In which it is my anniversary

Nineteen years ago today I married the Best Guy in the Universe. (I'm not trademarking that, so if you think you have the Best Guy in the Universe, feel free to call him so. Personally, I think it would be fabulous if everybody thought they had the Best Guy in the Universe.) We were young, stupidly, impossibly young, and I was scared to death. But I knew, as I had really never known anything before, that he was mine. It was as though I recognized him, as if we'd spent some time together in a great cosmic waiting room, just hanging out until we were born. I have always said it wasn't just that I loved him. I would have never married at 22 just for love. It was because he was inevitable. That's the word I always choose when I talk about him. I knew that we were going to end up together and for a very long time.

And nineteen years IS a long time these days. Nineteen is when you ease up just a little because IT has gotten easier. This person you married when you were still a kid is not a stranger anymore. He's grown up and so have you, and the miracle is that somehow you grew in the same direction, wanting the same things. You cheer each other on, and pull up each other's bootstraps, and when the world has decided to show its gray and cheerless side, you have each other to hold onto and say, "This too shall pass. Remember the time..." And when the world is good to you, REALLY good, you have each other to hold onto then as well. And everything wonderful that's happened is a million times better because the person holding your hand is the same person who held it when you were feeling like this particular day would never come for you.

So what I'm trying to say is, happy anniversary, Best Guy in the Universe. Thanks for being inevitable. I love you too.

In which I have never been to Italy

but now I really, really must go. Not simply because of the art, the history, the culture, the cuisine. Because of the giant snails.

On a completely unrelated note, today is my daughter's fifteenth birthday, and I can't imagine a more fabulous 15-year old. Happy birthday, sweetheart! Being your mom is the best thing I've ever done.

In which you might still miss Domino magazine

If you do, you MUST try Lonny. It is an online decorating/lifestyle magazine that is absolutely divine. I confess, I was wary of the online format, but the features more than make up for the loss of tearsheets. (And I suppose you can print out anything you're desperate to keep for a decorating file.) Every feature is more wonderful than the last, and I am particularly smitten with the elegant black and white china in the bathroom--drop dead chic and so unexpected. If there are any online mags you follow, do drop the links into comments so I can see where you're spending your time!

(By happy coincidence, I wrote this Friday afternoon, put it in the queue to be published Saturday morning, and two hours later, darling reader Stephanie wrote to let me know about Lonny! Word is spreading, and I'm so glad--it's beautifully done and clearly a labor of love. And thanks, Stephanie!)

In which you can almost smell the puppy breath

Chickens, this entry is just too cute, with plump puppy goodness baked right in. The chubby fellow on the right is Deacon, and the dainty little sweetheart on the left is his littermate, Sophie. (Sophie belongs to my parents but we plan to abscond with her on a regular basis.) Losing Emma the Yellow Wonder Dog was so difficult--not just because we missed her, but because having a dog makes us feel more of a family. So now we have double the doggie sweetness. Because of some fairly extensive allergy issues with Emma, we decided to go with a goldendoodle this time, half poodle, half golden retriever. We're hoping this will mean a lot less Claritin in the house...Sophie is very composed and poised, curious, and feminine while Deacon is the Matthew McConaughey of puppies--loves the sun, sleeps a lot, and always looks like he's blissing. We plan on buying him a teeny set of bongos.

Since puppies take up loads of time--and since I have to leave for BookExpo in a week and a half--posting for the rest of May will be a mixture of new entries and reposts from the old Blog A Go-Go, which is still getting so many hits I can't take it down yet! Glad folks are still poking around over there, and if you have a particular entry you'd like to see posted here so it doesn't get lost when I close the Blog A Go-Go, just holler. Have a gorgeous weekend!

In which some things are just too cool for words

Last year, during my event in Sebastopol, I met Maki, a lovely reader who had e-mailed me before the luncheon. I sat next to her at lunch and found her to be gracious and engaging company. (Meeting readers is one of the very best things about being an author, hands down.) Tuesday evening, I received an e-mail from her that literally left me with my mouth hanging open. In her capacity as a member of the Two Rock Media team, she and her company had created a book trailer for Silent on the Moor. Not only created a book trailer, created a WONDERFUL book trailer which they presented to me as a gift. (It was a test project for a new endeavor they are launching.) I would have been thrilled with the trailer if I had commissioned it, but to receive such a generous gift was simply beyond words. HUGE, tremendous, glittery bouquets of thanks to Maki and everyone else at Two Rock. It is my absolute pleasure to present the book trailer for Silent on the Moor. Enjoy!