On the road again . . .

I'm off for the next ten days on business, starting with meetings in New York City. From New York I head for Detroit and the start of the tour for Knit Together. I'll be in five cities in as many days. This is a form of speed touring, which should work well. I have a secondary goal, other than meeting my wonderful readers and autographing as many books as possible. My quest is to find a baked potato.

As I wrote earlier in the week, the much-loved baked potato has disappeared from Port Orchard restaurants. I'm beginning to wonder if this is an industry trend. Is it any wonder America is in a spiritual and moral decline?????!!!

From a Cell Phone to a Blackberry

I might not have a technical mind, but I am not a stupid person . . . or so I thought until I purchased a Blackberry. I should have recognized I was in way over my head when the "phone" came with not one but two instructional CDs. It required an entire CD to show me how to turn the phone on. (I am not making this up.) As for voice mail and text messaging . . . I'm going to need college level classes.

Wayne has my Blackberry this morning so he can set up the Blue Tooth capability on the phone. (I'm not entirely sure what that means beyond the fact I can talk on the phone hands-free while driving.) He's gotten a lot of enjoyment watching my struggles with this new toy. My husband, God bless him, has a very high IQ (he's a member of Mensa), and he thinks setting this up is going to be easy. Forgive me while I snicker.

Bring Back the Baked Potato!

I'm wondering if anyone else has noticed what's happening in restaurants all across America. They've done away with the baked potato. I wonder if Idaho knows about this. At first I was shocked, but then my shock turned into stunned disbelief. Now I'm just plain peeved. It took me some time to realize that there's not a restaurant in all of Port Orchard that offers a baked potato with the entrée. Don't get me wrong. I enjoy garlic-mashed potatoes as much as the next person, but give me my baked potato. I don't know when this happened or what prompted this clever ploy to do away with the baked potato. All I can say is that I'm taking a stand. If you're like me and don't want to go to Wendy's for a baked potato, then join me in protest. Let our voices be heard all across America.

Bring back the baked potato!

A frustratingly good week

I've had the most frustrating and yet wonderful week of my year. Frustrating because I really haven't accomplished much of anything work-wise. On the other hand, it's been a good week because I've been enjoying meeting with family and friends.

On Wednesday my Breakfast Club met for a two-mile trek around the Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island (http://www.bloedelreserve.org). This garden walk field trip had been on the books for months, and I wasn't about to miss it. I should preface this by mentioning that we were given a map. What we didn't realize is that none of us is capable of reading one! Thankfully, we didn't require a Search and Rescue team to lead us back to the parking lot.

Yesterday Wayne and I drove into Silverdale to upgrade our phones. All I'll say on the subject is that I've given birth in less time. This afternoon, Renate, my assistant, and I are taking a knitting class. Did someone mention revisions, writing the synopsis for the 2009 hardcover? If so, it's a distant and faint voice that is fading into space.

How to Avoid Temptation

Reader Bonnie Arnold mailed me a chatty letter about her summer adventures. She mentioned she's on a new diet, and in an effort to avoid temptation she avoided the route to work that took her directly in front of the town bakery. Then one day she forgot and drove past. Sure enough, the bakery window was loaded with delicacies. Her resolve wavered, and she decided to let God make the decision for her. She prayed that if God meant for her to stop there would be an available parking space directly in front of the bakery. Sure enough, the eighth time around the block, a parking space was there!

I've been reading Nora Ephron's book I Feel Bad About My Neck and laughing myself silly. The book bemoans the problems of aging and what we do as women to slow down the process.

I'm willing to admit I own probably ten different types of creams and lotions that I purchased for specific body parts. I buy a special face cream, then another for my elbows and still another for my feet. My favorite is body butter, of which I have no less then five flavors. Yes, flavors, although I wouldn't dream of spreading a single one on my morning toast.

Nora states the amount of money she spends on hair, nails, and skin products is ridiculous. She's not alone in that department. The truth is, and it's shocking to report this, each one of us is about eight hours away from resembling a homeless woman on the street unless we keep up with our moisturizing routines!

