Dear Readers:

Here it is March again—birthday month.  And I’m looking forward to my usual birthday present—a ski trip to Snowshoe, West Virginia.  Yes, even after fracturing a rib skiing in Vermont in January.  I’m all healed now and ready to get back on the slopes.  It takes more than a little fall to keep me from my favorite sport, albeit a hard fall.  Don’t know what happened.  We were trying a new run at Killington, and I just lost it.  I knew I hit hard because I couldn’t move for a good minute or two, but I managed to get back up and ski down to the lodge—and we were at the top of the mountain.  Lots of rest (and Tylenol with codeine) worked its magic, and I’m back to normal.  And my response to all those people who said “I told you so” about the dangers of skiing—well, I’ve been skiing for 13 years, and this is my first injury, so I think that’s pretty good. 

Enough about skiing.  Let’s talk about what’s really exciting.  My daughter’s upcoming wedding!  I went down to Myrtle Beach to help Leah pick out her wedding dress.  We had to drive up to Wilmington, North Carolina, to the closest David’s Bridal.  (Would you believe…with all the shopping in MB, they don’t have a David’s Bridal?)  Leah tried on about 20 dresses before she found The One.  Personally, I thought all the gowns looked good on her, but I have to admit the one she picked out is just gorgeous.  Watching her try on bridal gowns was such an experience for me—one I’ve dreamed of almost since Leah was placed in my arms in a little pink blanket.  You see, I never had this experience when I married Frank, so I guess you could say I was living vicariously through her that day at the bridal shop.  Preparations for our wedding 33 years ago were somewhat different than Leah’s situation.  Frank and I were stationed at Iraklion Air Station on the Greek island of Crete, and Frank was due to ship back to America at the end of the month, so we really had only a few weeks to plan our wedding.  I found a picture of a wedding dress in a magazine, and shopped for fabric in Heraklion, then I found a seamstress to make the dress.  It turned out beautifully, but what woman wouldn’t love to try on dress after dress in a bridal shop?  So, I was happy to get to share this experience with Leah.

Next week I’m off to San Diego (as soon as I return from the WV ski trip) for the Novelist, Inc. conference.  Should be a fun trip.  I love San Diego.  The last time I was there, it was during Mardi Gras, and my hotel in the Gas Lamp district overlooked the parade route.  As you can imagine, I didn’t get much sleep that night.  And this year…guess what?  I’ll be there for St. Patrick’s Day.  J  And yes, I plan to pack my ear-plugs. 

My new contest is up on my website.  The prizes this month are a signed copy of UNDERSTUDY and a bracelet or anklet from Beautiful Evening Beads.

Best,

Carole

March 2008