A long day

.
.
Saturday was a long and challenging day, but the excellent co-ordination of my escorts — Larry and Ken — made it effortless. It began in La Jolla, checking out of my hotel in gown.



Then, to the La Jolla Arts Festival, where Warwick's bookstore had a booth set up. They'd never tried this, and I was their first test case. As always, it only takes one ardent fan to make an event worthwhile for me. (Too, meeting a man who lovingly restores and then sells antique cars, and uses the money to take a family off the street — to save them — three families so far. So moving.)

I changed out of my gown in a Whole Foods washroom, and then my escort Larry and I headed north. After about an hour, at a Barnes and Noble between La Jolla and Thousand Oaks, I was "handed over" to escort Ken. Then began the long drive to Thousand Oaks, for an event at an extraordinary Borders, a bookstore and coffee shop/restaurant in a former bowling alley.



There — hugables! — sister Robin, Betsy and Betsy's mom Alma.




And "Ladies of The Book Club" (Pam Clark, Shari Mark, and Brenda Alibrandi sitting, Barbara Schwartz and Dawn Drost standing):



It was a wonderful event, in large measure due to the vibrancy and energy of the wonderful staff and great food:



And then the drive to glamorous Beverley Wilshire hotel in the heart of LA, where they did not have a room, so I had to "make do" with a large and sunny suite. I'm in LA for three nights: time enough to have The Gown sent to the laundry and to recharge all the batteries, including my own.