NoraLeduc

Saturday was truly a day for The Big Easy. So off I drove to The Big Easy Bagel Shop for a book signing with my fellow author, Denise Robbins.  The owners of The Big Easy are friendly and supportive. They even bought balloons for the event and the food was super, too.  There I met Linda who is trying to gather fellow mystery readers for a readers group.  Anyone want to join?  They meet at Papa Gino's. 

Colleen drove down from Gilmanton with her beautiful daughter, Rachel. Then I had a surprise visit from my family!! All in all a great day. We ended the day with a toast to good friends and family.

I can see the squirrels running up and down the trees on the edge of my woods.
I've no idea why they're not in their trees with their nuts.  Right now with the cold weather, it seems like the perfect idea, a little comfy hide-away surrounded by food.

Winter must think it's a good idea too because she's snoozing away. Of course she was on the porch earlier, watching the squirrels in the seven degrees weather scrambling around.  Bad girl took full of advantage of the dog being out of the house to show off that she's still the prettiest one in the house.  Scaredy is upstairs snoozing and waiting for the new quilt I'm making.  She's given her approval already.

And so the day goes.  Waiting for spring.

Here they are –the cutest pooches on the planet. We can’t decide which one’s cuter, so we need your help. Vote for your favorite. We'll announce the top 25 vote-getters – including a Grand Prize Winner – after the first of the year. ..

Vote for Cosmo Cusato. Winter's cousin.

It was the Day before Thanksgiving and all through the house

Nothing was ready, or so my husband did grouse.

While I with my glasses and book in my lap

Had just dozed off for a midmorning nap.

When out in the yard there arose such a clamor

I sprang from the couch to see what the matter.

The newly fallen leaves on the frost bitten grass

Gave the promise that winter was coming on fast.

And what to my wondering eye did appear

But the Great Turkey in my yard, so far yet so near.

 He strutted, he pecked, he ruffled his feathers.

I knew he was a great bird unlike any others.

Then from the distance a gunshot so thrill

The Great Turkey turned and ran up my hill.

But I heard him exclaim as he raced out of sight.

Gobble Gobble to all and to all a good night.

*Animal Scientists who've researched the language of turkeys have determined Gobble Gobble to translate as Happy Thanksgiving.

Mrs. M and I road tripped to the Currier on Monday.  Our goal was to see Weston, a photographer who was "adept at capturing the intricacies of light out of the shadows." Well I'll vouch for the shadows. I couldn't help but wonder if the man had suffered from depression.  His father was famous but Brett never made it in the celebrity world like his dad.  Looking at his photos I can say they were different. I'm not an artist nor do I play one in Community Theater so I'm not a good judge of artists.

After the Currier, we hit the gift shop on Elm Street. The proprietor is super friendly and her dog looks like the white version of Toto from Kansas and is as friendly as the owner.  There was excitement in the shop as the workers were putting the lights on the in store Christmas trees.  Before we left, the owner asked us what shops we visited. I said, Well we always visit Susie at the Chestnut Quilter.

"Susie?!" the woman yelled.

The two were long lost friends. Before we left we promised to say hi to Susie for her.  We drove away and following our usual pattern, messed up getting from one place to the next.  But finally we arrived. Susie greeted us with a hug and a kiss. We were fortunate to be there at a down time and were able to visit. We passed on the message from the gift shop and Susie was happy. Next we heard stories of her party for her mother's 75th birthday.  Susie had tents, raffles servers, bars, tables of food all for the family--over a hundred at her house. No, Susie never does anything small. I wish I'd been adopted for the day. 

As a thank you, Susie's dad bought all her quilting friends who helped out with the party tickets to Florida!!  All seven of them are staying with Susie's parents next week. 

Now you know who ya going to call for your next birthday. Oh, Susie. Did you write down my birth date yet?

 Oh, yes and Susie has beautiful fabric.

We headed for Portsmouth and the Haunted Pub Tour last Sunday.  We were actually celebrating a family member's birthday, and we thank him for being born in the month of Halloween. We met at the North Church at Market Square.  There we found a sign stating leave your religion at the door in the open doorway of the church.  We didn't quite think that sign was for us.  We soon heard singing inside and unless the ghosts were harmonizing determined we should wait outside for Roxie our tour guide.

 She soon came along and our group of 25 were off. It was a little chilly standing on street corners, but Roxie told us stories of ladies of the night, stabbings and Paul Revere that made us forget the chill. Near the end of the tour we visited Mainly NH where we enjoyed wine tasting and browsing the store.  I bought Roxie's newest book, Haunted Cemeteries of New England and have already found a couple I must visit.  For our last stop, we enjoyed food at the Green Mermaid before hitting the road.  I think my next blog will be about the ghost at my local cemetery.  Until then, Happy Hauntings

Two more days and I'm on the Big Apple Express. Then my daughter and I roam free!  Bloomingdale's, Macey's, Times Square with the steam rising out of the cup, the Hershey store, NY Yankee store, M&M store! Wow, there's a store for everything. And Central Park.  We won't miss it since we're getting off the Express right there. 

Last year we met two women from NJ who'd never been to NYC. I thought anyone living in NJ had no choice but to visit the big city. Couldn't believe it. They were more tourists than we were.

 I love being a tourist.  (I'm going to try to remember my camera this time so I can soak up the sights again when I return.) And, best of all, we'll be at Bye Bye Birdie with Uncle Jessie, John Stamos. When will he be on Dancing With the Stars? Or was he? He could dance in his ER scrubs.