Ptown 2009

Mid October means Ptown for our family. This is one of Rachel's biggest weeks of the year filled with readings and signings and author events. It's also a nice road trip for the family. We've found a great part outside of Syracuse that's becoming our annual lunch spot. It has an awesome playground for Jackson to burn off some energy.

The only problem was that he was a little leery of the tunnels since they weren't the solid plastic he was used to. He need Mama to go through first to prove it was safe.

Even then he wasn't totally convinced, he didn't want to miss out, so he had to army crawl through.After tackling that, he took his first (very slow) spin on a tire swing. Isn't he adorable?

Before we got back in the car we had to take a walk over to the lake because if there is water nearby, you know Jackson is going to need to throw a stick in it.

With all that playing, swinging, and stick throwing out of the way, Jackson was willing to get back in the car for a few more hours. We stopped for the night just before we got to the Cape. Jackson had a little bit of a melt down because we'd told him we were going to see NeeNee and Tosh on this trip, and he thought they would be at the hotel. However, once we got that worked out, he made himself at home on the big, king-sized bed.

The next morning we arrived in Ptown and after a stop in so Jackie could see his Aunt NeeNee and Aunt Tawh, we hit Commercial Street, which runs the whole length of Ptown. This is one of the few places in the world where Rachel gets recognized on the street by fans and fellow authors. However, when it comes down to it, Jackson is even more famous than his mommy. Here he is showing off his cool dinosaur bibs to Trish, a fan from England.

After a walk through town, and lunch at the Pig where Jackson won over the waitress and several patrons, it was time for Rachel to get to work, though work is more fun in Ptown than it is pretty much anywhere else. Here, work means listening to great authors read great books, and seeing great friends she only gets to see a few times a year.

Work continued right on into the night with a big meet and great for readers to interact with authors in an informal setting. The place was packed, and not surprisingly, Jackson got as much attention as any author in the room.

He set up shop on the air hockey table and was taking on anyone and everyone.

Dr. Susan had to resort to cheating to stop him, but I think he schooled her anyway. Then he taught her girlfriend, Lisa, a few new dance moves. I tell you this boy is quite the ladies man.

The party went into the night, or until his bed time anyway. It was a short night though before we were back out on the town. We picked up Aunt Nee Nee and then ran into a group of authors outside the coffee shop (imagine that). Jackson recognized Lisa from the night before and remember her threat to bite his butt, which is a real ongoing joke between them. Jackson was really getting used to his fame and the adoration that got heaped on him during these walks through town.

That afternoon Rach had more work to do. Very very important work.

She really did go to a reading, and she had a reading of her own, but in between them she had to spend some time throwing a football around with some fellow authors. The brilliant pictures make her look so very athletic, much to the amusement of anyone who actually saw the event :)

Saturday started in the best of ways, with us having breakfast with the T's. Jackson's Aunt NeeNee made her famous grits for us, which is something we look forward to for months at a time. Jackson got in some cuddle time with Aunt Tawh.

When the boy went down for his nap, Rach took a walk around town. She really is in love with Cape Cod, especially Ptown. It's no surprise that this place has inspired writers, artists, and musicians for hundreds of years. With views like this, how could it not?

A little less picturesque, but still really cool was the new windmill that is powering all the lights in the pier area. It's a new design, and we thought it was really neat.

Rach had another reading that afternoon where she did her first reading from The Long Way Home, which just got contracted for 2010.

Then with all the "work" out of the way, it was time to play. BSB hosts a big wrap-up party on Saturday night. It's a great time, with tons of food and a chance for all the authors, editors, and staff to spend some time cutting loose. It is also our last chance to see each other for months at a time.

The couple who host us are also, understandably, enamored with Jackie boy. They always spoil him a little bit. This year was no exception. They got him a bulldozer that he then wheeled and crashed all over their house.

It was hard to leave the next day. We spent one more morning with the T's and gave lots of hugs to friends new and old, then got in the car and drove through a snowstorm to get home. We've spent a lot of time since then missing the Cape, but we know we'll be back there this time next year, and we are already counting down the days until Ptown 2010.