Yay! It’s my BIRTHDAY!

So insanely cute.

1. WFMU
2. J.R. Ward
3. Loretta Chase
4. capri pants
5. slides
6. hoop earrings
7. Tweezerman tweezers
8. iced coffee
9. our Holland Grill
10. the deck
11. flowers
12. brainstorming friends
13. Playing Scrabulous and Scramble at Facebook
14. Adele
15. Santogold
16. Unaccompanied Minors (thanks, Goedi!)
17. Trailers for Hellboy II and Quantum of Solace.
18. My washer and dryer.
19. The number ‘19,’ which is my birthdate number.

Geez, Louise, I’ve been a downer lately. Let’s lighten things up, shall we?

Okay. So last night the Spouse flipped onto one of those shows that talks about the history of food, in this case, the hot dog.

And the Son decided he really, really wanted one. At 9:30 at night.

So the Spouse made him one, and what’s more, wrapped bacon around it.

I have never seen my son so happy. “This is the best thing I have ever eaten. This is the best day ever.” (He has his mother’s flair for hyperbole).

It was sweet, and he went to bed so, so happy.

And then I made him take a regular photo:

“Regular” being a relative term, of course (I’ve since cut my hair, btw, but I look ghastly today, so you can’t see.)

Kwana gave me props on her blog, and I have to assemble my brain cells and post something in reply, but I am so worn out the thought of it makes me yawn.

Meanwhile, enjoy a fine painting by Vermeer. One of my most treasured memories is when my uncle came to visit New York several years ago, and we went to the Met, where they had some Vermeers. He is a decorative artist, which means he can do all that fancy interior painting (and he advised us very well when we were deciding on paint colors: “You can’t go wrong with Atrium,” he said. Wise words, David, wise words). He cried when he saw the Vermeers; he’d never seen one in person, he grew up in Jamaica, was educated in London, and has lived in California for a gazillion years.

After I did my workshop, about half a dozen of the attendees told me it was very useful, and that I did a good job (despite my stated, albeit not overstated, anxiety). Then, the Delightful Phone Friend called me today to tell me people told the Workshop Chair what a great panel it was.

Yay!

(I could not have done any of it without Carolyn Jewel, who prods me into writing stuff that might actually have a plot somewhere in there. Someday I hope we get to present the workshop together).

It’s the best feeling to walk into a bookstore and pick up a friend’s book. Yesterday, I went to the B&N in midtown and got a copy of Deb Marlowe’s Scandalous Lord, Rebellious Miss:

And I’ve got Meljean Brook’s Demon Night on order from Amazon:

I also, unfortunately for the TBR pile, went to TWO libraries and checked out a total of four books. What is wrong with me?!? I’ve got plenty of unread material here, why must I get MORE?

To the in-laws this weekend, wish me luck. And wine.

Is there anything better than when someone recommends a book, and you read it, and it is WONDERFUL?

[picture me jumping up and down on a couch screaming “I love this book!”]

The Delightful Phone Friend rec’ed In The Bleak Midwinter by Julia Spencer-Fleming. And even sent it to me so I could read it. And YOW was it good.

It is the first in a series (and the author’s first book, too, which is astounding).

I found Lee Child because of Jennifer Savage and Carolyn Jewel; Jo Goodman and Cheryl St. John because of Kristie J; Maria Snyder because of everybody raving; Bernard Cornwell because the Thoughtful Spouse thought I wanted Gallows Thief when actually I was talking about another book; and I know there are many, many more that have come to me because of friends’ recommendations. Those are the best.

Thanks, friends!

Halloween!