The Forest is decorated with streamers and margaritas today. Yes, it is Cinco de Mayo (and take it from me: San Jose is where you want to be on Cinco de Mayo weekend). But it is also the birthday of Stephanie, my oldest daughter. You can leave birthday greetings on Bookavore, her blog, if you want. AND it is the 50th birthday of my most very Beloved Husband, Scot. All he wants for his birthday are a few more donations to his charity run.
So, yeah. This is Party Central today.
It’s also Catching Up from the Weekend Day. Friday morning I ran along the Guadalupe River Park Trail – it reminded me a lot of the trail that runs through the middle of Austin. After a long shower and lunch, my intrepid hosts, Dr. Mary Warner and Dr. Jonathan Lovell, drove me to Yerba Buena High School. Thanks you very, very much to Ms. Goltzer and her students for making the afternoon so much fun! After we left the school, we went to Hicklebee’s, an amazing independent bookstore run by Valerie Lewis, who ought to be called She Who Knows Everything. I would love to take her out to dinner with Teri Lesesne. The two of them in the same room at the same time might be enough to fix everything that is wrong with our world.
This should be a Destination Bookstore; the kind you plan an entire vacation around.
Not only do they have tons of books, artifacts from writers (like The Pants from Ann Brasheres and an early drawing of Clifford the Big Red Dog), and a terrific staff, but they have wall after wall crowded with signatures and drawings from authors and illustrators who have dropped by.
Thanks to everyone who came out to see me at Hicklebee’s, especially
And my buddy Debbi Michiko Florence!
Saturday was a total Blur. First I gave a speech to a group of teachers, then a two-hour writing workshop to a room full of teenagers, then I signed books for a long time. I was so into the speeches that I was giving that I forgot to take pictures. Thank you to all the teens who came out and the parents and teachers who prodded them to do so. It was a blast hanging out with you guys.
It was a very intense day and by mid-afternoon I was face-down in my pillow for a long overdue nap. But then I rose because in San Jose, the sun never sets, and I had dinner with several terrific teachers and my friend Dr. Joni Richards Bodart. (I have to say, Dr. Mary and Dr. Jonathan made sure I ate very well in CA; I gorged on fresh tomatoes at almost every meal.)
Next thing I knew, the alarm was going off again and it was four o’clock Sunday morning. All the interesting people were just going to bed. Yours truly dragged herself to the curb for her on-time ride to the airport.
Two quick airport stories. I saw Stevie Wonder in Chicago O’Hare (was so stunned by His Presence I forgot to take out my camera) and
I ran into the Shippensburg Women’s Rugby Team. They were headed home in triumph, having just won the USA Rugby Division II Women’s College Club Championship. This is Meaghan holding their trophy. Congratulations!
It’s May 5th, my friends. Start the party!!!