Gettysburg

I'm really not much of a Civil War buff, but Wayne is, and he jumped at the opportunity to tour Gettysburg with our friends, the Roches, from Florida. I figured I'd ride along with Wayne and Gary, who is a certified guide. Thinking I'd probably be bored, I brought along my knitting to help occupy myself while Gary explained the details of the battles. It didn't take long for me to set my knitting aside and get caught up in the tales of the conflict that so divided our country.

Wayne and I came away with a renewed appreciation of the history, the lives of the men who lived during that time period, and with each other. We discovered history at its very best at possibly the worst time in our country.

Too Old for Bingo

I've often wondered if any of my children would develop the desire to write. All four are wonderfully creative, but to this point none has shown any inclination toward the written word. Just recently, however, my eight-year-old grandson, James started writing stories.

Now I realize you might assume I'm a proud grandma. Make no mistake about it, I am indeed proud. However, my sweet James reveals real talent. One of his stories involved an actual event. His school was broken into and vandalized. James wrote a story about it. In his story his suspects were apprehended and he sent them off to the clinker. In James' words, "By the time they got out of jail, they were too old for bingo."

Debbie throws out the first pitch!

Seattle Mariner pitcher, Debbie Macomber, has been placed on the injured reserve list. While practicing throwing her ball to her ever-patient husband, she tumbled and fell on the concrete at her home, injuring her shoulder and hip--but not so badly she couldn't make the ceremonial first pitch for the game between the Seattle Mariners and the Oakland As on Thursday, July 26.

Her husband is currently medicating her with wine and TLC. A full recovery is expected.

A New Knitter in the Family!

I signed my granddaughter Maddie up for Knitting Camp this week. The way I figure it, I need to turn at least one other family member on to knitting so she can inherit my yarn stash. I have more yarn than any one person could possibly knit in a single lifetime.

Maddie phoned after her class and told me all about her wonderful adventures. She learned how to crochet to embellish flip-flops and promised to teach me. My daughter phoned this morning and told me when she checked on Maddie at bedtime, the little darling was asleep with yarn and a knitting needle in her hand. This is a child after my own heart!

Chicago was fabulous. I signed my knitting pattern books at the Leisure Arts booth at the Craft and Hobby Show. Walking around the show was an insight into what's hot in crafts in America. Definitely, scrap booking is king. Who knew? I visited with the good people at the Lion Brand Yarn booth. They have some wonderful new yarns coming out that really impressed me. What can I say? So much yarn and so little time. . . .

I finally unpacked from Reno and was carting my suitcase downstairs when I realized I'm leaving for Chicago in the morning. I swear, I'm meeting myself coming and going.

I'll be at the Craft and Hobby Show in Rosemont, IL, autographing in the Leisure Arts booth. I'll be signing the pattern books based on the Blossom Street series. (This is a trade show, so I'm sorry to say unless you're a member of the Craft and Hobby Association, you won't be able to attend.)

In case no one thought about this, having me show up at a craft show with a credit card in my hand is dangerous. Downright dangerous. There's still plenty of room for yarn in our basement, and if Wayne says one disparaging word, all I need to do is point at the half-completed airplane in his work room. Stay tuned!

I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but as often as possible I swim in the mornings. Unfortunately, I wrenched my arm on tour while carting my 100-pound computer (that's only a slight exaggeration), so lately my swimming has been slow and painful. I mention all this to tell you that there's an entire group of us who water-walk after swimming our laps. We visit and exchange recipes. I tried a new one recently and thought I'd pass it along to those of you who read my blogs. It's for a pot roast. Instead of adding water to the roast before placing it in the oven or crock pot, add two cups of coffee with a tablespoon of concentrated beef broth. Add a quartered onion or two and fresh rosemary if you have it. This makes incredibly wonderful gravy. Enjoy!

