I’m back at the ranch after a long day in NYC yesterday. No, I didn’t go to the book signing – for a couple of reasons. My morning bus was an hour late getting to our local station. We have no idea why and the reason was never given. This resulted in a couple of panicked phone calls from me to the Stage Manager explaining the problem. I knew yesterday was the only day available for individual sessions and they were to be held in a room that had been rented from 12 – 5 – allowing for 10 straight sessions of 30 minutes each. There was no wiggle room.
By the time I got in the city, I did another 14 block speed walk and, incredibly, I somehow managed to get to the building (with a full bladder), up the stairs, stop in the bathroom, and then alert the stage manager to my arrival by 11:59. I was exhausted already and the day had barely begun.
After my sessions were over, I was tired and I knew that even if I caught the 5:30 bus I wouldn’t get home until 7:30. If I had stayed for the book signing, I wouldn’t have arrived home until at least 11:00. I also knew how excited Don was about the arrival yesterday morning of a box containing his new CD and I felt I should get home in time to celebrate that event. When something like that happens, you can’t wait for your loved one to get home to tell them about it. So I speed walked another 14 blocks and headed home.
And when I walked in the door, what do you suppose was propped up on my table in the den?
It’s so exciting! I’ll unveil more of it at a later date, but trust me, it’s equally as cool when the sleeve is opened. And the mastered tracks sound fantastic. Huzzah!
(I’m so glad I decided to come home early.)
Do you remember these guys? There’s a whole set of Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs egg cups that were made for Disney Enterprises in 1937. I’ve always said I wanted to collect them all. Recently, I saw two separate auctions on eBay for Sleepy and for Snow White herself. I bid on both of them, but kept my bid low because, let’s face it, I’m not comfortable spending too much money on anything at the moment. In each case, I was the high bidder for a while, but eventually was outbid. I was sort of heartsick over the whole thing, because they don’t come up for auction that often – especially Snow White – and it just wasn’t a good time for me to do anything but put in a low bid. Sigh. In the end, they went for what I consider a reasonable price…which makes it all the more frustrating! Ah, well. I hope whoever won them appreciates them. (I know they would have been happier in my cottage. I just know it.)
I’ve learned it’s always a good idea to set a limit on an auction and I always do. It’s too easy to get caught up in the excitement of the bidding and you can end up paying far more than you wanted to!
I just finished X by Sue Grafton this morning. I forgot how much I like the Kinsey Millhone series. I’ll write a review tomorrow. Now I have to decide what to read next.
Oh, reading…you keep me sane. You really do.
What are you reading at the moment, dear friends?
Happy Tuesday.
What an exhausting day! It’s frustrating when you have planned almost everything to get somewhere in time and something totally out of your control happens to throw a wrench into the plan. However, what a fun treat to get home and share the arrival of Don’s BIG package.
How disappointing about not winning the bids on Snow White and Dopey. SW is my daughter’s favorite Disney Princess. Just before her fourth birthday, we were chatting with the waitress in a restaurant in which we were eating and long story short, she volunteered to come to our house dressed as SW for our daughter’s party. You should have seen the look on my daughter’s face when she spotted SW walking down the street towards our house. I remember how special that woman was and how she made my daughter’s day. Unfortunately, my daughter doesn’t remember a lot of it, but I hope she realizes how an exceptional young lady gave up her Saturday (initially for free, but my husband and I insisted she take the money we offered) to make a little girl’s dream come true. To end the story, a few days later, my daughter received a letter in the mail from SW thanking my daughter for the party and passing along greetings from the dwarves, Mickey, Minnie and everyone else who lived at D’land. She still has that letter.
Oh, what a great story, Wendy! That waitress was incredibly generous…I just love hearing stories like this one. In the midst of all the negative news we hear every day, we need to remember that there are truly good people out there.
