A great story about Samuel Clemens ~ 

In order to apply for the post of reporter-at-large on the Territorial Enterprise, Samuel Clemens walked 130 miles to Virginia City in Nevada Territory.  He arrived at the newspaper's offices one hot afternoon in August, a dust-covered, weary stranger in a slouch hat, with a revolver slung on his belt, and a roll of blankets on his back.  He wore a blue woolen shirt and dusty trousers tucked into his boots.  Dropping into a chair, he announced, "My starboard leg seems to be unshipped.  I'd like about one hundred yards of line; I think I am falling to pieces."  He added, "My name is Clemens, and I've come to write for the paper."

(Albert Bigelow Paine commented, "It was the master of the world's widest estate come to claim his kingdom.")

Authors, take heart ~

When Mark Twain was an impoverished young reporter in Virginia City, he was walking along the street one day with a cigar box under his arm.  He encountered a wealthy lady he knew who said to him reproachfully, "You promised me that you would give up smoking."
"Madam," replied Twain, "this box does not contain cigars.  I'm just moving."

Excerpts from THE LITTLE, BROWN BOOK OF Anecdotes, Clifton Fadiman, 1985.

Too Cute Not to Post ~  This is Benjamin in the big truck.

Cayuga-on-the-Grand

Photos:  Summer 2011 lbwalker

Cheryl MacDonald

"Authors Sell Books"

Kirk Du Guid & Cheryl MacDonald

Bob Blakeley & Cheryl MacDonald

Day of a Thousand Canoes ~
(Please note time change.)

A Community Information Meeting will be held on Thursday, 5 April, 12:00 p.m. * ~ over the lunch hour ~ at The Neat Little Bookshop.  Mark it on your calendars.  Organizers of Day of a Thousand Canoes welcome you to participate.

http://www.1000canoes.com/

*Considering that the next day is Good Friday, organizers have sheduled the Open House for the lunch hour rather than evening.

Word Watching ~

Mojo ~ something that one has a lot of ~ sometimes.   Other days, not so much.

Every day a word is delivered to my e-mail via a website "Sesquiotica."  Today's word is "mojo."

Canadian author, James Harbeck, describes his fun effort as "word tasting notes and other lively things on language."


http://www.sesquiotic.wordpress.com/

As Queen Victoria lay dying, a member of the royal household discussed the imminent event with Edward, the Prince of Wales. "I wonder if she will be happy in heaven?" he mused.
"I don't know, " said the prince.  "She will have to walk behind the angels ~ and she won't like that!"

~ Edward VII, son of Victoria, King of the United Kingdom 1910 - 10.

Source:THE LITTLE, BROWN BOOK of Anecdotes

[Being a royal-watcher, I marvel at the way things have changed.  Kate Middleton*, future Queen of England, delivered her first public speech yesterday reportedly wearing a dress that she borrowed from her Mother.  Good for her when budgets are tight.] lbwalker

* Duchess of Cambridge