Dear Reader Column 07-26-06

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Dear Reader,

"How was your vacation?" It's the first question everyone asks because my husband and I just returned from a two-week vacation in the Smoky Mountains.

I'd like to say it was a repeat of last year's best-ever vacation, but the truth is this year our vacation started out complicated. It took my husband and me awhile to let go of a work mind-set. Some pressing issues we were dealing with before we left lingered on and when it dawned on us that we were three days into our vacation--sitting in a gorgeous cabin in the middle of the Smokies--but still working, we were angry. So we gave ourselves twenty lashes and finally got down to the task at hand--being on vacation.

So, let's try that one more time, "How was your vacation?" After the first three days, it was wonderful!

This year's vacation cast of characters was quite colorful: a bear, a wallet, a squirrel that didn't know when to quit, a woman who's way too hard on herself, the poor birds that nobody loved, two caramel apples with nuts, and fame for a couple of hours. Where do I begin?

I think tomorrow I'll begin with my close encounter--I mean really close encounter with a big black bear. And of course, I'll have photos.

It's so nice to be back.

By the way, thank you very kindly to everyone who sent an email to my guest columnists. I realize how fortunate I am to hear from readers every day, but most writers don't get that kind of feedback. The guest columnists loved reading your emails and they were very touched by your generosity. You really made a difference in their lives. I know, because they wrote and told me. You are the best. What a great book club.

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Warmest regards,
Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com 
http://www.DearReader.com

READ THE CLASSICS: The Recognitions, by William Gaddis, and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://www.supportlibrary.com/nl/path_go.cfm?x=815&site=20 

Comments

[Jane Sykes]

Can't wait to hear about your bear encounter. I went to Greece with my mother and neice and had a donkey encounter on Santorini. As surrogate mother to my neice, I rode the donkey trail to the top of the mountain with her. When trying to dismount, I got my foot caught in the stirrup and fell in donkey pee. Thankfully, my friends came to my rescue before the donkey dragged me back down to the bottom!

[Juno888]

You're so great...I wish I could also do what you're doing...I love also to collect books but I have no enough money to buy..All I'll do is just read books at the library of our school..=)