Three Things

Is it Thursday again so soon?

On Thursdays we share three things, but I don't think I have three things to share.

Hmm. Let's see.

1. Friday from 4 - 6 I have a book signing at Dilly Dally Emporium in Mathews Court House. Please stop by if you can, not just for the signing but also because Dilly Dally carries great gift ideas such as Catherine Brooks's new book. Worthy of another post entirely, Mrs. Brooks has a very special connection not only to Mathews County, but to the Dilly Dally location in particular.

2. Saturday from 11:30 to 2:30 there's another signing at Twice Told Tales in Gloucester Court House on Main Street. If it's been a while since you've visited Gloucester Court House, you might be surprised at all the changes. Twice Told Tales not only carries books of local interest but has a great selection of children's books.

3. Saturday evening is the Waverly Lane Christmas party, hosted this year by my parents, next door. I just remembered I'm supposed to bring meatballs and am only now realizing how little time there will be between the book signing and the start of the party. Better fire up the crock pot before I leave for the signing--to the extent that a crock pot is actually ever really fired up...

4. At the very opposite end of the crock-pot-meatball culinary spectrum (not that there's one single thing wrong with crock pot meatballs), my blog friend Daryl has been sending me links to possible restaurants we will go to when I visit her  (and her and her and hopefully Maria from NJ) in New York after Christmas. To someone who hasn't spent time in a major city in, oh, ten or more years, the thought of eating anything that is not my own cooking at a place like this or this or this makes me even crazier than usual crazy with excitement and almost allows me to forget about the stress of the next ten days. Almost.

5. The words thank you are entirely inadequate to convey my feelings of gratitude to the community for the support with the book. Thank you for buying the book but also thank you for the kind words in the grocery store, Walmutant, the gas pump, the post office--it's overwhelming, and I truly appreciate it.

And here I thought I had nothing to say. Evidently I had three things to share and two to spare.

What's going on in your world?  Do you have a good recipe for crock pot meatballs?

Bethel Beach

Thursday we awoke to a light dusting of snow and very cold temperatures.

In lieu of glancing at facing my overflowing To Do list, I opted to take a drive down to Bethel Beach.

If a person could achieve a Ph.D. in Procrastination, I'd be the highest ranking scholar and subject matter expert on the topic.

The beach was beautiful, as always.  It's so quiet and desolate there, a great place to escape from reality clear one's head and focus on what's important.

There was one very important thing I focused on here.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't help noticing how closely the lightly dusted beach resembled an iced oatmeal cookie.  Click here if you don't believe me.

If you have any tips for coping with the dreaded disability known as procrastination, let me know.

Otherwise, pass the oatmeal cookies-- iced, please.

Sunday Drive

These scenes could very easily have been shot in Mathews, but they weren't.

Yesterday, as part of my quest to do anything but what needed to be done, I convinced a friend to go with me on a little adventure over the river and through the woods  involving a leisurely drive across a couple of rivers, a short walk through the woods and some long overdue lollygagging and philosophizing* along the shores of the Chesapeake Bay.

Doesn't that tree stump above look like someone pointing?  I thought so too. She was probably trying to direct our attention to all the sunlight bouncing off the choppy water, except she didn't have to go to all that trouble.  From the moment I laid eyes on that bay,  I was transfixed.

"Transfixed" sounds like a veterinary procedure.  I'd like to substitute the word "mesmerized" if it's OK.  Thank you.

This undeveloped patch of beach on the bay is known as Hughlett Point, a 204-acre wetland preserve. From the town of Kilmarnock, turn right as if you're headed towards Reedville and just follow the signs.

The drive was beautiful and the walk, just under two miles round trip, invigorating on a brisk fall day.

Click here for more information on the preserve.

Or here.

*Lollygagging and philosophizing are essential ingredients to a successful day of avoiding chores Sunday.  During this particular session my friend and I solved practically all the world's problems; discussed survival tactics for the cold, dark days of winter; and determined that if a person ever wants to be truly alone where they can hear the marsh grass grow themselves think, they should visit Hughlett Point.

Stay tuned for more scenes from this little field trip.

What did you do this weekend?