What a winter!

I can't even bore you with my litany of ailments. But will report that I got the news yesterday that I'm severely anemic, so the reason for said ailments and constant exhaustion has been uncovered! Hello kale!

All of this has forced me to slow way down. And though I have hated canceling so many wonderful events, I'm reminded of the simple pleasure of padding around my house, or better yet, being still. My concentration level is not great, so although I am working, that too is moving slowly. Knitting, ditto. Reading, ditto. But it's all getting done, stitch by stitch. 

Luckily I didn't have to cancel my wonderful week in Barcelona with Annabelle. We had so much fun eating tapas, walking through all the neighborhoods, gaping at Gaudi, and promoting THE RED THREAD. If you go to Barcelona, you must visit the fabulous knitting store All You Knit is Love in the Born neighborhood. And watch the guys make candy at Papa Bubble. Two of our favorite finds. 

And I'm glad too that in a harrowing, nail biting journey we made it to see Sam in Pericles. This involved thunderstorms, circling, broken jetways, broken baggage carousels, contraband chorizo, potholes, traffic, a lost taxi driver, one way streets, and more. But we made it! Yay us! But mostly yay to Sam! What a show!

Another day here much the same as the last two. And I dare say the next few as well. 

But here's a picture if Annabelle and me in Barcelona on a tapas crawl:

Happily in Barcelona

Snow storm not enough to keep my intrepid traveling partner, Annabelle, and me from getting here. De-iced. Late. Weary. But here!

A night of tapas made me happy. A day (full!) of TV and newspaper interviews made me tired but proud. Tonight: Iberian ham, patatas brava, tomato toast (um, greatest invention ever), wine. In bed. Reading The Goldfinch. Sleepy and the proud winner of the Crazy Eights championship. 

Here, a picture of Annabelle knitting on Spain national tv. Tomorrow, a food tasting tour, Gaudi park. What can I say? We are loving Barcelona!

Snow? Really?

Annabelle and I are going to have to be All Little House on the Prairie to get to JFK for a flight tonight. Barcelona here we come...I hope...

Tonight! Melrose, MA!

Come to The Authors Corner on Wednesday, February 12, 2014 at 7:30pm at the Melrose Library on Emerson Street and hear Marianne Leone, Elizabeth Searle and me talk about all things KNITTING YARNS! Bring your knitting. (The wonderful folks there almost always have brownies or lemon squares)!

All you need is love

Fifty years ago today I was sick in bed with tonsillitis. Most Sundays, my aunts and uncles and cousins poured into our house to visit my grandmother, Mama Rose. They ate, drank black coffee, and smoked Pall Malls all day and into the night. On this Sunday, my cousin Debbie--three years older, and wiser--marched into my sick room and turned on the small black and white portable TV there. And changed my life. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/26/fashion/sundaystyles/26LOVE.html?pagewanted=all

Homeward bound

I just loved my visit Richmond and VCU. Major Jackson gave a terrific reading with me in this gorgeous mansion. Dinner before was courses of pasta and meat, about as yummy as dinner can be. Great conversation with faculty and MFA students. And finished the night with bourbon cocktails. 

Pretty wiped out from the travel, reminding me that I'm still recovering from six weeks of being sick and then sicker. But I feel like by the time Annabelle and I leave for Barcelona next Saturday, I'll be stronger still. Plus she and I enjoy lounging time when we travel, so I think our rooftop pool will do the trick!

Wednesday, February 12, I'll be at the Melrose Library with several KNITTING YARNS contributors. The fun starts at 7:30 and I'd love to see you there!

Tonight:Richmond, VA

All this rest has made me ready to fly to Richmond for my reading at VCU tonight at 7 with Major Jackson. All fingers crossed that my voice holds out and I get through without a fit of coughing! If you're in or near Richmond, come see if I can do it!

Snowy Wednesday

No school! That means Annabelle and I will stay in our jams all day, one of us drinking copious amounts of coffee. There's a knitting room that's been waiting to be organized since Christmas but got ignored due to the flu, etc. Today might be the day!

Looks like travel will be ok tomorrow, so Richmond, VA here I come!

Meanwhile, pork chops for dinner, Top Chef finale, and working on this one's mate:

The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.

A lot of things have me thinking about this poem today. The lovely snow falling (pasta fagioli bubbling away on stove). The exciting news that the hubby is running for mayor of Providence. And the idea of promises. 

The full poem here, one of my favorites. 

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

BY ROBERT FROST

Whose woods these are I think I know.   

His house is in the village though;   

He will not see me stopping here   

To watch his woods fill up with snow.   

My little horse must think it queer   

To stop without a farmhouse near   

Between the woods and frozen lake   

The darkest evening of the year.   

He gives his harness bells a shake   

To ask if there is some mistake.   

The only other sound’s the sweep   

Of easy wind and downy flake.   

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,   

But I have promises to keep,   

And miles to go before I sleep,   

And miles to go before I sleep.

I hope it brings some things to mind for you too. 

And on another note, I am finally starting to feel better. Still exhausted (went to bed at 7 last night!) but I am starting to feel more like myself. Made that aforementioned pasta fagioli! So will be able to go to NYC next week and have those meetings with editors. Lots of interesting stuff in the works!

And now for the picture of the day. 

Five weeks, but who's counting?

Still not better! But when I get frustrated I just think about how sick I was on Christmas, or during the week with pneumonia and I see a lot of progress. I just want my old energetic self back! 

Another week of rest ahead so that I'll be better for a reading at VCU in Richmond, VA next Thursday night. And of course need to be lots better for my trip to Barcelona with Annabelle in a couple of weeks. 

More chicken soup!