Here I am, T-minus-30 from Falling in Love with English Boys hitting the shelves. And, whaddya know, it’s Thanksgiving. As I’m an inveterate Top Ten list-maker, this is the perfect time and place to list ten of the things I’m most thankful for right now.
1. My family. Biological and Logical (Like Cat Vernon in FiL, I have some really fab goils in my life. They know who they are.), near and far.
2. Pride and Prejudice. I could just say “Books”. I am crazily grateful for books. But let’s just tell it like it is and acknowledge that without Jane Austen and P&P, the world would be a far sadder place.
3. Autumn. Pretty leaves, crisp air, cashmere, holidays. I tend to be in a very good mood October through December.
4. My Mac. iTunes. MP3 files did not exist when I was a teenager. I was a mixed-tape maker. Yes, tape. As in cassette. Now my entire music collection is literally at my fingertips. If I want to listen to medieval madrigals followed by the Pogues followed by Ella Fitzgerald followed by Mumford and Sons… Hmm. I might have to put a Playlist section on this site. I love song lists, even virtual ones.
5. Seaweed and peppermint. Not together. Never together (learned that one the hard way). Unlike Cat, I am not hugely into chocolate. Except when paired with peppermint. And sushi. Not together. The fab folk at our local Japanese restaurant know us by name.
6. The pets. One corgi who will do absolutely anything for just about any kind of food; one cat who doesn’t do anything whatsoever unless it benefits him greatly; one hermit crab who doesn’t do much of anything at all.
7. The BBC, especially the World Service and BBC One. News is important. So is Doctor Who. I’m waiting. They’ll write Jane Austen into an episode someday.
8. Dorothy Parker, L. Frank Baum, Marian Keyes, Kay Thompson, Robert Sapolski, Agatha Christie, Oscar Wilde, Nick Hornby, J.K. Rowling, Charlotte Bronte, Armistead Maupin, Lewis Carroll and, of course, Miss Austen…old comrades of the road I come back to again and again.
9. Polyvore.com. It’s like paperdolls, Santa, and a personal stylist all in one.
10. Coffee. That’s all I need to say on the subject.
Happy Thanksgiving. Back in a few days.