Wayne and I had a glorious weekend in Reno with seven of the grandkids. I'll admit it was a lot like herding monkeys, and we were grateful our two daughters and one daughter-in-law were there to help. The highlight of our trip was in Virginia City, where the two oldest boys got T-shirts from the Bucket of Blood Saloon, and we watched a staged Old West shoot-out. We returned from Circus-Circus with an entire suitcase filled with stuffed animals and memories that will last a lifetime.

I'm off to Atlanta tomorrow morning for the ICRS (International Christian Retail Show). I'll be rubbing elbows with authors, publishers and booksellers, promoting my non-fiction book KNIT TOGETHER: Discover God's Pattern for your Life. Unfortunately, this event is not open to the public, but you'll soon have the chance to read the book when it is published on August 21.

I'll be keeping a close eye on my suitcase, and with good reason. My son Dale is currently traveling in Israel with our pastor and is taking in-depth Bible classes. Dale arrived, but his luggage didn't. It's been a week now. He said the one advantage is that no one is sitting next to him in class. He can't imagine why not! After learning about Dale's problem, I'm wondering just how much my carry-on luggage will hold.

Wayne's and my big 4th of July Barbeque, wine tasting, poker tournament and fireworks party was a huge success. Although this morning I'm grateful to be back to work; I could use the rest. This party-giving is hard work, although it's definitely a lot of fun. Okay onto 20 Wishes!

Wayne and I are getting ready for the 4th of July holiday. We're having a big barbeque with several of our friends. What I find truly amazing is how the shuffle of responsibilities works out. I've been shopping and cooking for days. I made potato salad, broccoli salad, homemade Boston baked beans, bean dip, plus taco rolls. There are chips and dip, homemade guacamole, and three different kinds of dessert. Then on the 4th Wayne will slap a few spare ribs on the grill, claim he cooked dinner, accept the accolades, and then tell me how tired he is from all the work. Yup, it's still a man's world. Good thing I love my man so much!

We all have our strengths and weaknesses. Me, I've never been good with numbers. I am great with verbs, however; so good, in fact, that I can turn a noun into a verb. . . but I digress.

I had to reset my bedside clock last night, which is not a big problem. I even managed to do it without Wayne's assistance. This morning, when the alarm rang, I staggered out of bed, eyes burning. I poured myself a cup of coffee, dragged out my Bible and four journals and just happened to catch sight of the kitchen clock. It was 3 a.m. instead of 4 a.m. My bedside clock said 4 . . . I'm not quite sure how I managed that, but let it be known it is a mistake I don't plan to repeat!

Wayne was up at the crack of dawn this morning. He was dressed and had the coffee brewed before I staggered into the kitchen. Next he greeted me with a big hug and a cheerful good morning. This is completely out of character for my not-morning-person husband.

What happened, you ask? He's riding his Harley with his good buddy, Mike Brandon. (Think John Travolta and Tim Allen in Wild Hogs!) By seven they were dressed in their leathers, their engines roaring and ready to hit the road. I kissed him good-bye and was assured he wouldn't go any further than Sturgis, South Dakota and he'd be home by dinner time.

I'm throwing out the opening pitch at the Seattle Mariners'game on July 26th against the Oakland A's. I don't know when I've been more excited about anything. It's all I can do not to introduce myself as Debbie Macomber, Mariner Pitcher. I've talked with a local coach about giving me pointers . . . all because I don't want to embarrass my sons. (Ted and Dale live in mortal fear that I might throw like a girl.) All this is pretty heady stuff.

I realize most people find the discussion of money mildly vulgar or even distasteful, so I hope you will indulge me when I tell you something I recently learned. I am part of the eight percent of the wealthiest people in the world. You read that right. The entire world! The instant I read that I sat up a little straighter. Really. That's cool. Then I finished reading the rest of the sentence.

What qualifies me as being in that top eight per cent applies to almost everyone I know. If you own a mere fifteen dollars, you are considered wealthy by the world's standards. Fifteen dollars! How fortunate we are to live in this country. How very blessed each one of us truly is.