I’m reading The Secret Life of Violet Grant and enjoying it so far. This is my first book by this author but I’ve discovered a couple of other writers this summer whose work I would like to read so I’m set for the winter reading season (in between building my House of Miniatures furniture for my poor little neglected dollhouse, now under renovation). If only work didn’t take up so much of my time! Sounds like you got some good exercise in the city. What kind of shoes were you wearing?
Sneakers! I wear them a lot of the time now – they’re just kinder on my feet.
I love the Kinsey Milhone series too. I’m currently reading the Dresden Files that a friend gave me after he was through reading them.
So glad you had some work, Don got is CDs and you got home to celebrate!
All good things, my friend. If you like that series, you’ll really enjoy the newest one.
You had quite a day!! So exciting about Don’s CD – want to order one. I am reading Susan Branch’s new book “The Fairy Tale Girl” – delightful. And, “Elegy For Iris” by John Bayley – very good.
That must be about Iris Murdoch…I bet it’s lovely, Liz.
So glad you made it in time. Long travel is so hard. Don’s CD looks so cool. I enjoyed X also. Ready to start a new book but babysitting BOTH Grands today so no reading until later.
You’re too busy to read today!
Yeah….in light of the cd’s and Don….I would have come home earlier too. Too bad you missed out on those figurines…maybe a better collection offering will come along…here’s hoping! I’m currently reading The Escape, John Puller series by David Baldacci….intrigue, action, conspiracy…right up my alley! Enjoy your day…we are off on a 2 day jaunt with friends to the Mississippi River… Hope there’s color! ;)
Oh, have fun, Donnamae! It sounds like a lovely trip.
You need a pair of those sneakers that have wheels on the bottom that were so popular with the middle-school kids a few years ago. You would be the envy of all the NYC couriers.
I hope I wasn’t bidding against you this past Saturday! I was bidding on a Snow White on eBay, but sadly I did not win. Someone placed an automatic bid with 5 seconds to spare. (I had wanted it as a b-day gift for someone.) It was the first time I’d taken part in an auction and thought it was very exciting. I’ll have to become better acquainted with the whole process – I’m typically the ideal consumer who opts for the “buy it now”.
Please let us know where we can obtain a copy of Don’s CD. How very exciting!
Well, you may have been! But I opted out about an hour before the auction ended. I absolutely hate when people put in those automatic bids – I think it’s called sniping. It seems, somehow, like cheating.
I’ll let you know more about the CD next week sometime, once it’s all up and available on the site that will be selling it.
It sounds like you need a day to rest up from yesterday Claudia. I’m sorry about Snow White and Sleepy, but maybe that means you’ll find them for an even better price someday. I have a good friend who always looks at that side of things. Since I tend to be a negative Nellie, I appreciate her way of thinking even more. I can only imagine Don’s excitement over his CD. What a good wife you were to think of him first.
Blessings,
Betsy
That’s what I have to believe as well, Betsy. It wasn’t meant to be right now.
Have a lovely day!
I glad you went home to celebrate with Don…I’m sure he is so excited and proud…and he should be…Sorry to hear that you lost your bidding war…that is so frustrating sometimes…When I am thrift shopping or browsing at antique malls I always keep a look out for things that you like so I will let you know if I ever come across these egg cups…I will finish reading “The Lovely Bones” today…I ordered a used copy of “Station Eleven” from Amazon that is on it’s way here…It was $4.00 and $3.99 shipping..I couldn’t even get an eBook of it that cheap..I’m not sure if I will start another book or wait for it to arrive…I am so anxious to read it because of your review Claudia!
Hello Claudia…Glad you got back safely from the city. Right now I am reading Susan Branch’s new book, The Fairy Tale Girl and then will begin one for book club, Born with Teeth! Have a good Tuesday. Susan
Sounds like two good reads, Susan!
I so hope you like it, Nancy. It had a profound effect on me and I want to read it again.
Hi Claudia, I read your blogs daily and also like the books you read. I was wondering if you’ve read any of Rebecca Shaw’s books? I enjoy her Turnham Malpas village books especially.
