I made it. Got the winery story done, got the paper done, and have moved on to product development issues again. I took a detour today to a local spot and got a hold of some funk-y fabrics and trims from Freecycle — these were about third-hand. Really scary 60s retro stuff. *very scary* in fact. I got about a bushel of burlap in very groovy colors, for example. And some wild prints — like a kitchen print with turquiose and brown fish on it. *very scary,* as I say. This is part of our quest to reuse/remake/repurpose items for our BW&R line of products to promote recycling. We’re trying…

off to South Lake Tahoe for a few days with my youngest daughter for my nephew’s wedding. We’re taking the train to Sacramento, then meeting up with my parents for a carpool the rest of the way. Go green! (I think it will be chilly so I’m going warm as well.) Possibly no cell, definitely no e-mail there so back atcha Saturday.

Yeah, right. Actually, just wanted to report that the California Newspaper Publishers’ Association (CNPA) ran the article about me in this week’s e-edition (weekly news) and then someone from Editor and Publisher called to follow up. So a national trade journal is writing something about me, not that I actually talked to them. The partners did the talking. I was busy beating my children or something. Everyone is tired and grumpy and half-sick with colds again. But I’m writing fiction and so freaking happy about that I could squeak. eek! Go read my NaNo if you want some storytime. www.juliasnano.blogspot.com — I’m having a gas with it. I’m 3000 words…

It’s done. Yahoo. Thank the Buddha. I really was looking forward to it — but now that it’s over, even more so. I worked my fingers off to get this event together — Lesson 1: Ask for help. I didn’t ask for enough help and found myself baking like nobody’s bidness all Thurs and Fri because the cheerleader team had a game Saturday and it was too late to get someone else to fill in. Ack, ack, ack. But I baked like the Pillsbury Doughboy: pineapple scones, blueberry scones, cranberry-corn muffins, banana bread, banana muffins, blueberry muffins, 6 kinds of cookies (slice and bake, easy!), a cinnamon-currant yeast bread, honey-oat…

I’m on my way to bed, having spent the evening printing, wrapping and baking for Saturday. Big news today was the death of a local teen who was killed in the park last night after trick or treat — the same park where I dropped my daughter to meet friends for trick or treat. The same place we go every Friday for softball. It’s too close to the bone, for all of us. Last night, another late night getting ready — and a busy day today. 36 hrs to go. Lots to do tomorrow but we may just make it. We may. Tomorrow — printing, photocopies, set up exhibits of…