bertram has a heart problem not sure what that means yet. please send ma for the best possible outcome. Bert's the baby, the lapcat purrboy.

I'm not sure who I've been keeping in the loop on this, but now that things are settled, I figure it's safe to share.

We've been hoping to buy the family home, which I guess makes us crazy enough to participate in LA real estate, but at least gives us a leg up. Anyway, we made an offer and my siblings accepted it. We've secured a loan. Looks like it's official.

We own our very own DUMP! um, yay?!

I'm off to Germany. I'll be gone until Monday, not completely sure about the internet situation. I'm a little freaked, what with the complete lack of planning I've done for this trip, not knowing the language, not knowing what to see, etc. So I'd appreciate any travel-ma and don't-act-stupid-ma that you feel inclined to send across the ocean. Ta, and bye.

Hey, Bay Areaistes and -istas:

I have two back to back events for Famous Flower of Serving Men, tomorrow and Thursday night, one in Marin County, one in the East Bay. The East Bay event is at JZ's mom's Clayton store; the Marin event is with two other mystery writers, and should be fun.

Details:

Book Passage
51 Tamal Vista Blvd
Corte Madera, CA 94925
Wednesday, 8 December, at 7:30 PM

Bonanza Street Books
5433 Clayton Rd # D
Clayton, CA

Thursday, 9 December, at 7:00 PM

Come along, bring friends or kids, buy some holiday prezzies, and get them signed and dedicated. Support your local author!

Bertram

Bert-Bert Babyboy BabyBert

Thank you for you love, your impeccable manners at the dinner table, and your infallible purr

May you find you place of never ending up, squirrels and birds to play with, warm sun patches, tuna fish to eat, and grass to chew.

We will miss you

Beth and Matt

Requesting some forceful not-serious cancer~ma for a very good friend. She has uterine cancer but the severity has not been determined. At the very least she will have to have a hysterectomy.

When it rains, it pours. Also asking that you extend that ~ma a bit further for another good friend who just found out she has a lump on her breast. Her next doctor's appointment is this week.

This is an informative message for my Secret Santa, anyone else who is sending things my way, and the general populace.

December 16th, I am going home, and I don't know about my Internet access.

December 18th, I will be flying to India.

January 9, I will be returning home, and I don't know about my Internet access.

January 10, I will be returning to Ann Arbor.

The take-home message is not only "I'm going to be hella dark over the holidays" but also: please don't mail anything to me until early January. I'd rather it not sit in the post office or the apartment lobby for a couple weeks.

I just found out that my landlord has sold my building. I am happy to no longer have to deal with him because he never actually fixed anything, but I am worried (because I don't currently have a lease) that I am going to have a big rent increase for the new year.

I'm about to send a sample chapter to an agent. Never done this before. Terrified. Posting here about it means it's real, so I can't chicken out; I have to follow through. Good agent~ma requested, if anyone has some to spare.