I haven’t. I’ll have to check her out, Susan. Thank you!
Claudia: That’s life in the big city and commuting, that happened to me once when I was going to the opera and I ran from the subway to the seat, literally gasping as I sat down just in time for the curtain. Now I leave way more time, since commuting especially on the weekends is always a surprise. I am reading My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She’s Sorry by Fredrik Backman and loving it. Keep us posted on the CD’s.. thanks for the lovely blog. N
Oh, it happened to me when I was going to see my former student, Jim Parsons, in Harvey. I speed walked 18 blocks in 97 degree heat and got there right before the lights dimmed! I left extra time yesterday – an hour – and it still screwed me up! You’re right about weekends – they can get crazy. If I have to get into the city on a Sunday evening, I take the train because everyone who comes up to Upstate New York for the weekend is heading back home and that makes for crazy commuting.
Still recovering from our library’s annual book sale, so am being lazy and rereading “A Presumption of Death” by Jill Paton Walsh, based on Dorothy L. Sayers’ work and notes.
John Bayley’s “Elegy For Iris” I found interesting but very sad, dealing as it does, with her Alzheimer’s.
Hooray for Don!
Oh, I know. I read a great deal about her struggles with Alzheimer’s at the time. It was heartbreaking. They were so devoted to each other.
Ouch. I feel badly for you about the Disney figurines. I had a similar experience with a doll I really wanted but, you know, it came up again about a year later and I got an even better doll for a better price, so take heart; patience and timing! I had this happen recently with a pair of shoes. I’ve been looking for them for 5 years (discontinued) but here appeared two brand-new ones in my size (Amazon secondhand marketplace). Just keep look’in!!
I hope you’ve had a relaxing day so far. You needed it after NYC!
I’m reading The Fairy Tale Girl by illustrator Susan Branch at the moment. Autobiography.
I’ve never read the A-Z books about Kinsey, which I know seems ‘shocking’ because everybody else I seem to know has read them. I have to say, Claudia, I’m not much into mystery and detective novels although I enjoy reading your reviews of same. I’m sure I’d enjoy the Grafton books because I understand that Kinsey lives and works in a fictional town which mimics the real life one of Santa Barbara, California, which is a place of which I have some familiarity, so I know I’d probably like the descriptions. The author must be about thru with the series if she’s now at “X”…true?
Yes, I read an interview with her and she said that by the time she finished the alphabet she’d be almost 80 – hard to believe, because she certainly doesn’t look it!
I am reading two. Lee Child’s new Jack Reacher “Make Me” and “Furiously Happy” by Jennie Lawson. Hard to put down either of them.
I’m on the waiting for list for Make Me. There’s a really long queue for that book!
Here’s an idea, Claudia. Perhaps you could print out your review of John Connolly’s book, along with a copy of his re-tweet, and place those in your book, sort of in lieu of his autograph. Maybe someday you’ll cross paths with him and you can show him your mementos (and ask him to sign your copy).
That’s a good idea – unfortunately I read the eGalley of the book on my Kindle – not the three dimensional version! But I have other books of his that he could sign!
Still reading the same darn books as the last time you asked – can you believe it? I’ve been falling asleep within minutes of starting on my bedroom book, so progress there is very slow. Not getting any time for the dining room or car books at all. The only thing I miss about not having a work commute anymore is all that time waiting at long lights, railroad tracks and Starbucks drive-through line – LOL. I actually read about a dozen books in my car over 35 years. Oh I started Edith Hamilton’s “Mythology” but this one is a trip down Memory Lane. Read it in high school when I took mythology as an English elective.
Oh, I remember that book! We had to read it in high school, as well! Memories!
Congratulations to Don! It must be so satisfying for him to have it completed and ready to share!
It is. It’s a pretty big deal and he has done all the graphics and written the songs and arranged the recording session and organized the Kickstarter campaign. I’m really proud of him!