So much for the best laid plans. Wayne and I had a fun weekend scheduled with our dear friends, the McKeons, when I was laid low with a vicious flu bug. I won't go into specifics, but let it be known I saw parts of a toilet no one should look at that closely or for that long. I'm much, much better today, although weak as a lamb. I'm in the office and determined to have a productive day with maybe a nap or two thrown in.

There's something drastically wrong with me. For no discernable reason I'm in cleaning mode. This only happens once every twenty years, so I'm taking full advantage of it. It started with my closet, which is so organized it's all I can do to keep myself from walking in there and just staring at the beauty of it.

Now I'm on to dresser drawers. I'm giving away all kinds of stuff. Even my husband has started to regard me suspiciously. I might be carrying this a bit far, because Wayne threw himself over his open sock drawer this morning and claimed I wasn't allowed to peek inside.

Jazmine’s Sixth Grade Tea was every bit as delightful as I expected it to be. Each one of the students was presented with a certificate and asked the question, “What will you be doing ten years from today when you’re twenty-two?” Some of the responses were hilarious. Jazmine very sensibly stated that she would be in college. About half of the girls in her class claimed they would be veterinarians, and about the same percentage of the boys saw themselves as professional athletes. My two favorite responses came from boys:

“In ten years I’ll still be living with my parents.”

“I’m going to be working at McDonald’s.” (Which no doubt is an oasis of hamburgers and fries in a 12-year-old boy’s mind!)

It's a red letter day for the Macomber clan. Our oldest grandchild, Jazmine Lynn, is graduating from sixth grade and is headed to junior high. This morning Jody stopped by to show me pictures of my Jazzy. I couldn't believe how grown up she looked and how beautiful.

I well remember the day Jazmine was born. Not more than ten minutes after she was born she looked at me, and our eyes connected. In that instant I realized for the first time what it meant to be a grandmother. I knew then that I was going to love this baby with an intensity that shook my world. And I do.

I'm feeling downright righteous. My closet is cleaned out, and I've decided it won't be necessary to add that slider to the side of the house after all. In addition, I completely reorganized my dresser drawers. According to Wayne, it was a wasted effort. As he put it, "Why bother? You sort, you clean, you organize, and ten years later you have to start all over again." He has a point there.

This is my first free weekend in months. Well, almost free - I'm signing at the Yarn Garden in Gig Harbor on Saturday from 2 - 4 p.m.. Me in a yarn store for two solid hours can hardly be considered work. That, my friends, is sheer joy.

I've already scheduled time with my husband to clean the master bedroom closet, and I fully intend to do that . . . however, I've decided what I really need is a bigger closet. I was thinking it might be best to just add onto the house -- build a slider into it the way they have them in motor homes. Actually, that's really a brilliant idea. I can't imagine why no one has thought of this before.

The flair for drama runs deep in my blood. In fact, I'd go so far as to suggest it's a family trait. Certainly my children and grandchildren inherited it. The reason I mention this is because I had a doctor appointment yesterday afternoon. During my recent tour my knee started acting up again, and I wrenched my shoulder carting my lap - top computer on and off airplanes.

The physician's name, Dr. Bliss, is misleading; but that's for another blog entirely. I required not one, but two shots. Both of them have reputations for being painful. The minute I saw the needle I had to resist shouting, "I'll talk, I'll talk!" But the nurse held my hand, and I was fine, and I actually feel much better. Maybe Dr. Bliss isn't misnamed after all.

I've made a momentous decision - I'm cleaning out my closet. It's stuffed to the gills, and there's no room to unpack what I brought home from Florida, not to mention the treasures I picked up along the way during the tour. My daughter, Jenny, is responsible for this life-changing decision. She was over with the grandkids, and I was showing her my new shoes, when she started lecturing me about how disorganized my closet is.

The irony of this didn't escape me. As a teenager, Jenny was a horrible slob. Now all of a sudden she's the Martha Stewart of closet organization. Okay, it's a Good Thing. I'm taking Saturday morning and sorting through the entire closet. I'm convinced there's buried treasure in there somewhere.

