We will be going on our annual trip to New Mexico in a few weeks and so looking forward to it. DH mentioned his great idea of going from there to Alaska (yes, driving), saying the drive up through Canada would surely be beautiful. While I do agree with that, I hope he's not serious. I looked up the drive time from Anchorage back home - a mere 2 days and 20 hours.

When I last posted, we were enjoying a month in a borrowed apartment in Manhattan. We no longer have access to that sweet deal but are hoping to go back for a few months, maybe in the Fall. DH is in the "Do It Now Before We Can't" mode. (Hence the driving to Alaska idea.) I'm trying to support him without becoming fatalistic.

Deep cleaning my home office for the first time in a few years. (Yes, it's gross.) Throwing out a lot of paper and accumulated junk. Most useless items so far: our boarding passes from 1995-1999 and the old hard drive that crashed (the guys who installed the new one got all the data off of it and then returned it to me . . . and I kept it?).

Okay, back to tasks for the day. Bye.

We know of airbnb b/c a good friend at home rents out her "guest cottage" that way. She makes a pretty good supplemental income. Will be interested to hear where your daughter stayed and what she thought of it. We looked at airbnb for the few days we couldn't stay in this apt but were lucky to be able to find a nice hotel room for an exceptionally nice rate.

We've been in NY for 3 weeks and will be leaving next week - it hardly seems like any time at all! Going from here to Philly (my hometown) to visit one of my brothers and family, then back home. I'm trying not to think ahead to all that awaits there (lots of year-end and year-beginning paperwork, plus whatever was undone before we left - which was plenty). I'll work all this weekend, then will have a few more days to explore around here. Yay!

I remember that you grew up in Queens since my mother went to Queens College (she grew up in Brooklyn). She must have also gone, at some point, to whatever NYU was called then b/c she was remembering how she used to eat lunch and study in Washington Square. When we were there recently, there was a guy standing next to a beautiful grand piano that he had just brought to the park on that cold December day. If you're going to bring your piano to the park to play and earn money, you'd better be pretty good. He was. (An example of something you don't see just anywhere!)

I am working for the next few days so DH is loose in the city. I can't wait to hear what he discovers.

We are used to smiling and nodding at strangers on the street (we're from the South, after all). We understood in the first 20 minutes that this was not the NYC culture. That said, folks have been very friendly and helpful and we don't at all feel that we're on the "mean streets." And the tourists are the ones not wearing black coats - it's the must-have color for New Yorkers.

The 9/11 Museum was very good - they did an impressive job. We noticed that that the further we progressed into the Museum, the less chat among patrons. It's just so overwhelming - there's little to say. The fountains outside are spectacular, especially lit up at night.

I will be working for a few days starting on Friday so looking forward to a few more days of playing first. Very cold and windy so no smiling and nodding today - just put your head down and go!

It's wonderful to just walk walk walk, although Winter has arrived this week and it's much colder. Lovely snow this morning. Planning to go to the 9/11 Museum today and maybe do some other things down in that part of town (including eating at a great Indian restaurant we found down there). Speaking of ancestors, hoping to get together with a cousin later this week who will take us to the cemetery where my grandfather and several other family members are buried - I've never been there.

DH is talking seriously about living here for 3 or 6 months - if we can figure out how to find a place (and one that we can afford). Since his mama died in May he's really been talking about moving away - esp. b/c some of the family dynamics have become quite ugly (a whole nuther story). I can't see living here "forever" but could do it for several months - and, you know, "whither thou goest" . . .

Just wanted to say hello to you all. One thing on my To Do list is to go to Argosy books - will be thinking of you!

Beth, that's a wonderful list. Thanks for posting.

DH and I are headed on big adventure - going to NYC tomorrow for possibly a few weeks. We have an apt to stay in (nephew's going to school there but he and roommate are gone for the holidays), so we're thrilled for the opportunity. I'm sure we'll be the typical hick tourists in the big city (neither of us has been there for decades) and we can't wait. Esp to be there at the holidays, since DH loves all things Christmas.

