Finding Pearls (and Purls) in Middletown

In case you missed it, there was Small Business Saturday this weekend. I had the great pleasure of doing my part at Island Books in Middletown, Rhode Island. What a great store! Sally, Pat and Emma were wonderful and welcoming. I overlapped with the unsinkable Ann Hood, which is always a pleasure, and got to hand sell my favorite books to many eager readers.

This concept has been championed by Sherman Alexie, a great writer who recognizes the importance of local, independent bookstores to our profession as writers and to our communities. Here's a great interview on NPR about the idea. I had so much fun and hope to do it again!  Here is the book table I worked.

I pushed some of my favorite writers, including the laugh-out-loud funny and moving collection of short stories by Sara Pritchard, out this summer from Etruscan Press, called Help Wanted: Female. Two great memoirs by two great writers, Beverly Donofrio's new Astonished and Kaylie Jones' wonderful, funny and sad memoir Lies My Mother Never Told Me.  J. Michael Lennon's authoritative, encyclopedic and beautifully written biography of Norman Mailer, A Double Life was there. And let's not forget The Rebel Wife!

There is a great knitting store next door, too! The Knitting Corner and Beadery. I got some beautiful yarn to work on a new sweater for Clovis. My new ambition: houndstooth!

Clovis also had his first acupuncture appointment on Saturday. I'm hoping this will help us get in front of any future back problems. He is not, however, a candidate for needle acupuncture. He won't even let me clip his nails! But the wonderful staff at Healing Paws on Westminster Street have laser acupuncture. I cannot believe the difference. After the session, Clovis was hopping and prancing around like a newborn! He was a little stressed as we waited for our session.

Here's the kid doing a nice stretch in some new winter combinations. Blue sweater with orange cabled scarf.

Hot pink and navy stripes with a gray scarf.

This one is too much for me. Coy chihuahua.