Had a lovely book-signing yesterday!

No great crowds, but many people came in to talk and take a book home. Many thanks to Mitchell’s Coffee House for hosting me; they were gracious and helpful. And Bill couldn’t resist taking home a couple of their brownies!

I was glad that I hung in there with getting my point-of-sale device working…which didn’t happen until the night before, at 9pm. So there was a bit of frustration about missed connections, but it all came together in the end. We’re able to relax a bit.

One of my beta-readers was there, and went on and on about how much she liked The Girl Who Talked Too Much, and how funny and unpredictable Kippy was, and she had to keep reading just to see what Kippy’d get into next. Someone else raved about American Governess, and how fascinating it was to read about my adventures in a Bavarian castle being governess for the five children of a Count back in 1962. I didn’t have to make much of a pitch!

Here’s a kind of blurry picture of Kippy in Colorado with Jenny, when she got to visit some horses.

Unexpected changes are the spice of life, right? ….Right?

Having irritated me last week by assuring me (live, by phone) that the order of my new book, The Girl Who Talked Too Much, wouldn’t be delivered to me until halfway through November, Amazon has now informed me that the shipment will come tomorrow!

I’ve set up a book-signing party at Mitchell’s Coffee House in downtown Lakeland for November 29, so I’ll have plenty of time to prepare. That’s on a Saturday, when there is a fine Farmer’s Market/Flea Market going on, so mark your calendars and plan to get your veggies while looking in on me! If you’ve already got one of the books, bring it by and I’ll transcribe it just for you.

I’ve found that adjusting to such things with acceptance and humor is one of the secrets of having a long life. I mean, after all, they could have announced that they wouldn’t arrive until several weeks later than originally predicted.

Thinking about it, I’m pretty sure that the October 29 delivery date was the likeliest all along, but in the interests of, shall we say, covering their nether regions, they named a date several weeks out. Then they could look efficient when the books came earlier.

At least I’ve already seen one, finally. My son Adriaan had it and American Governess shipped to me, so that I could sign them while he was here last week, which I did. It looks great!.

He and his wife were here for his 40th high school reunion. The last one he attended was the 10th, and as I remember, the 40th is the one at which you’re struck by how much older everybody got, and shocked by the list of those who are no longer with us. And you’re thankful if you’re still going strong.

Come to think of it, if my class were still having reunions, we’d be having the 70th in a couple of years. Yoicks!