The tour is finished. I arrived back in Port Orchard on Sunday afternoon and was instantly immersed in real life. No one was there to cart my luggage or take my order for dinner. In fact, as soon as I unpacked my suitcase I was off to the grocery store.

It always takes me a while to get into the feel of being home again. To ease into the transition, I have a small ritual I go through after a long absence. I wander from room to room and lovingly touch my favorite things. It's my way of saying, "I'm home, I missed you, and I'm so pleased to be back." Just before dinner Wayne opened a bottle of merlot, and we sat and cuddled for a while. My head was on his shoulder, and we didn't need to talk. It was enough just to be together. Ah yes, it's good to be home.

Last night's Sacramento Bee Book Club signing was fabulous. It has held at the Arden Fair Mall, right in front of the Nordstrom store that just happened to be having a sale! My feet wanted to make a bee line for the sale tables, but I had to stay on course. Almost 400 people came, and I signed for more than three hours. Thank you to everyone who came. I had a great time!


Now I'm in San Francisco and will be signing at the Book Passage Bookstore in Corte Madera on Saturday. I'll be home on Sunday and can't wait to sleep in my own bed. I'm like a horse that has spied the barn - my steps are focused and homeward bound!

I flew from Charlotte to Sacramento and met with friends Larry and Penny Raven, who drove from Fresno to have lunch with me. We went to Old Sacramento and ate on the waterfront. Larry and Penny picked me up in their new Rolls Royce, which comes complete with a refrigerator and picnic trays in the backseat! We toured a candy store that sells several hundred kinds of salt water taffy. I swear, every piece I bought is for Wayne! (I'm discarding the used wrappers.)

I'm in Charlotte, North Carolina, a beautiful city of Southern charm. I arrived on Sunday with almost an entire day free, so I boosted the local economy with an excursion to the shopping mall and a movie. In case you're curious, I saw "Knocked Up," a great movie, except for the language.

The Barnes & Noble on-line book club with BACK ON BLOSSOM STREET started Monday, so every spare minute I have my nose is pressed against the computer screen, chatting with book club friends. I'm proud to say this is the third year in a row I've done the book club. Come and join the fun!

Wednesday morning I leave bright and early for Sacramento, California. I'm excited I'll be back in the same time zone as home.

It was so good to see Wayne, who met up with me in New Orleans for a little R&R over Memorial Day weekend. We had breakfast at Brennan's, which is a New Orleans tradition. My breakfast consisted of turtle soup, fried oysters and Bananas Foster, a Brennan creation! I've never eaten better oysters in my life. The meal was so fabulous I was inspired to send a message back to the chef. He thanked me for the offer but assured me he was already married.

The signing in the Garden District Book Shop was just lovely. In the Garden District, Katrina's damage was less from water, but much more from wind. Wayne and I drove past the Commander's Palace, the restaurant that launched the careers of Paul Prudhomme and Emeril, and it is beautifully reconstructed. We didn't have time to eat there, and besides, we were still too full from breakfast.

I'm currently in Jacksonville, Florida and heading for New York tomorrow morning. This whirlwind of a tour still hasn't stopped spinning.

My wonderful stay in Little Rock included not only the Peabody Hotel ducks, but also great signings and a fabulous dinner with the Leisure Arts people. There are big surprises in the works, but you'll have to wait a while for the details. I promise you'll be wowed!

I'm looking forward to the weekend in New Orleans, where Wayne will join me. I can't wait, as I haven't seen him since the early days of the tour. Please say prayers for Wayne - he fell and wrenched his back. I'm so hoping that we can still meet in New Orleans as planned.

I experienced another career highlight this morning. (I hope you're not getting tired of me saying that. I've had the most marvelous experiences on this trip.) This one goes under the category of "charming."

I'm staying at the lovely Peabody Hotel while in Little Rock, where they are famous for the Peabody Marching Ducks. This morning I went down to view the marching. To the music of John Phillip Sousa five mallard ducks came down from their duck palace, into the elevator, followed the Duckmaster down their own red carpet, climbed over a set of red carpeted stairs, and then splashed into the hotel fountain. While I was watching it was announced that the famous author Debbie Macomber was in attendance and would be the Guest Duckmaster for the day!

