:: Don’t schedule the drawing to take place on your husband’s birthday.
Or on the week three friends die.
:: Don’t use Post It Notes to put names on. They stick together
and you suddenly have six winners.
:: Don’t offer a book that breaks your heart to send away.
(Hyperbole alert: it’s just the more I handle it…)
:: For those who didn’t win, here are some of the early photos of NYC.
(the one on the left is a drawing) (click for larger pictures)
:: Yay to Hope in Brazil who won 1,000 Places to See Before You Die
:: Hooray for toomanyhats (another Carol in Oregon) who won How the Other Half Lives
A Living Pencil 
congrats to the winners! I’ve never hosted a give-away before but I will take your advice to heart… although some times one cannot plan for.I enjoyed looking at the photos since I just finished a book about Victorian NYC.
Yay for me!!! But…now I feel guilty…I can read it send it back! I’ll shall bring you a special something when we meet for that cup of coffee some day! I’m sorry it’s been a hard week Carol…It seems that it’s a tough winter for the older folks…My husband just got back from a funeral for a dear retired pastor friend. The clerk at the produce store asked me how I was today and all I could come up with was “January is gloomy.” Three friends in a week feels beyond gloomy….
@toomanyhats – No you will NOT send it back. It’s just like my older boys. I wanted them to leave but it was still hard. I have *another* copy of this book that matches my Penguin editions. I’m delighted you won it.
Sending love amidst the gloom, Carol. Has this northern California storm hit you? Rain, rain, rain here in Placerville. And wind! Wow. Stormy excitement. The flu and colds this year have been very severe, and I know young and old are the most vulnerable. It is so hard to grieve friends…I often feel outside the circle that has a legitimate claim to grief, and yet my life feels diminished by the loss. Goodbye is never easy. Never. I’ll be holding you close in my prayers.Love,Dip.s. happy belated to dear Curt. What a lovely tribute to him. To be someone’s PG Wodehouse is an honor…but Chesterton, Lewis, Berry, too? Wow.
Fun post! And boy will I be on the lookout now for How the Other Half Lives. Congratulations to the winners. Thanks for the giveaway. I know I don’t comment much anymore, but I continue to enjoy your blog very much. Blessings.(P.S. I have thought of you and “the shire” lots lately, as I’m currently reading: Chief Joseph and the Flight of the Nez Perce, Kent Nerburn. Good book!)