Waking up in Las Vegas!

Librarians and slot machines! Here at the ALA conference to sign AN ITALIAN WIFE. And sign I did! Thank you to everyone who waited in line yesterday for an ARC. 

Had a giant rib eye for dinner. Two glasses of wine. Asleep by 7:30 (10:30 my east coast time) and now awake at 6:30! I'll be on the Hot Picks Book Club panel at 10:30 this morning and on a flight home at 2. Did someone say whirlwind?

Started the Bias Blanket pattern from Purl Soho yesterday and LOVE IT! Knitters: try this one. Had to teach myself M1L and M1R (thank you Knitwitch and YouTube) on my layover in Charlotte but now happily knitting. A great summer pattern, and a good one for travel since it starts with 5 stitches. 

Sam arrived in Amsterdam on schedule. So proud of that guy!

If you are on Cape Cod, please come to the Truro Library in July 8!  

Waking up in NYC

Cousin GJ and I drove down yesterday, arriving in time for Sam to load up his stuff from his old apartment, throw the car in a parking garage, and hightail it to our favorite Mexican restaurant, Empillon, for margaritas, guacamole, smoked cashew salsa, queso fundido, and tacos. GJ and I have been dreaming of this meal for months, but kept getting sidetracked to other fabulous restaurants. Last night, happily full, we went to see the play THE VILLAGE BIKE at the Lucille Lortel. In true NYC fashion, we spotted its star, Greta Gerwig,  walking to the theater. And the Harry Potter guy (Daniel Radcliffe?) and his girlfriend walking out of the theater. In between, we saw the play! Which was so well acted (the guy from one of GJ and my favorite theater experiences, GATZ) and written that I was just happy for two hours. 

Today: taking Sam home! Yay! Saturday he leaves for seven weeks in Amsterdam for an intensive acting training program. Proud of my kiddo. 

Annabelle is at ballet camp all week. 

And me? I'm writing my novel. And starting a new knitting project: http://www.purlbee.com/the-purl-bee/2014/4/27/lauras-loop-colorblock-bias-blanket.html

And on another note...

Sorry to be silent here for a bit, but someone tried very hard to get into one of my email accounts. Sigh. So I had to do all kinds of security stuff with the wonderful people at Google. 

Otherwise, a lovely week at home writing! This new novel is taking up most of my thinking time, which I love. So days are kind of flying by on a whirl of words. 

School has ended for AB and to celebrate we spent today at the beach with my buddy and his daughter in beautiful Watch Hill, RI. 

A full weekend with a wedding! A birthday party! 

And I'd be remiss if I didn't thank Alison, Priscilla, Peggy, and everyone at QC READS for an incredible night. Here's the proof of how awesome they are:

Happy birthday, Paul!

My first crush! 

Loving the rainy day

Here in NYC, a lovely drizzle. Gray skies. I think I'd be fine living in Portland, OR or any rainy place. 

Just had early breakfast with Sam and now will spend the morning writing before I drive home. I'm at the point in this new 180 pages so far novel where I can't wait to write, where writing is my favorite part of the day. I'm so lucky to get to do what I love. I count my lucky stars for that every day. 

What a wonderful night at the Gold CoastLibrary in  Glen Head, NY last night! Thanks to everyone who came, and to all the terrific people who put the night together!

some days...

...out of nowhere, grief just returns with a vengeance. Of course I can point to things that might have brought it on today, but what's more important is just getting through it. I wrote. I knit. I watched the Barefoot Contessa.

Tonight, a book club talk that will help get me out of my funk.

I only post this because I know many of you out there feel it too, and have these days where you just can't find your way out. But we do. Somehow, we do.