A Good Night's Sleep

 We sleep very well. Our second night at this Holiday Inn in El Paso. Who would have thought? You never know. Yesterday John read the chapter "Regulars" which is about African American soldiers stationed at Fort Bliss in El Paso, 1899. One scene takes place in a moat with alligators. It's still a tourist attraction, but now the alligators are just a monument to the past. Pretty square. El Paso might surprise you.

 It's only 4 hours to Albuquerque, a breeze. "Double Indemnity" does not end well for the wicked couple. We move on to Keith Richards autobiography as read by Johnny Depp. This is going to be fun.

Did a Tourist Board ever choose a more durable campaign than this one? We are reminded where we are when we have to slow down for inspection. I rattle on about our book tour and give the Border Patrol Officer a card with the blogspot.

It's along way from anywhere half the time.

And we reach our cute hotel, Casa de Sueños too early to check in, so I set up in the pretty garden to catch up on my emails.

I'm so proud of my plans for this trip, right down to the right audio books, but today I really screw up.
I give Annie and Dave the wrong address for lunch and they end up at a Flying Star halfway to Santa Fe instead of the one right next door to Bookworks.

Annie and Dave live in Juneau and we hardly ever see each other. It seemed like the perfect plan, to meet for lunch in ABQ before they make their drive to a meeting in Santa Fe. We have only one hour. They forgive me.

The reading at Bookworks is packed. This is the most people they have had since Annie Proulx came to the store. How bout that! Way beyond SRO and I am perched on one of those great sliding ladders to take this shot of the crowd of maybe 125.

 John is in great form, reading "Mail Call" which takes place in Bisbee Arizona. Nice to be able to read chapters set in the place you're reading, eh? A big book can be very accommodating. This is a very welcoming audience, looser than most. Is that just New Mexico? Lots of books are sold including many of the Mother books that Bookworks have wisely acquired for the occasion.

Bookworks is under new ownership. If I understand the story correctly, the workers bought the store from the owner. Atomic Bookstore in Baltimore is operating under new owners, friends of the former owner who bought it from him. Porter Square Books is owned by workers who left a bad employer and started their own bookstore. You can't keep a good bookstore down, that's what I think. Here are the owners and staff of BookWorks. Albuquerque is well served, and they know it.

Of course we knew we'd see some friends here.

The Broyles sisters, from left, Sherry and Miss Kathleen.

In the center, Rainer Moore, known to many of you as one of our U.S. Soldiers, and now a college graduate. With him, his proud father Richard and his cousin Cheye.
I like Albuquerque more now, having spent some time here, and because Bookworks is a great bookstore and Flying Star is right next door. We'll be back.