Mission ALMOST Accomplished

The weather has cooperated. It's so blistery hot no one dares stick their nose outside. So I've been cloistered away writing, writing writing on Virgin Territory. It's close enough to finished to say almost done. I'll get the big working document printed off once more and in a binder to carry with me to Texas and Oklahoma these next two weeks. I leave tomorrow to see Mom and family. But that manuscript will be my constant companion as I edit, edit, edit.

So I'm going to stick my neck out once more and make my plans public: I want to get this into print so I can introduce it at the Guadalajara International Book Fair, November 28 - December 6. There! Hold me to it, Friends. Your support has been SOOO helpful. The guest of honor this year is the City of Los Angeles. This is such a natural! Read more about the fair here at Wikipedia.

So that's me celebrating a little early last Saturday night. Eddie and Roberto are opening Xaltemba for two Saturday nights, to give their new chef a little try out. There were nineteen reservations this past Saturday, and forty people showed up. Whew! Talk about crunch time! Check out their menu for this coming Saturday and eat your hearts out, you fair weather amigos who have fled north!

Larry surprised me that evening with a banner wishing me "Feliz Cumpleanos," and a chocolate birthday cake, which we parcelled out among all the people present. My friend Ann painted me a birthday card, bought me a crown (Ann, I'm still waiting for those photos!), and wrapped everything up in Quincianera packaging. She just put a great big "X 4" in front of all those number 15's. Every girl should get a crown sometime in life, and I say, better late than never!

But the real crown in a woman's life is a group of special friends wherever she finds them, and mine were at breakfast this morning. Our Tuesday morning ladies' breakfast club at Irma's La Casita has not dwindled with the heat. The group has grown larger and more devoted to getting together than ever. It may be a hot weather thing, but for some of us, this is the highlight of the week! So thanks Piedad, Lupita, Elizabeth, Melanie, Sarah, Jane, Linda, and Trish, for your birthday greetings and goodies this morning. And Jeanie, Barb, Marilyn, Lin, and Ann, we missed your smiling faces.

I'm off to pack up and go. Hasta pronto, ya'll.