I just loved watching these trained ducks. I cheered along with the kids in the audience. I'm sorry to say I won't be in attendance when the ducks hop out of the fountain and return to their palace this evening.

I had a fabulous weekend in Philadelphia, but now I'm back traveling through airports. I enjoy studying what people are reading, trying to see if the book is one of mine. If a person is holding a book low, like in their lap, I've learned I can drop something and glance up at the cover. Thus far, I've found two Brad Meltzers, two Dale Browns, one Jodi Picoult and two Mary Higgins Clarks. If I find anybody reading me, I'll kiss them on both cheeks and thank them for keeping me in yarn!

This has been a week of tornadoes, plane delays and no luggage. But just meeting readers has made up for every bit of frustration. Last night's signing, sponsored by the Mystery Lovers Bookshop in Oakmont, PA, was indeed another one of those phenomenal events that made it all worthwhile. Thanks to all the wonderful readers who came to see me.

Last night included another first for me. The Mystery Lovers Bookshop has an unusual tradition: I was invited to sign their bathroom wall! All sorts of famous authors have signed this same bathroom wall before me, so I was honored to be included. If you go there, look for me on the bathroom door. I had fun playing with the idea of adding "for a good time, call . . .," but I didn't. My mother raised me too well for that!

I landed in Dayton without makeup, luggage and panty lines! I was only in town an hour before I had to leave for the autographing, but I was so glad to be back on schedule! Thanks to all my wonderful readers in Dayton who came to the signing at Books and Co. It made up for all the hassles the weather caused in Chicago. And, after a meager dinner of popcorn in the airport the night before (although I do love popcorn!), I thoroughly enjoyed what seemed like my first real dinner in a long while. It was delicious!

Because I've been so much on the move, I won't be able to send my usual monthly e-letter for May. I hope my little travelogues on the blog will suffice until I'm back at my desk and can write more than a few sentences here and there.

I missed "American Idol." The reason? Thunder storms and tornados in Chicago. While the weather waged outside, I spent eight hours in O'Hare Airport. After three cancelled flights and popcorn for dinner I finally ended up with a hotel room in downtown Chicago and fell into bed exhausted.

I'm finally in Dayton and eager to start the next leg of my tour.

I had a lovely break at home in Port Orchard with my family over Mom's Day weekend. I got my grandkid fix, but I'll be hungry for more when I get home for good in June. I'm in Chicago now, waiting for my flight to Dayton, OH. My flight is delayed, so I have a lot of time to sit and knit. As it turns out, I'm sitting across from another Debbie - who is not a knitter - but I won't hold it against her!

There are dark grey skies to accompany the long delay. I just hope I get to my hotel in time to watch "American Idol" tonight! If you're an Idol Addict, too, let me know via my guestbook - who do you want to win?

This morning started out in a rush and quickly morphed into a panic as my media escort and I realized that I was going to be late for my interview at KHUB-AM 1340 here in Omaha. We were lost! As we were driving and frantically trying to find the station, we were listening to the radio. I heard the station announce me, saying that I would be on the air any minute. When we did finally get there, I rushed up 26 steps, panting all the way, to get to the interview! I have to say the hosts were gracious and wonderful about it. I continue to love radio - I am so much thinner on the air!

When I think of Omaha, steaks immediately come to mind. But this evening I'll be at the Omaha Hearing School and enjoying "Sushi at Sunset," a benefit for the hearing school. (Come to think of it, I ate seafood in Oklahoma!)

I had one more surprise in store before leaving Okalahoma City. Last night, at Full Circle Books, my high school and life-long friend, Cindy Thoma DeBerry, came to the signing.

Cindy was wearing our high school red blazer uniform which, shockingly, she could still get into! She brought along pictures of me that she has kept from our teens--graduation and other high school pictures, to pass around to the ladies at the signing and wasn't shy about sharing.

