The flair for drama runs deep in my blood. In fact, I'd go so far as to suggest it's a family trait. Certainly my children and grandchildren inherited it. The reason I mention this is because I had a doctor appointment yesterday afternoon. During my recent tour my knee started acting up again, and I wrenched my shoulder carting my lap - top computer on and off airplanes.

The physician's name, Dr. Bliss, is misleading; but that's for another blog entirely. I required not one, but two shots. Both of them have reputations for being painful. The minute I saw the needle I had to resist shouting, "I'll talk, I'll talk!" But the nurse held my hand, and I was fine, and I actually feel much better. Maybe Dr. Bliss isn't misnamed after all.

I've made a momentous decision - I'm cleaning out my closet. It's stuffed to the gills, and there's no room to unpack what I brought home from Florida, not to mention the treasures I picked up along the way during the tour. My daughter, Jenny, is responsible for this life-changing decision. She was over with the grandkids, and I was showing her my new shoes, when she started lecturing me about how disorganized my closet is.

The irony of this didn't escape me. As a teenager, Jenny was a horrible slob. Now all of a sudden she's the Martha Stewart of closet organization. Okay, it's a Good Thing. I'm taking Saturday morning and sorting through the entire closet. I'm convinced there's buried treasure in there somewhere.

The tour is finished. I arrived back in Port Orchard on Sunday afternoon and was instantly immersed in real life. No one was there to cart my luggage or take my order for dinner. In fact, as soon as I unpacked my suitcase I was off to the grocery store.

It always takes me a while to get into the feel of being home again. To ease into the transition, I have a small ritual I go through after a long absence. I wander from room to room and lovingly touch my favorite things. It's my way of saying, "I'm home, I missed you, and I'm so pleased to be back." Just before dinner Wayne opened a bottle of merlot, and we sat and cuddled for a while. My head was on his shoulder, and we didn't need to talk. It was enough just to be together. Ah yes, it's good to be home.

Last night's Sacramento Bee Book Club signing was fabulous. It has held at the Arden Fair Mall, right in front of the Nordstrom store that just happened to be having a sale! My feet wanted to make a bee line for the sale tables, but I had to stay on course. Almost 400 people came, and I signed for more than three hours. Thank you to everyone who came. I had a great time!


Now I'm in San Francisco and will be signing at the Book Passage Bookstore in Corte Madera on Saturday. I'll be home on Sunday and can't wait to sleep in my own bed. I'm like a horse that has spied the barn - my steps are focused and homeward bound!

I flew from Charlotte to Sacramento and met with friends Larry and Penny Raven, who drove from Fresno to have lunch with me. We went to Old Sacramento and ate on the waterfront. Larry and Penny picked me up in their new Rolls Royce, which comes complete with a refrigerator and picnic trays in the backseat! We toured a candy store that sells several hundred kinds of salt water taffy. I swear, every piece I bought is for Wayne! (I'm discarding the used wrappers.)

I'm in Charlotte, North Carolina, a beautiful city of Southern charm. I arrived on Sunday with almost an entire day free, so I boosted the local economy with an excursion to the shopping mall and a movie. In case you're curious, I saw "Knocked Up," a great movie, except for the language.

The Barnes & Noble on-line book club with BACK ON BLOSSOM STREET started Monday, so every spare minute I have my nose is pressed against the computer screen, chatting with book club friends. I'm proud to say this is the third year in a row I've done the book club. Come and join the fun!

Wednesday morning I leave bright and early for Sacramento, California. I'm excited I'll be back in the same time zone as home.