I usually pass parade beads to my great-nieces and -nephews, but not this throw. This one came from Greg last year when I made my February trip to New Orleans.
I’m using it here because even though I’m deliriously happy to be back at The Compound with my dogs and husband and Houston friends nearby, I’m still in that Crescent City state of mind, thinking of everything that happened at Saints and Sinners and how good my writer friends and long-distance friends are for my soul.
I’ll be sharing photos and stories in a lot of posts over the next couple of weeks as memories bubble to the surface. One of the VERY BEST parts of the long weekend was how I could see how vastly improved my mood and health were from last year. I laughed more, walked more, participated more, and relaxed more. I just felt lighter. Happier.
If you’re looking for something to be happy about, comment with a page number between 1 and 611, and another number between 1 and 25, and these Krewe of Muses shoes are made for walking through the pages of this book to get your answer.
Greg, if you ever again think I’m snubbing you, just remember that I brought your paperclip sculpture you gave me all the way home from New Orleans and shot a photo of it because it looks like a heart. I will be always grateful for the many kindnesses you’ve shown me, both professionally and personally. This event you and Paul have created, Saints and Sinners, has brought some amazing people into my life, given me more confidence as a writer, and provided the opportunity to meet in person other writers and friends I’d have otherwise known and admired only from a distance. You say the festival is your chance to get all your creative friends together and how happy that makes you. But we’re happy that YOU make it possible for all of us to converge. What a gift to writers, friends, and colleagues. You and Paul, and all the people who help you, including the one pictured below, should be SO PROUD of your work, your passion, and your amazing host city. Thank you.
Evil Mark, who’s not even remotely evil and whose enthusiasm and energy never flags as he does all his Saints and Sinners magic, including keeping us on schedule. Thank you, Mark!
OH, you awful woman. You made me tear up.
And no happy again for me this week. I’m still a-glow.
Tears! My work is done.
I’m so glad that you had a great time this year – and that your health was improved by so much! YAY!!
I am also happy that you are back.
🙂
(I’m a day off, this week. I saw your post and thought “She is posting ‘Hump Day Happy’ a day early…? Yeah. I’m still out of it. What can I say…? :/)
So may I please request numbers 600 and number 4?
Maybe it will provide some form of literary antibiotic…
🙂
Happy Wednesday, Becky!
(LOVE the beads…)
🙂
I hope you’re feeling better today and still taking it easy so you can get well. Thanks for all your good thoughts. =) And the shoes have led you to:
“an unsupported elliptical staircase”
(Whoa, I just google-imaged “elliptical staircase” and was awed. I knew what such a staircase was, but not the extreme beauty of some of them.)
Elliptical staircases are GORGEOUS.
We have some fine examples of them here in Vegas.
I went and Googled the images a few minutes ago, too.
Inspiration, like beauty, is always a good thing…
🙂
I am feeling a little bit better, today, thanks.
My temperature is down to 102 – and drinking water is no longer painful… I am still taking it easy. This time I am actually listening to my doctor and staying on bed-rest.
So I am bored…
But I am improving.
🙂
I just Google-imaged them, too… wow. It’s contagious!
Can I have page 25, item # 14, please? And… hopefully a continuation of the tale, in which I am main character! : )
You’re walking away from the water, toward the inn, when you spy IT towering above the other cottages, beckoning you to the commercial district. It’s that sign so many look for as they travel or shop or run errands. How many times have your weary eyes spotted it and thought, Sure it’s overpriced and some call it the Evil Empire. But it’s so…so…like nothing else on earth with its frothy temptation.
You can almost taste the icy chocolate flavor, and you swear that even from this distance, you can hear the sign whispering, “Venti mocha frappuccino. You know you want it.”
“No!” you answer firmly. No more three hundred calories (as long as you leave off the whipped cream) of caffeinated sin.
You resolutely continue to the inn’s dining room, where peonies fill the vases on each table, and as you turn toward the buffet, you know you’ve made the right choice when your eyes alight on
“hazelnut waffles with whipped cream.”
