Archives - Weekly Update

It feels like spring in New York and we love it. Readers, hit your hammocks!

Last weekend I was down in Charlottesville at the Virginia Festival of the Book, which is an event that gets better and better each year. For my report on what I heard and saw, see my blog called Bookish in Virginia. What a wonderful trip this was.

As promised, I am writing this note from Charlottesville where I am in town for the Virginia Festival of the Book. I think this is my sixth year of coming to this event, which always is one of my favorites. I will blog about this as things happen. You can read my comments about the drive down here. Charlottesville is such a warm and welcoming town with a nice mix of college students, great restaurants and warm ambience. Also flowers are in bloom and the trees are blossoming...life is good!

Last Saturday the weather here was glorious. I had my older son help me haul the hammock outside so I could pretend either that it was summer or that I was still in Florida. I looked through my stack of books and plucked out THE BRIEF HISTORY OF THE DEAD by Kevin Brockmeier to read while I swung.

Today the wind has been blowing. Why can I picture the calendar in the 3rd grade as I write this with the big wind symbol with a face with puffed cheeks on it smack dab in the middle of March? But what's blowing in? Warm air. I feel spring coming in from wherever it was hiding.

I am writing today from Fort Lauderdale where I am attending the Sleuthfest Convention. The last time I was in Florida in March, I was on Spring Break from college! I beat the bad weather out of the Northeast yesterday. This morning as I swam laps under a perfectly blue sky I wondered, "Why do I not live where it's warm year-round?"