She had tales to tell! The last time I saw Cindy was eleven years ago and it was an absolute delight to spend time with her.

My time in Oklahoma City and Guthrie was incredible. Not only did I finally get to meet Myrna Stahman, the designer of the Alix Knit Prayer Shawl from BACK ON BLOSSOM STREET, Myrna also introduced me to Buffalo Gold. Buffalo Gold is the father and son team of Cecil and Ron Miskin. They run a bison ranch and produce fabulous bison fiber yarn. They brought me five skeins of natural brown worsted. I can hardly wait to knit with it.

The weather in the Okalahoma City area over the weekend was extreme, with tornado and flood warnings. I think I might have run into some storm chasers! I got a crash course on how to survive a tornado, and with that information I felt better able to sleep. When they say the Oklahoma winds come racing down the plain, they mean it!

I'm now on my way to Tulsa. I'm looking forward to Tea on Blossom Street with the Junior League of Tulsa before heading to Omaha.

I'm in Oklahoma City, where it's a gorgeous 84 degrees. I've already completed two television interviews this morning and enjoyed lunch with a newspaper reporter from Enid, OK. Next on the agenda is an autographing and this evening I'm speaking at the Oklahoma Writers Federation Conference.

This afternoon's signing is in historic Guthrie, OK. I managed to find time to pop into a couple of antique shops in Guthrie and was thrilled to find a stunning new cameo for my collection. Oh, and I'm visiting a yarn store later today, too. Where there's a will, there's a way!

When Wayne bought me that special Mont Blanc pen for Christmas, neither of us dreamed that I would use it to the extent that I have for this tour. Thank you for your support and enthusiasm, and I'm thrilled to meet so many of you. In fact, you all have made the unexpected happen - I ran out of ink! It happened in Denver, which meant I had to make time for the mall to find refills today.

I had a well-attended signing at the Tattered Cover in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. I think many of the people who came were curious to see if I am as short in person as I was on TV. There was a minor problem with the news desk chair at Channel 7, KMGH TV station. Apparently, the person who sat in it before me was 7 ft. 9 in.--when I sat down my chin was level with the countertop.

In a mad rush to raise the chair before we returned live, the media escort mixed up the buttons and lowered it even more, which left my eyes level with the counter top! As the news crew was counting down 3-2-1, we managed to get the chair back up to chin level. In all the rush I sat on the media escort's hand, and as we went live, she dove under the desk! I have to say, it was hard to keep a straight face.

Despite all this, the interview went very well, although the newscaster couldn't help razzing me about challenges in my life, including their chair!

Now I'm off to Oklahoma City and more adventures.

I'm reporting from the Mile High City of Denver, Colorado, where I'm beginning to suffer the effects of altitude sickness.

The first symptom that showed up was the sudden, overwhelming urge to find a yarn store.

The next symptom had me visiting the local Nordstrom. Thankfully, a sampling of Godiva chocolates from a Barnes & Noble offered an immediate relief.

So, if my readers meet me with melted chocolate on my lips, know it's only for medicinal purposes!

I've been waiting for this particular date all year. Both BACK ON BLOSSOM STREET and the paperback version of SUSANNAH'S GARDEN go on sale today. My tour officially starts with two signings today (Shelton and Silverdale), one in Port Orchard tomorrow; then Wayne and I drive to Seattle, Yakima and Spokane.

I fly from Spokane to Portland and then on to Denver . . . . plus an additional 15 or so cities after that. I'm looking forward to meeting you, my readers.

In other words, look for me soon in a city near you. (My schedule is right here on my Web site. Just click on "Meet Debbie." And remember . . . I'm friendly!

Wayne and I are packing up the condo and getting ready to fly back to Seattle. He'll be with me the first week of the tour and then is flying back to Florida, where he'll remain until I finish the tour. This gets so complicated. As we all know, men are simple-minded creatures. Well, for that matter, I tend to be that way myself, which is one reason Wayne and I get along so well . . . but I digress.

