8:30 am for a 12:00 noon flight. There were miles to walk indoors and then a 15 minute train to a satellite concourse. Double document checks.

Coming back, disembarking at O'Hare, we walked forever, up and down hallways and escalators until we finally got to Customs, where there were hundreds of people in line. There were the same kind of snaking lines you see at airport security. Then you have to pick up your baggage, find your connecting airline's counter, then walk another mile, take another train and a few escalators to the domestic terminal, where you have to go through security again and back to the gates.

I have to say, I didn't see customs in either country asking a single person to open their luggage. Once it was your turn at the booth, it was stamp and go.

Madrid is not what one would call a "lovely" city. It's an efficient very industrial type city with lots of concrete and high-rises that at different points make you think of the Upper East Side, the Upper West Side, the Lincoln Tunnel and out in the suburbs, San Diego. It does, however, have great architecture, boulevards and the people seem sophisticated and very easy going. I got lost a few times and both a bus driver and a store clerk really went out of their way to help me get back to where I came from.

Last night we took an hour plus bus ride to a farm for dinner. We had a terrific time (as we always do, Lexis Nexis/Martindale treats this board like royalty and we love them to death) but after an all morning session, an afternoon spent painting, building fences, hanging shower curtains and gardening at a home for disabled young adults, it made for a very long day. (After reading some comments from readers here before I left, I skipped the home project and went to the Prado and Botanic Gardens instead.)

In any event, I had a great time, and if I haven't said it before, I 'll say it now, if I weren't a practicing lawyer my first choice of a job would be to work for Lexis Nexis. They are just the best and all the board members agree on that. We worked really hard all day Friday and Saturday with early morning rising and late dinners.

So, I can't wait to get home tonight and I hope I don't have to leave the country for a long time, but a huge thanks to Lexis/Martindale and all the board members for another outstanding experience. We also were all glad to welcome Harriet Miers back to the board this year. She really is a terrific person.

Note: I have to run to the gate, this hasn't been proofread for spelling and grammar.

This is an open thread.