I have zipped across the country so much this summer that I am glad that this weekend I am confining my adventures to the pool chair and hammock here at the house. Seriously I zipped back and forth over the midsection of the country and up and down the East Coast so much that I am ready to send a holiday card to Larry Kellner, the CEO of Continental, as I have seen him on the opening video more than I have seen most of my friends.

Last week I spent some time at the American Library Association Convention in Anaheim, which was a wonderful celebration of books and reading. Librarians are wildly enthusiastic about books and authors --- and they ask smart questions and provoke thoughtful replies when they are at panels and speeches.

Here in New York we are experiencing a heat wave that has the pavement melting. Literally. I know I wanted warm weather, but I think I wished a tad too hard. Next time I will wish in moderation.