Happy Halloween
Have a safe and fun Halloween!
MB with Bella and Buddy.
Sisters in Crime Visit Congressional Cemetery
Yesterday I drove up to Washington, D.C. to tour the Congressional Cemetery with fellow members of the Sisters in Crime Chesapeake Chapter. Established in 1790, the Congressional Cemetery is the final resting place for congressman, justices, military leaders and hundreds of colorful and fascinating individuals. According to our tour guide, 55,000 folks rest in the Congressional Cemetery. If you are ever in D.C. this historic gold mine is a must see.
Famed Civil War photographer Matthew Brady rests here.
The Public Vault was built by Congress in response to the demand for public burials.
John Philip Sousa (1854-1932) lead the Marine Band for 15 years.
The burial chapel has hosted thousands of funerals.
A glimpse side the public vault.
A little rain didn't dampen the tour.
Banned Books Week Panel
I gathered with fellow Virginia authors Meg Medina, Natale Stenzel and Kit Wilkinson at the Gayton Library on Tuesday night. We each read from our favorite Banned Books including Olive’s Ocean by Kevin Henkes (Meg), A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle (Natale), The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (Kit) and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (me). It was not only a great cause but great fun!
Meg Medina, Mary Burton, Kit Wilkinson and Natale Stenzel celebrate Banned Books Week.
Banned Books Week
When I heard that Judith Krug, the librarian who founded and nurtured Banned Books Week, died this past April it brought home to me the genuine enormity of what she had achieved. I wanted to do something to honor her and her accomplishments. That “something” became a Banned Books Week presentation at the Gayton branch of the Henrico County Public Library, Tuesday, September 29th at 7:30 pm with authors Meg Medina (Milagros: A Girl from Far Away), Natale Stenzel (Between a Rock and a Hard Place) and Kit Wilkinson (Protector’s Honor). We’ll be discussing and reading from our favorite banned books and exploring why intellectual freedom is important to us all.
Kitchen Redo
You may remember way back in the spring when I mentioned that I was redoing my kitchen. Well, the project kicked off Memorial Day weekend. It proved to be a long summer of coordinating contractors, choosing paint colors and moving furniture, but as Labor Day approaches I am more than happy to say the work is done! Thought you might like to see a few of the project pictures.
The Before picture.
The cabinets came out in less than an hour.
Painting is done, new cabinets are installed and the floor gets sanded.
The floors get sealed so Buddy, Bella and I camp out to avoid the fumes.
No kitchen meant lots of outdoor cooking.
Appliances arrive, countertops are installed, the tile work goes up and I am done!!