Last night, I pulled on a slinky long black dress, slinky long black opera shoes, and sassy black cowboy boots. Greg and I had dinner and danced at the Four Seasons Lake Austin (a simultaneous birthday and new year is a lot of “date” pressure on a husband).

Dinner was, hm, something small with lobster and avocado, something small with basil and tomato, lobster bisque, salad with goat cheese, a scallop, lemon sherbert, sea bass, and mixed berries. Greg had the same, except the beef instead of the bass, and it all sounded much more divine on the menu than it does on this blog but, regardless, tasted amazing!

My gift was a small arts-and-crafts desk we found at an antique shop off I-35, between here and San Marcos, for the guest room.

I’m off now to watch the “Monk” marathon.

Many joyous tidings to you in 2005!

P.S. See an ICL chat transcript with Kent Brown Jr., Editor-in-Chief of Highlights for Children Magazine.

See also “Grants, Fellowships, and Other Opportunities for Children’s Writers and Children’s Illustrators” by Erika Dreifus from ICL.