I got back from my trip to Philadelphia on Monday afternoon. On the drive back, I spoke with my mother on the phone and she asked if I “wasn’t cutting it a bit close to Thanksgiving to be getting home.” My reply: “Wednesday would be cutting it close!” Thanksgiving dinner requires very little ingenuity. It stars the turkey, thus the main dish is all figured out. Yesterday morning I hunkered down with my notebook of “what I made last year” telling myself that tried and true will be just lovely. There is no need to get all creative here this year. I have the cookbooks all lined up; I am sure since I never have been wise enough to use one of those cookbook protectors (I own two), the stained and splattered pages of Thanksgivings past will flop right open as required.

This month has been very busy; I've traveled up and down the east coast and back again. In addition to events in New York City, conventions and conferences have had me on trips to Providence, North Carolina, Miami and Philadelphia. I could barely unpack my suitcase before it was time to reload my bags and head out to the next destination. Now that Thanksgiving is approaching, I can finally relax, spend time with family and friends, eat my fill of turkey, and get back to my ever-growing stack of books.

This month has been very busy; I've traveled up and down the east coast and back again. In addition to events in New York City, conventions and conferences have had me on trips to Providence, North Carolina, Miami and Philadelphia. I could barely unpack my suitcase before it was time to reload my bags and head out to the next destination. Now that Thanksgiving is approaching, I can finally relax, spend time with family and friends, eat my fill of turkey, and get back to my ever-growing stack of books.

This month has been very busy; I've traveled up and down the east coast and back again. In addition to events in New York City, conventions and conferences have had me on trips to Providence, North Carolina, Miami and Philadelphia. I could barely unpack my suitcase before it was time to reload my bags and head out to the next destination. Now that Thanksgiving is approaching, I can finally relax, spend time with family and friends, eat my fill of turkey, and get back to my ever-growing stack of books.

This is the fourth Friday that I have been traveling. It’s been a different city every week, thus I have been writing you from various hotel rooms and airport lounges. Today I am tapping away as I sit on a chaise in my hotel that feels very swanky and chic, and reminds me somehow of film stars in the '50s. I have a wonderful view of Philadelphia out my window, and I am enjoying watching the city come alive as I type. This is a “repeat hotel,” meaning I have been here before. Traveling as much as I do, I love it when I repeat hotels that I like. It just makes it easier. I remember where the pool is and how to get to the convention center. It saves time. For amusement, yesterday when I plugged in my GPS to drive here, it first told me it would take 20 hours to arrive. I thought Philly had moved until I realized that “Fiona” (as I call the British chick who chirps my directions out) thought I still was in Miami! She needed a few moments to reorient.