I would agree with basically everything said above. You can't go wrong with most of the balsa trainers out there today. I wouldn't, however, try to skip using a trainer and go straight to a "second" type plane. I don't think Montague was so much suggesting that as just throwing it out there as a possibility.

I got back into flying last spring after, like you, being out of the hobby for over 15 years. I had only flown a little bit when I was younger and never really got proficient. I bought a used Sig Kadet Mk II and learned in a few buddy box sessions. Although it didn't take long to solo, I was still glad I was flying a trainer rather than something a little more advanced. It allowed me to be completely relaxed and experiment with the trainer. I flew the trainer constantly for most of the summer until I moved to a Cub that I built from a kit. There is a lot you can do with a trainer. Once you learn to fly your trainer inverted for complete circuits around the field, aerobatics seem a lot easier on any other plane.

Good luck and have fun!
-Scott