Stressed out packing and getting ready to be away for so long. But wanted to say hello for a change.

Just finished Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore - a light and entertaining read without being fluffy. I think many here might also enjoy it as it focuses on the intersection between books ("Old Knowledge") and the internet.

I hope you all have a lovely Thanksgiving, whether spent with family and friends or curled up with a good book.

Good morning all. Have a lovely day.

Diane: Looking forward to seeing whatever you choose to share here.

If we had that, I wouldn't be sitting here (not) doing the taxes. . .

Back to your regularly scheduled programming . . .

I see I'm still stuck using old BB names . . .

A book that looks like nothing - or sure did to me, since I don't know anything about sewing or which books might be worth picking up. Sewing Outdoor Gear, Taunton Press, large format paperback, ISBN 978-1561582839, has been a consistently decent seller for a few months (based on Amazon sales rank). Not a ton of $$ but good return on a $1 or $2 book. FYI.

Jonathan Tropper is one. I enjoyed "This is Where I Leave You" a lot. But two others that I read (or what I read of them) seemed to follow the same formula - different plot, different characters, but same development and resolution of drama.

I have friends who "must" finish a book, even if it's not good. Respect for the author or the process, perhaps. I'll give a book 50 pages. If I'm on the fence, if it was highly recommended, or if I really like the author, I'll try another 50. After that, I'm done.

Finished "Cutting for Stone" by Abraham Verghese - very well-written (though it could have been shortened with some prudent editing) and unique story and setting. Not for everyone but if the Amazon (or other) description appeals to you, you'll probably like it. Also have read a few by Swedish author Henning Mankell - there's a series featuring Kurt Wallender as well as several novels. The cadence and pace of language is so different from that of American writers. And for those of you who are missing winter, all the scenes are cold and frosty.

I was feeling poorly lately and I so craved some Campbell's tomato soup. Course, I would have also been happy with homemade but that wasn't an option. We've been eating lots of soup this year. I like always having a big batch of something in the fridge - as a meal on its own or to go with other things.

We are heading to Florida soon to visit family but would rather be going someplace cold. We have missed the cold weather this year . . .

I like the "layaway angel" story. Those random acts of kindness bless the giver as much as the receiver.

I saw the Swedish (subtitled) movies of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Girl Who Played with Fire. Both were good - well cast, well acted, and, like the books, stark and riveting. I was interested, too, dupo, to see how they would trim the book to movie length. What they did, of course, was cut a lot of the backstory. I don't know if I'd have liked the movies without reading the books first - but I have friends who did. The Swedish movies are readily available for rent at Redbox (for $1). Not sure I'll see the Hollywood versions.

I, too, am not ready to let go of my paper calendar. I enjoy the ritual each year of setting up my new daytimer - partly because it involves going through the prior year's book, where I have all sorts of scribbles and ticket stubs and quick sketches. It's fun to leaf back through it and remember certain events.

Thanks, lludwig, for mentioning the cookbook. Since I'm in that region, it's one I might actually stumble across. I tend to glaze over when I look at all those comb-bound regional cookbooks - now I have at least one thing to focus on!

I wish you all a joyous holiday, in whatever way you choose to celebrate. Our holiday will be low-key but filled with so much gratitude.

For anyone who's interested in a great book about Alaska, I recommend John McPhee's "Coming Into the Country." He writes non-fiction in such a compelling and interesting way. This was the first book of his that I read (decades ago) and I've enjoyed much of his writing since. Thank you for the photos, Patsy. I would love to take that trip someday.

We've been getting some great local peaches and tomatoes here. Such a pleasure while they last. I also have so much basil this year I might have to make some pesto. This all makes me happy.

Again, nice to see you all here. That also makes me happy.

Up too late last night working, then back at it early today. I used to be able to do it easily (I guess I'm remembering 20 years ago) but now it's just exhausting. Too early to go to sleep - guess I'll go decompress somehow. More fun tomorrow.