I've been cleaning out our cupboards, but I need to leave my husband something to eat. So the question becomes, "Will Wayne really take the time to make himself a tuna fish sandwich?" Probably not. So off to the food bank the tuna goes. Canned soup he can handle and anything that fits inside the microwave. He'll be fine, especially if there are a couple of jars of peanut butter around.

I'm getting ready to leave for my tour, which includes a variety of things. My office staff is working at a frenzied pace, mailing out postcards to any and all readers within a 50-mile radius of my signings, plus getting signing packets ready to mail off to me at each city. (Everyone who attends a signing receives a little gift from me!) I, on the other hand, took the morning and went . . . shopping.

Chico's was having a sale, and I had a $25 off coupon, so it made perfect sense to pick up several new items for the road. This is work. All those clothes on hangers get heavy, dragging them back and forth to the changing room. I even got a cramp in one finger.

Today is my father's birthday, and he's celebrating up in heaven. I was chatting with a friend of mine earlier and mentioned the significance of the day, and we got to joking back and forth about our fathers connecting up in heaven.

My dad liked to brag about his children. Apparently, her dad did, too. Before long we had an entire scenario going with one father attempting to out-brag the other. My editor reminded me recently that the first house number for the Cedar Cove series - 6 LIGHTHOUSE ROAD - was chosen because Dad's birthday fell on the 16th of April. Happy Birthday, Dad!

I'm taking lunch over to my cousin Shirley this morning. She had hip replacement surgery and sounded a little down when I spoke to her earlier. You might remember Shirley, the former nun who inspired my book, CHANGING HABITS. She is such a fun person. You can't be around Shirley and not laugh. I tried a new recipe last night (cabbage and sausage stir-fry) compliments of reader Cindy Thornlow, and it was great. We're sure to eat and laugh our way through lunch.

I promise you this has nothing to do with the fact that I no longer have any discernable fingerprints. My walking partner, Martha Powers, who writes wonderful suspense/mysteries, is chin deep in plotting this week. As we rounded the park track this morning, we were bouncing ideas back and forth. I did notice, however, that several people who generally stop long enough to say hello kept their heads down and gave us a wide berth. Interesting! I wonder if they feared we might be talking about them . . .

I could take up a life of crime. I won't, but the idea intrigued me when I was recently fingerprinted. I'll bet I have your attention now. I signed up for the new security clearance program offered at the Orlando Airport, which will soon spread across the country. Once inspected, fingerprinted and cleared, I won't have to wait in those long security lines. Only guess what? Because of all the years of pounding away on computer and typewriter keys, I no longer have discernable fingerprints. I can't get clearance through this new program as a result. No fingerprints. Unbelievable. I don't think I'll ever look at a bank vault the same way again.

I was in my element this Easter; back in Port Orchard in my big, family-style kitchen with my shelves of recipe books. I cooked all morning on Saturday, getting ready for the feast that evening, along with the Easter Egg Hunt for the grandkids. Everyone had a fabulous time and a wonderful dinner, including homemade Boston baked beans and two different kinds of potato salad. Easter morning we worshiped together at church as a family . . . and really, isn't Christ's death and resurrection what Easter is all about?

Wayne and I flew back to Port Orchard today to spend time with our kids and grandkids for Easter. It's so good to be home.

It's amazing how much things can change in a few months. We're planning to build a garage, so we had some trees cut down in our absence. It opens up our yard so much it's barely recognizable. It's going to be much harder to hide Easter eggs this year!

Wayne and I are in the Florida Keyes with our daughter, Jody, and her two children, Jazmine and James. We've had some incredible experiences. We saw a manatee in the wild, up close and personal. What a wonderful creature! There is nothing wrong with being large, as manatees will testify.

We also went to an alligator farm and took a ride on an airboat. I was looking for Horatio (from CSI Miami) the whole time!

Thursday we're heading home for Seattle to spend Easter with our grandkids - Wayne and I are both badly in need of a grandkid fix. It'll be nice to see the kids, too! If I don't write before Easter, have a blessed Easter, everyone!