Thanks

Thanks to everyone for supporting me and my family during this difficult time. I'm not quite up to writing here regularly yet, and I don't know when it will be appropriate, but until then...love all you guys.

 

In the heat I'm dreaming of boots

I don't know why this happens. It's absolutely sweltering outside, and I want these boots so bad...I'll never buy them because that's way to much for anything wearable outside of eyeglasses or a wedding dress.

Last July I went on a boot buying spree on ebay. Now I have no room for my collection and most of them I've worn only once or twice. I'm holding back this year.

I want to bake again too - food, not my skin.

Where has my autumn gone?

Tea in DC

The Park Hyatt in Georgetown is a gorgeous hotel. The bathroom in our room looked like a spa, and the staff are incredibly attentive. Of course, what excited me about staying there was its Tea Cellar. It's just a room near the lounge where they serve all kinds of fine tea. The servers pour tea gradually to get just the right flavor. With more time I'd have sampled a vast portion of their selection, but as it was I only tried three. The Sencha was fresh and grassy, just as I like it. I wish I could remember the name of the herbal blend I enjoyed. Anyway, it's fabulous. The English Breakfast blend left a little to be desired - it kind of tasted like tonic water. Nevertheless, I love when any place makes an effort to make a decent cup of tea.

The crowning glory of the hotel is the apple pie. It is absolute bliss. Cathy B. and I are craving it over a week later. Someday....I'll be back.
 

A Capital Weekend

A weekend probably isn't enough to really get to know the D.C. area, but it was definitely an excellent glimpse. Here's some Georgetown (couldn't resist throwing Lush in there), and a rather well known residence on Pennsylvania Avenue.

Arrival

I got my Fourth Bear by Jasper Fforde today. It comes out in the US in a few weeks, but I got an advance copy from the UK, was that impatient. A review will be forthcoming (let me read it first!)

I of course looked in the back pages to see when the next Nursery Crimes would be coming, but before I could notice that I saw the announcement of the next Thursday Next book, The War of the Words.....

WHAT??? I thought Fforde was finished with her! Then I saw that it won't be coming out till next July...how can I wait so long? Not that I want to rush Mr. Fforde - I'd rather have quality of course. But oh, the impatience!

I suppose my new book will have to hold me. What a brat I am. I get what I've been waiting for, but no, I want more!

At The Zoo...

I saw my first live panda!


 

Sheer Madness

It's a real good thing I'm spending a weekend away from home. I've had a bad week - well, the days have been okay, but oh! those summer nights! Sorry, had a Grease moment there.

The problem with the warm weather, especially when school is out, is the constant barrage of teenagers making noise outside my bedroom window. I was a teenager not too long ago, so I know it's fun to hang out till 3 am doing absolutely nothing worthwhile. But when you're an adult, even one with a slight Peter Pan complex, the sound of idiot on a Thursday night is enough to drive one mad!!! I've installed a bed cushion in my library for the most desperate of nights, but it's not really comfortable if I sleep there every night.

Last night was no different. As I started dozing off, the voices began. Then the cigarette smoke filtered in through the window and it was just too much. Then I realized I didn't have to wake up this morning, so I put on some music. When I was finally at the point of exhaustion, I stepped out to the kitchen for some water. Zenobia was scrambling around...next thing I know she had a mouse in her mouth! Suddenly I was airborne. I wouldn't get off the couch till my Dad got the mouse. Sadly, he never did, and Zenobia is the worst huntress ever! She let it get away, and then moaned in syllables till she got tired.

Somehow I did end up getting some sleep without the help of tranquilizers, but I have to say that was a pretty pathetic night. And Zenobia's lame.

Astoria Blah Blah Blah

Here are the good things about my hometown, Astoria, Queens: it's a quick commute to Midtown Manhattan, there are a variety of restaurants, um.............................. but it's not exactly the most gorgeous area. Most blocks are full of apartment buildings and houses plopped down without any thought to its eyesoreability. Some blocks are full of the same six family railroad flats, and that's the closest one gets to design in Astoria. My complaint has always been, and still is, the lack of bookstores. There was one just two blocks from my home for a year or so, but it was really a hole in the wall, no character, no staying power. I remember over a decade ago there was a lovely bookstore near the Ditmars Blvd station on the "N" line. When I discovered this place I thought I was dreaming. Sure, it wasn't that close too home: Astoria is big, and this was 2 train stops away. Still, I was glad it was there, and looked forward to visiting many times. Sadly, it's gone now. There is one more place that sells books on Broadway, but it is another poor excuse to me. There's not much going on. It's just too easy to take the subway downtown and wander around Strand if I'm in the mood.

Growing up, we had the library. It's still there, and not too bad, though I get the feeling when I'm there that I'm back in PS 70 with the vengeful Ms. Orol. Either that or I'm in a homeless shelter.

There are worse places to live, and like I said, you can eat really well in Astoria. But for crazy book people like me, in the words of the Bard: "I can't get no satisfaction..." (Well, Mick Jagger's almost as quotable as Shakespeare.)

 

Love is in the hair...

I saw this pic on someone else's blog and couldn't resist.