Showing posts with label Phoenix. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Phoenix. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

My New Furry Friends


An unexpected highlight of my whirlwind weekend in Phoenix was getting to meet lotsa sweet, furry folk while I was there. I became good friends with Shadow while staying at my cousin Sara's house on Thursday and Friday. Shadow, I'm told, is normally shy around new folks, but we became fast friends right away. He was very snuggly, but could also be dangerous and fierce at need, disemboweling a couple of stuffed animals in a fit of glee. Shadow and I did some hanging out.


Then, at Mindy's, I met Joy, Cirrus, Scunce, and Nene. I only have a picture of me and Joy, with whom I bonded during a number of toe-licking sessions (she licked my toes, not the other way around). Of course, word on the street is she'll lick anyone's toes should they dare to come into her presence while sandaled or barefoot, but I took it as a sign of our new fellowship. We also did some rolling around and belly scratching and generally had a good time. She wiggles with the best of them!

Cirrus was more shy with me, and the kitties, Nene and Scunce, were doing their own thing. But I was excited to meet, however briefly, another Nene, since I am servant to our our own Nene the cat here. (My Nene even gets mentioned in the dedication to Lost Dog, along with the rest of our family menagerie.

So Phoenix wasn't all whirlwind tour and daiquiris. It was also a delightful chance to make some new friends, both two-legged and four!

Monday, May 21, 2007

Man the Photon Harpoons, Magical Fava Bean*


Just back from Phoenix and a wild and delightful whirlwind tour of Phoenix area bookstores. Above you'll see my lovely chaperones, from left to right: Sharon Anderson, Angie Johnson-Schmit, and Mindy Tarquini. (I'm the one with the beard.) The four of us visited 21 bookstores in two days. And before they joined me, I visited three others while staying with my cousin Sara and her husband John, as well as their delightful youngun Little John.

24 stores in three days. I'm whupped! But what a great time.

And just by weird luck, at the Poisoned Pen Lee Child happened to be presenting and signing. That was a huge thrill, though I couldn't buy his latest because they sold out -- though Angie got a copy. Fortunately, he'll be in Portland on Wednesday so I'll get to see him again.



Saturday evening featured a lovely dinner prepared by Mindy's husband Ian and tons of hanging out, as well as vigorous strawberry daiquiris which eventually knocked me out in a chair in the living room. Hopefully I wasn't snoring TOO loudly!

I had the great pleasure also of meeting Mindy's wonderful younguns, who were funny and polite and such great hosts. I felt so well-cared for all weekend.

It was just a grand time. I can't wait to get myself back down there.

* What do you get when you mix Mindy, Angie, Moby Dick in Space, Hannibal Lector, and two days of driving to lots and lots of bookstores? You get the title of this blog entry.