For the Love of Books

Today Judy and I drove to the UCLA campus to attend the 2009 Los Angeles Times' Festival of Books. This annual event brings publishers, bookstores, libraries, and other organizations associated with the love of books to one place where booths are set-up to promote books, reading and other cultural activities.

Authors come to talk about their books and writing styles during various panel discussions while others come to sign their books for excited fans. There are cooking demonstrations, live music, poetry readings and other great entertainment. It's a heck of a lot of fun for adults and children alike.

This year's attendance seemed just as strong as in the past (it's a free event for the public) although we did notice that several of our favoritie bookstores (including one really large chain) and a few other regular vendors were not present. There also seemed to be fewer free little gifts which are often handed out at booths. All this we are definitely chalking up to the current state of the economy.

Still, it was a lovely day. Our only complaint? As usual, the weather forecasters got it all wrong. In years past, we've often experienced blazing hot sunny weather for the event. This year, all the weather gurus promised partly cloudy skies with temperatures in the 60's. Wrong, wrong, wrong!!! It was sunny and warm to start and it just kept getting warmer and warmer as the hours passed. You'd think we would learn what to expect weatherwise after all these years. Sigh...

Library Ladies Who Lunch

Today my friend Sherry and I had lunch with our library friends. When you work at a place for a very long time, you develop friendships that don't end once you leave.

Such is the case with the eight women who get together once a month to reminisce, share family stories and grandkid photos and listen to the current state of affairs at the library. We represent all levels of staffing...librarians, library assistants, part-time staff...and yet we are all equals around the restaurant table.

Three of the group still work at the Library and they regale us with stories about other employees and regular library patrons. We laugh, we groan, we giggle, we sigh. Is it any wonder why I always look forward to this special day each month?

I've Lost My Mind...and My Bluetooth

What is wrong with me? I must have some terrible aversion to using a Bluetooth earpiece while driving or I truly am losing my mind.

Yesterday I was out and about at a shopping mall just killing time and enjoying their air conditioning. On my way home, I discovered that my Bluetooth earpiece was chirping which means that it needs to be charged. I distinctly remember taking it off and putting it into my purse. Honest!

Of course, I forgot to take it out of my purse when I get home to charge the darn thing. Then, late last night getting ready for bed, I had a vision of my Bluetooth so I opened my purse to get it out to charge overnight. No Bluetooth. I emptied every last item out onto the bed...still no Bluetooth. I went into the garage and tore the car apart looking for it...still no Bluetooth. Even Rick spent time searching the house, garage and car...still no Bluetooth.

So where is that damn thing??? My guess...it probably vaporized in the 90+ degree heat. Yep...that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

That's What Friends Are For

Hallelujah! For many months now, I've been searching for a particular childhood friend. Robin and I were the closest of friends in Bayside and, after my family moved to California, we continued to correspond. She visited me in Los Angeles after we moved and I went back to New York to see all my high school friends graduate in 1970. Even after that, we wrote letters and, after I became a librarian, she came to L.A. with her husband and baby girl for a visit.

And then, as it happens, we lost touch. I will take the blame for letting our friendship fade away although we are both probably responsible. Suddenly our lives were filled with work and family and other matters and we just drifted apart.

Through the years I've thought about her and wondered what her life was like. Then a few months ago, I decided it was time to try and reconnect. I did some searching on the Internet and came up with some addresses and phone numbers for people who shared her name. I dithered back and forth...should I mail notes to these individuals in hopes of finding her; should I trying phoning these people or would they think I was a nut or, worse yet, a stalker?

Then last month Lynn suggested we both join a certain social networking website in hopes of locating childhood friends. And, much to my delight, I discovered that Robin too had joined the network in hopes of finding friends from her past. I immediately contacted her and the rest, as they say, is history. We've exchanged long emails detailing the past 25+ years and it's as if we've never been apart. I feel as close to her today as I did so many years ago and I couldn't be happier. Isn't life grand?

Can You Hear Me?

I'm beginning to think there's a communication conspiracy against me. First, I seem to be having problems sending and receiving some messages on my web-based email account. A friend sent me a message on Tuesday and it never appeared in my in-box. And I'm thinking I haven't heard from a few other friends in the past few days and that has me worried.

Then...I've had my cell phone in my pocket from the moment I got up this morning and I just looked down and discovered someone left me a voice mail message. When I dialed in to hear it, it turned out to be my sister who called this morning when my phone was with me and definitely turned on. Did it ring or vibrate, absolutely not.

Is it something I said? Is is something I wrote? Have I somehow offended the communication gods? Whatever it is...please make it go away.

Quick Catch-up

* My sisterly nursing duties are now a thing of the past. I guess I can put my little white cap away until the next family medical episode.

* I had to take Hubby's car in to the repair shop today. The darn "Check Engine" light came on again. It turned out to be a potentially faulty gas cap. Total cost: $0.00 Whew!!!

* I picked up Hubby's medication at the pharmacy this afternoon while on my way to WMart to exchange a knee brace he bought for a slightly smaller one. My wifely duties are never done.

* I'm still waiting for the paperback fiction book I ordered online for Hubby. Can you guess what's the general theme of this book? One word: golf! I'm hoping he will save it for our 10 hour plane trip in June to meet our cruise ship.

* My new pair of shoes, ordered online, was delivered late today. Love 'em, love 'em, love 'em.

* I confirmed my lunch plans with two Library friends scheduled for Friday.

* I tweaked the Baltic cruise countdown timer on my sidebar this afternoon since we're now flying to London two days earlier than originally planned.

* I'm planning to take Mom to the YMCA Arthritis Aquatics class tomorrow. I guess I'd better go search the house to find that ever elusive swimsuit.

Where Did My Scrubs Go?

I realize I haven't been around lately but I have a really good excuse. My sister Lynn had foot surgery last Thursday and I've been playing nursemaid at her house during the week while her hubby is at work and the kids are at school.

She (and her foot) are doing well but, with the need to keep her foot elevated most of the time right now, I'm needed to run up and down the stairs, get things for her and just make sure she doesn't get herself into any trouble. I've also been chauffeuring her around while she sits in the back with her leg resting on the seat. Yep, that's right...Driving Miss Lynn.

Anyway, her 2nd post-op appointment is next Monday and we're hoping her podiatrist allows her a little more freedom. Until then, just call me Nurse Joan.