Book business, travel, and friends old and new

Racking up the miles on my car—first to Montgomery, Alabama, for Alabama Alive on Channel 12 TV, thanks to help of new friend Betty Bagley. Then on to Opelika where longtime friend Janet Smith had set up book talks, tours, introductions and interviews almost one per hour.

Barbara Patton, Jennie and Janet Smith at Heritage Gifts, Opelika, AL

Heather Champagne's margaritas, fajitas and deep book talk

Met Betty Pridmore, rekindled friendship with Barbara Patton, former mayor of Opelika. And surprise of surprises, Dee Dee Ellis Harper came to my book signing. Dee Dee and my little sister were playmates many years ago, and memories tumbled down with Dee Dee’s visit.

Then a meeting via Skype with Anita Buice’s book club in Carrollton, GA, while Cliff the editor of the Opelika newspaper and Janet waited at a restaurant. And on to Carrollton the next day to see Liz Enney and Rick North’s antique cars with Gadsden friends Joanie and Bill Leach.

One of Liz' vintage cars

Then home. Only to leave a few days later for Birmingham and a similar fast-paced couple of days. A night with Sandra Berman, lunch with Della Fancher, an interview at the Southern Jewish Life magazine offices about my book Hanukkah Trivia, then a book club talk over fajitas with Heather Champagne’s group. And the next day a signing at Little Professor and lots of hugs and chats with friends such as Bette Anne Bargeron, Carol Poyner, Linda Garrard Butler, Nancy Delaney and others. And most especially Robert Roebuck, age 3, with parents Rob and Meg, then Missy Roebuck Nolen. And credit goes to Mary Roebuck for drumming up a crowd. And thanks to Terrell Spencer, the handiest of men, for repairing a display banner that a MIT engineer declared unrepairable. Great fun, everybody. And thanks.

And now home again. Repacking. Ready to head out again.