Patches of green grass here and there. Trees are budding, have what we call the green haze. Temperatures in the 50s. Rain a spring rain. Snow gone. And I think that yesterday I heard a robin; although, I haven’t seen any other birds.

Balance is totally illusive – I was kidding myself about finding it. A huge har har. A bit of self-recrimination going on here. So be it. I got up early this morning and I got my chores done. Then, after breakfast, I worked one hour on Shelf Life. I was in the kitchen. Had to deal with Pete’s doing the dishes – he does not spare noise. And had to deal with his making peanut butter with the blender. I needed quietude, which I did not get.

Working on Shelf Life was supposed to be one way in which I was making time for myself. The problem is that I have so much to do that an hour spent doing something else takes time away from something else I should be doing. So there I was, working away. It was then 8:30 a.m. Pete and I were then to be on our way to town. I lost time because I could not find my keys. I lost time because I had to get ready to go. I lost time because I had to spend time on my teeth. I lost time because I had to. . .

So we left here close to 9 p.m. We went to the hotel first and I grabbed a few things that I’d forgotten to pack.

It was a very long day in Anchorage, at the Science of Reading Symposium. Pete drove straight to the Loading Dock at the Dena'ina Civic and Convention Center. I had packed the books in banker boxes, and Susan had made labels for the uniform Banker boxes. So it was easy stacking them on the carts, running them up to the third floor, and unloading them. We in fact did this in record time, with the help of Terry Roth, a BLBP board member who agreed to help out.

It was not like other years where there was a strong interest in books. I had to get out there and pass out bookmarks, in hopes of getting the interest in conference goers. I did make a good connection – we may soon be sending books to Stebbins, an Alaska village where two years back they had a fire that destroyed the school. I will work on this, this upcoming week.

I also met a fellow from Haines named Alex who is interested in doing something similar to what we are doing in Haines. I gave him contact information and I hope that he contacts me.

And I spent time talking to Angela Libel, who owns Title Wave Books. She had set up shop right next to the escalator – I could not begrudge her this. But the conference organizers had placed us at the far end of the room in an area in that was well off the beaten path.

I came home with Teri. Tomorrow night I’ll stay in town in a hotel.

We went riding tonight. Sure like Hrimfara’s new saddle.

Next: 122. 5/4/25: Home is Where the Heart Resides