partly cloudy, hot, humid, temps 82
And I'm in a turtleneck and jacket! but I'm here. and this is the first time I'm using the MacBook. Very scary. Couldn't even figure out how to turn it on...or actually plug it in. At least I managed to get it out of it's soft case. but here we are. a new day. In Houston with a MacBook. Yippee.
Yesterday was fun. Thanksgiving Monday. Michael's sons Michael and Victor stayed at the cottage the night before and came over for a breakfast of blueberry pancakes and bacon. My brother Doug had already left to return to Toronto - at 2:30 in the morning. knocked on our door to say goodbye. We knew he'd be leaving them - beat the traffic. Beat the sun. Beat common sense, which was chasing him but never quite caught up.
Then Michael's sons left for Montreal and we left for Burlington. Michael drove Rob and Audi and me to the hotel, then to Church street to shoe shop (didn't find any) then lunch of burgers - yum. Then back to the hotel and he headed off to Sutton. Emailed at the border to say he'd made it just fine. I worry with his sight - and with the setting sun. But he made it home in daylight and in one piece. As did the car.
Then up this morning to catch flights...Rob and Audi to New Orleans and me here to Houston. Could not have been easier. The hairiest part was the cab ride from the airport to this wonderful hotel. (Hotel Zaza - fabulous!!!) The cab driver was on his second day on the job, did not speak english, or read it, had no idea where the hotel was and could not work the sat nav. GPS. So while cars honked I put the hotel address into it and then read the directions out to him...which worked until the power went off because he didn't have it plugged in and the battery died as we whizzed along highway 59.
I'm afraid I was less than completely gracious as he yelled at he, 'Which way, honey!? Which way?'
finally I suggested he call a friend, since polling the audience wasn't working. He called, and seemed to get directions because I kept hearing the word Zaza. I think. I also heard other words, but those were inside my head and none of them was Zaza. Anyway, I'm here. Even gave him a tip...I suspected he'd need it.
Hotel is fabulous, room is gorgeous. I unpacked, called Michael, ordered a burger from room service and am now writing you.
Tomorrow I have an event at the Houston Public Library at noon - a reading, talk and signing. Love to see you there.
Then, tomorrow night at 6:30 I have an event at this wonderful Houston Independent mystery bookstore called Murder By the Book. It's going to be such fun! I LOVE this store and the people there - and really looking forward to meeting some Houston readers of the Gamache series.
Speak tomorrow - am enjoying this Mac.
Showing posts with label Houston. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Houston. Show all posts
Tuesday, 13 October 2009
Friday, 21 March 2008
Darn, more reasons for gratitude
Snow (about a foot!), mild, highs minus 3
At fifteen life had taught me undeniably that surrender, in its place, was as honourable as resistance, especially if one had no choice.
Maya Angelou
Isn’t that a marvellous quote? It reminds me of a prayer Michael and I say every day. We hold hands across the breakfast table and say, ‘God, grant me the serenity, to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.’
If I could I’d pretend I wrote that but since I could never get away with it I might as well surrender to reality and admit it’s the serenity prayer. After saying it Michael and I, still holding hands and our eyes closed (at least I presume his are closed) list all the things we’re grateful for. Then we send out good energy into the world.
Jeez, writing it down and reading it makes us seem quite flaky. Oh well. I suppose we are. But we’re happy and content flakes, which makes our gratitude list annoyingly long. Especially when we’re starving.
Had three absolutely fabulous pieces of news yesterday. People Magazine has a fantastic review of The Cruelest Month!!! They gave it 3 ½ out of 4 stars and said it was ‘Impossible to put down.’
I’ll tell you, that is being laminated and going on the wall.
As well a lovely reader named Joan in Chicago wrote to say there's a mention, though by Marilyn Stasio in this coming Sunday's New York Times Review of Books. She talks about the Three Pines Mysteries being quite funny at times. I'm very glad she noticed.
The other piece of wonderful news was that The Cruelest Month has been chosen by the publisher to the St. Martin’s Press READ IT FIRST program. This is a terrific ‘club’ – so far 14,000 people have signed up to get advance chapters of new books put out by St. Martin’s. That way you get to ‘test-drive’ books and decide if you want to buy them or take them out of the library. How wonderful is that?
