How ironic that last week I blogged about flexibility and this was the week where I had to be flexible again and again.

Saturday news—I thought I would be writing about my TV interview with Dr. Veronica Esagui for “The Author’s Forum” this week. But last Saturday morning, she emailed me to say that it would be postponed a week due to a death in the family of one of the people involved with the show. I was disappointed but totally understood. So I emailed or called the venues I had been planning to stop and see Tuesday or Wednesday. Fortunately, I hadn’t made any lodging reservations. The new date for the taping is March 20 mid-day.

As I explained last week, the interview next Tuesday about my book, Crossings: McCullough’s Coastal Bridges, and me will not be live, and it may be a month or more before it’s aired on Channels 21 and 11. It’ll run several times a week for two weeks, which should be the last of April and beginning of May. Channel 21 is seen on Comcast Cable and Frontier FiOS systems and serves Washington County except the cities of Sherwood and Wilsonville and includes Lake Oswego and Rivergrove. Channel 11 is seen in Washington, Multnomah, and Clackamas counties on Comcast Cable Channel 11 and Frontier Channel 22 and 23. Whew!

For the rest of us, the interview will be posted on the Pacific Publishing website (http://www.connectflorence.com) and on YouTube as soon as I receive the CD in the mail. That should be a couple of weeks after the interview. Hopefully, some time before the end of April.

Since I wouldn’t be going to Portland Tuesday, I decided to use the day to go online and find info on museums and libraries and then make calls.

Eight inches of snow on the deck, March 13, 2012. Wet, heavy snow.

Tuesday weather—That plan changed when we woke up to snow. I live on a ridge north of Florence and about two miles inland and I had eight inches. Eight inches of beautiful pristine snow, covering trees and surrounding countryside. Gorgeous sight! This was not light feathery powder, but heavy wet stuff. Because it was so heavy and the ground saturated, lots of trees were down or suffered damage with broken limbs. Roads were blocked in places, including ours, and power was off in some places, including ours.

I was so glad the trip to the Portland area had been postponed. I couldn’t even get off my hill let alone get to Portland.

Snow covered everything. Beautiful and cold.

So that day was nothing like I planned. Before breakfast, I had to go into no-power-cold-house mode. I got the wood stove going and water heating on it. Then I dug out my ancient battery-powered radio tuned to our local radio station and switched the new phone that requires electricity to the old Princess-style dial phone that works no matter what. And later in the day, I restocked wood from the woodshed to the house and garage.

The last time we had a big snowfall was February 1989 when I had 15 inches and icicles that grew to the size of spears. That one lasted 12 days before the temperature reached 40 degrees. This time, the temps were above 40 by afternoon.

I noticed my pink, blooming fruitless plum had snapped off right at the top of the trunk because of the heavy snow. Darn! So I looked at my large camellias and rhodies and they were bent every which way and probably nearing the breaking point. So I left the warm, cozy house and put on my warmest waterproof stuff. Using a big stick and lots of attitude, I started knocking off the snow. It wasn’t long before my arms and hands were involved, and my gloves got so wet they dyed my hands black. The shrubs, little plants in ‘89, were now taller than me. It took a couple of hours to get all that snow knocked off.  The plants sprang back and looked none the worse for wear. I, however, came in with sore back, black hands, and became really stiff by bedtime.

Wednesday responsibilities—Since I couldn’t use the computer to do research the day before and the power was back on by Wednesday, I had hoped to spend a chunk of the day researching libraries and museums online and making the related phone calls for placing the book on my trip north. But I got a call from the Siuslaw Pioneer Museum where I’m a Wednesday volunteer and since I wasn’t going to Portland, they asked if I would be able to come in. I said I would, and I also needed to go by and sign books and pick up books for my trip north. So I left about 11 a.m. Since I’ve learned not to start calling businesses before 10, I didn’t get much calling done.

Thursday domino effect—So it was Thursday before I got to the research and calling and that was after a dentist appointment, which means that I’m not getting to my blog until Friday afternoon. Last night, I had to spend time going over all my tax stuff for my tax appointment this morning. So this is really a last minute blog.

Making calls to place books in new venues might take more than one call to get to the right person—the owner or person in charge of acquisitions. My usual routine is to make my pitch by phone, send a book cover photo and a PR piece via email, and deliver the books in person. Sometimes I can’t actually talk to the person, so I get their email and go from there.

Usually they respond to the email and want the book and look forward to me stopping by with copies. Sometimes they want it, but can’t afford any right now. But I got a real kick out of the response from the Lake Oswego Library, “You don’t have to stop by because we already own a copy of Crossings, but we are the only library in Clackamas County that does. The others may be interested.” So I crossed Lake Oswego off, and added a few of the others. When I talked to Greg at the Wilsonville Library he really made my day. After giving my pitch, he said, “You’ve sold me already. Send the info, stop by, I’ll buy the book!”

Bottom line—Seven to nine venues to visit over two days and an interview that not only will be seen on local TV, but I’ll be able to use on our website and YouTube . . . unless plans change. But, hey, I’m flexible. So much so, I’m beginning to look like a pretzel.

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Crossings: McCullough’s Coastal Bridges can be yours for $24.95 plus $4.99 shipping. Order from Pacific Publishing at http://www.connectflorence.com or pacpub@oregonfast.net. It is also available on the coast in bookstores, museums, and gift shops; in Eugene at the airport, the historical museum, and several bookstores; in Portland at Powell’s and the Oregon Historical Society; and in Made in Oregon stores throughout the state.

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Judy’s PowerPoint presentation with book sales/signings:

March 29, Thursday, 7 p.m.—Coos Bay Public Library, Coos Bay (525 Anderson Avenue).