So much for sparing yourself those calories.
DING!DING!DING! We have WAFFLES, ladies and germs!
Oh, I might need a medic… waffles and Starbucks in one go.
oops… my http is showing. how embarrassing… almost as embarrassing as misspelling vacuum.
It’s okay. You’ll NEVER believe the mistake I caught before I posted. (And no, it’s not the same one that you’d have seen in the first e-mail, if comments are e-mailed to you. It’s much worse.)
You called me Jane instead of Mark? It’s okay; I get that a lot.
(Oh, come on… what was the typo?)
No way.
I’ll mail you a whole dollar.
I can’t be bought.
I can’t wait for your posts and pictures.
I’ll take page 16, #8 please.
Are you feeling better, Gary?
And the shoes walk to:
“a secluded houseboat on Arizona’s Lake Powell”
I could go for that:
Now that would make me really happy!
The fever, etc. is gone, but the drop in temps has left me with a stuffy head and congested chest.
Hi! Oh my God!! Hi!!! I was, like, totally passing through looking fo’ Back In The Day Happy, but I got Hump Day instead and shit, right? Oh my to the God! So, can a girlie git wit’ page 59, item numba 10, yo? KTHNXBYE!!!
(I can never understand what this blue-black headed wacko-bitch is going on about.)
So never mind her — how are YOU? *snuggles*
What? She speaks proppa English. I mean, proper.
And the book says “laughing out loud.” For you, that would be LOLOLOL to the L.
I saw somebody get that result on an earlier Hump Day Happy and remembered it, so I could play a wee joke on you. : )
Aren’t you the cunning one?
eeek. I was expecting Summer, and Ms. Knife-Wielder 2008 shows up…
We like to keep you on your toes.
It was so great meeting you! 🙂
I had a suspicion Evil Mark wasn’t remotely evil, although Wayne Courtois really cracked me up when he told Mark something like “it’s okay if you’re mean because you’re so cute” and Mark kind of blushed. 🙂 Hee hee.
Could I please have page 343 number 6? 🙂
I loved meeting you, too. Of course you know you’ll be the topic of a future post, right?
And the shoes kick up for you:
“uncrinkled aluminum foil”
Did you ever take a Hershey’s Kiss wrapper and smooth it out flat just for the joy of it?
I don’t think I’ve ever done that, but that’s a great excuse to buy some kisses and start. 🙂 I look forward to the future post (I think). 🙂
I’ll take a hump day happy, because I’m greedy that way.
Page 422, number 22 please.
That books needs a “spending time in NOLA with friends” listing.
That’s not greed, just a fierce love of joy and joyness! And the red shoes have found for you:
“reading newspapers online”
I love the shot of (Not So) Evil Mark. 🙂
Page 147, # 8 please.
NSE Mark is the best. And for you, the shoes tap their way to:
“bringing nature inside”
I’m a bit late to the party, but may I have 111 #11 please?
As I always say, it’s never too late for happiness. And the shoes dance their way to:
“Sierra Club hikes”
Tried to stay up last night so I could be first, but it didn’t happen and I’ll be last instead. 🙂 53 no 24 please.
I’ve been catching up on your posts. You’ve been busy! And the shoes step softly to:
“doing something that will put a smile on your face”
Too busy! But 3 slightly less busy days coming up now. 🙂 And doing something that will put a smile on my face sounds perfect.
Do you know why Mark looks so anti evil in that shirt? Because it was originally meant for Greg, seriously, I know.
I will have 531 number 23 and Dash will have 511 number 5
And dancing with the Dash leads to:
“dogs wanting belly rubs”
and for you:
“dance studios”
Seriously, those were your answers. Awesome.
I think that was the best hump day happy ever!!!
yay!
So glad you had a good time!
Re: yay!
Thanks!
Wonderful to know you all had such a good time. A successful event like this makes the world go round!
Thank you! Yeah, I’ll be flying from the good energy for a while. =)