One of Each Please!

I would NEVER brave the crowds and go shopping on Black Friday, a huge shopping day after Thanksgiving in the US. Merchants rely heavily upon sales on that big day, and consumers race from store to store looking for bargains. Some even camp out overnight to get special deals, especially at electronics stores. This year one of the WalMart stores had to close their doors when a fight broke out among shoppers who wanted the same merchandise. Madness!!

Despite refusing to join the hordes, I made my way to a Rug Cleaning establishment that was offering 30% discount on that day only so I brought in an area rug that I want to use to spiff up my new "room of my own." The highly reputable shop also sells oriental rugs, and, of course, they were on sale for Black Friday. In addition to salivating over the rugs I decided to take some photos. Not the best light, but you get the picture!!

Minnesota's Wild!

These two guys had their tickets to the Minnesota Wild's hockey game against Colorado and didn't have to look for theirs on the street as did the man I showed you yesterday. I hope that he found someone with an extra ticket! (Wild-5, Colorado-3!) We left the morning St Paul Chamber Orchestra concert about 12:30, and the streets were alive with people going to the hockey game that started at 1 pm. A slightly more festive crowd than the one we had just left at the Ordway Center where the concert had taken place!

Need tickets!

I met this man on the streets in downtown St. Paul on Friday, November 27. Can you guess what tickets he wants? I'll tell you tomorrow.

Bass Lake, Wisconsin

Yesterday I introduced you to my friends; today I want to introduce you to the view of Bass Lake from their deck. Nice, isn't it?

Giving Thanks!

I am grateful and thankful for many things in my personal life: health, good neighbors, family and friends to name just a few. Last month six of us gathered together at the beautiful lake home of one couple. The men have been friends since elementary school and high school. All five of those pictured grew up in St. Paul, but I'm the only Wisconsinite. I'd like you to meet them! Seated around the table from left to right are Jim F, now living in Colorado; Jim N, my DH; and, Joe and Sylvia P who live in the lake home we visited. Standing are Carol F and I. Joe and Jim N lived across the alley from one another for years from early childhood. Before marriage and moving away, Jim F grew up just down the block from where we now live. I wonder how many people are friends from childhood and still see one another? Can't beat it!!

51 Novels!!-Stephen King

Talking Volumes: A book club where the author shows up! My previous post featured Barbara Kingsolver who wowed the crowd at the Fitzgerald Theatre in St. Paul and last Wednesday night, Stephen King showed up to be interviewed by Terri Miller of Minnesota National Public Radio. He, too, was a huge hit with the audience. I wasn't seated as close to the stage as during my previous visits, but even at a longer distance my camera caught his facial expression that demonstrates his wit and humor. Again, it was a sell-out and to accommodate the crowd, part of the audience was seated on the stage behind King. He talked about the history of his literary career and read some passages from his most recent novel, "Under the Dome." Responding to audience questions about his books, he revealed that his favorite novel is "The Shawshank Redeption" and his favorite character is Gordon Lachance in "The Body" which was made into a movie called "Stand By Me",(somewhat autobiographical because the main character is a writer). We always wondered how he could get into the mind of a kid so well! His favorite movie is "Cujo." Although my husband is more of a Stephen King fan than I am, I loved the evening.

Barbara Kingsolver

Although I am still on my self-imposed sabbatical I felt that I should share these photos of writer Barbara Kingsolver. I saw her being interviewed by Terri Miller at the Fitzgerald Theatre in St. Paul last Wednesday as part of the Talking Volumes series, sponsored by The Loft Literary Center and NPR. Great evening because T. Miller always does a superb job of interviewing the writers who are engaged for this popular program, and Kingsolver was fantastic. She held our attention talking for approximately an hour about the craft of writing and how it applies to her own methods.