Had a quiet day 'at home' yesterday – more or less snowed in. Tony came to dig us out and within half an hour we were snowed in again. It’s the very heavy spring snow – clinging to the trees. It really is stunningly beautiful. woke up this morning to another six inches or more.
And we saw the very first cardinal at our bird feeder. Never had one before. Normally we get a dizzying array of what Michael called LBJs – Little Brown Jobs. Spot the city folk. Actually, they’re black-capped chickadees, sparrows, woodpeckers and blue jays. And now a cardinal. On the first day of spring. It brought snow and good news.
Spent the entire day by the fire writing. Such fun to sit with Gamache and Myrna in her used bookstore, as she makes tea and cookies and they talk. And he reads from a book that he’s known for years but has an unexpected connection to this murder case.
A week ago I’d risen again at 3:30 to catch a flight – this time to Houston. What a terrific city. I absolutely loved it. And my hotel room was enormous! As you might have gathered, my surroundings are important to me. Michael could be in a cave and not notice. I’d notice.
Spoke to the Neighborhood Library in Houston at noon, then did a talk/reading/signing at a wonderful mystery bookstore in Houston called Murder By the Book. Lots of people out – great questions. Very welcoming. And an extremely impressive staff. Makes a difference.
Must run – the writing calls.
At fifteen life had taught me undeniably that surrender, in its place, was as honourable as resistance, especially if one had no choice.
Maya Angelou
Isn’t that a marvellous quote? It reminds me of a prayer Michael and I say every day. We hold hands across the breakfast table and say, ‘God, grant me the serenity, to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.’
If I could I’d pretend I wrote that but since I could never get away with it I might as well surrender to reality and admit it’s the serenity prayer. After saying it Michael and I, still holding hands and our eyes closed (at least I presume his are closed) list all the things we’re grateful for. Then we send out good energy into the world.
Jeez, writing it down and reading it makes us seem quite flaky. Oh well. I suppose we are. But we’re happy and content flakes, which makes our gratitude list annoyingly long. Especially when we’re starving.
Had three absolutely fabulous pieces of news yesterday. People Magazine has a fantastic review of The Cruelest Month!!! They gave it 3 ½ out of 4 stars and said it was ‘Impossible to put down.’
I’ll tell you, that is being laminated and going on the wall.
As well a lovely reader named Joan in Chicago wrote to say there's a mention, though by Marilyn Stasio in this coming Sunday's New York Times Review of Books. She talks about the Three Pines Mysteries being quite funny at times. I'm very glad she noticed.
The other piece of wonderful news was that The Cruelest Month has been chosen by the publisher to the St. Martin’s Press READ IT FIRST program. This is a terrific ‘club’ – so far 14,000 people have signed up to get advance chapters of new books put out by St. Martin’s. That way you get to ‘test-drive’ books and decide if you want to buy them or take them out of the library. How wonderful is that?
Had a quiet day 'at home' yesterday – more or less snowed in. Tony came to dig us out and within half an hour we were snowed in again. It’s the very heavy spring snow – clinging to the trees. It really is stunningly beautiful. woke up this morning to another six inches or more.
And we saw the very first cardinal at our bird feeder. Never had one before. Normally we get a dizzying array of what Michael called LBJs – Little Brown Jobs. Spot the city folk. Actually, they’re black-capped chickadees, sparrows, woodpeckers and blue jays. And now a cardinal. On the first day of spring. It brought snow and good news.
Spent the entire day by the fire writing. Such fun to sit with Gamache and Myrna in her used bookstore, as she makes tea and cookies and they talk. And he reads from a book that he’s known for years but has an unexpected connection to this murder case.
A week ago I’d risen again at 3:30 to catch a flight – this time to Houston. What a terrific city. I absolutely loved it. And my hotel room was enormous! As you might have gathered, my surroundings are important to me. Michael could be in a cave and not notice. I’d notice.
Spoke to the Neighborhood Library in Houston at noon, then did a talk/reading/signing at a wonderful mystery bookstore in Houston called Murder By the Book. Lots of people out – great questions. Very welcoming. And an extremely impressive staff. Makes a difference.
Must run – the writing calls.
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