Holiday Spirits

There is a chance that I live down the street from the friendliest most well appointed liquor store in all the land.  In addition to what you might expect, they also carry homemade deli sandwiches, whole avocados & other fresh fruit, whole wheat pasta, sea salt, firewood, various types of over the counter allergy/cold/flu medication, toilet paper, Draino, motor oil- every time that I have ever gone there to see if by chance they had what I needed- they have.

They let me park my bike inside.  If there weren't probably codes against letting someone bring their really waggedy dog inside, which would surely prevent them from allowing any such thing ever to occur, they are so friendly- they would let someone do that.  (wink wink.)

At 9:45pm I know I can get both a bag of popcorn for my hot air popper & good conversation there.

When I was in earlier I saw that they had raised the bar on themselves.  At the end of the aisle displaying the magazines & just before the movie rentals was a Rubbermaid flat topped wheeled cart with several rolls of wrapping paper, four different color choices of long shiny ribbon, tape, and a sign informing shoppers that this was a complimentary gift wrapping station.  If that doesn't warm your heart, well, they've also got an entire shelf of brandies from which to choose.

Fit for a P.I.

     Today when I was over at the coffee shop one of the fabulistas who works there said, "I've got to make more mustache pillows.  I got three more orders." 

     To which I said something like, "Hmmm?  Pardon?  Que?  What?  Mustache pillows, hello?"

     She then told me that she makes pillows shaped like giant mustaches, and sells them over the internet.  I laughed, slapped my hand on the counter, and said, "Fantastic!"  Because, boy oh boy do I love a good bit of ridiculousness.

     When she originally had the idea she looked to see if anyone else was already making giant mustache pillows, and what do you know- no one was!  So, she is the exclusive manufacturer of giant mustache pillows in all the world.  I live in the Giant Mustache Pillow capital of the world.

     Here is the link to her Etsy shop- just in time for all your giant mustache pillow holiday needs:

 http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=34575949

Super Power: Grinning

Ok, so obviously I love dogs.  But, come on- look at this!

My cousin sent this photo of her dog, Will, taken at the Howl-o-ween party at their local dog park.  She reports that Will smiles when he's happy & when you ask him, "Who's handsome?"

Will looks like a party all on his own.

The Speed Must Be in the Spots

A friend sent me this photo of her dog outrunning the purported fastest land mammal.  The cheetah can do 0 to 60 in 3 seconds!  Apparently, Hershey can do it in 2.

Though, possibly it was just home court advantage, as this looks to be our local beach.  I wonder if the cheetah will now demand a rematch in the Serengeti. 

Photo credit T.Springstead

Happy Campers

Seeing as my book goes on sale in a few hours I've been tempted to go over to the shop to check if people are camping out to buy it.  Obviously I'm joking, but it got me thinking about that whole camping out on the sidewalk business.

There are musicians who have fans who will camp out on sidewalks to buy tickets to their concerts.  A few years ago when I went to pick up the last Harry Potter book at Border's it was One o'clock in the morning, and the place was mobbed.  Can you imagine what it must feel like to have something you thought of, something from your imagination create such enthusiasm?

Of course, people will also sleep in a parking lot in front of Wal Mart on Thanksgiving so that they can buy a TV on sale the next morning.     
...to each their own. 

They're Here!

"They're Here!"  That is what my fairy godmother instructed me to write on the chalkboard today. 

The books have arrived.  Currently, they are in the storage room at the shop.  They're going to start selling them on Monday.  Or as the fairy godmother put it, "Now for the fun part!"

Stick Chewing Ballerina

On Halloween I saw my dog out in the front yard happily chewing a stick whilst wearing her ballerina costume.  It made me smile.  I tried to snap a photo, but she tends to be an awfully mobile model.