The Land of Counterpane

by Robert Louis Stevenson

When I was sick and lay a-bed, 

I had two pillows at my head, 

And all my toys beside me lay 

To keep me happy all the day. 

And sometimes for an hour or so 

I watched my leaden soldiers go, 

With different uniforms and drills, 

Among the bed-clothes, through the hills; 

And sometimes sent my ships in fleets 

All up and down among the sheets; 

Or brought my trees and houses out, 

And planted cities all about. 

I was the giant great and still 

That sits upon the pillow-hill, 

And sees before him, dale and plain, 

The pleasant land of counterpane.

which train?

When you visit New York, how do you know which subway to get to where the fastest? Usually you'd ask a New Yorker. Now, apparently, you should ask Google. But there are other tricks and tips Google won't tell you... Like where to head on the platform and which side of the subway car to stand. For that you need a New Yorker or a helpful article like this one: The New York Times.

deal yourself a novel

Nabokov liked to write in his car, apparently. (In case you don't believe me, here he is in his car, writing.) He wrote in pencil on 3-by-5-inch index cards (he never worked with a typewriter). Then, as he put it, he would “deal himself a novel.” How cool is that? It makes it sound like such fun. Plus, it's a brilliant way for New Yorkers to use the hours spent sitting in our parked cars waiting for street cleaning. Excuse me goobye but I have to rush out and get some index cards immediately and sit in my car.

Dry-Retriever

he simply just can't bear to be wet...

get me my coffee

desperate doll spotted in Virginia early this morning. (looks to me like a rough night.)

HEMA catalog

OK so this is the coolest ever product catalog. (don't click on anything... just wait and see what happens.) (CAUTION extremely boring fact corner: HEMA is a Dutch department store that was just sold to a British investment company, Lion Capital.)

sue heap in the TIMES

Look. There she is. In the London Times no less! She's a genius, by the way. She's also the one who illustrated HOW TO BE A BABY and the soon to be released companion, HOW TO GET MARRIED: by Me, the Bride (as well as Handbag Friends). Best of all, she's a great friend. She also is extremely courageous and this article is about something she never speaks of: her brave struggles with rheumatoid arthritis. To read it, click here.

Bookseller Review

The wonderful Walker Books is publishing HOW TO BE A BABY in the UK (came out September 1st) and THE BOOKSELLER just gave it a rave review. To read it, click here (and go to page 28).