First part of a Henry Miller interview from 1956.
First part of a Henry Miller interview from 1956.
The well-groomed Samuel Pepys died on 26 May 1703. He was seventy.

Samuel Pepys, 1666.
QUOTE: “But me thought is lessened my esteem of a king, that he should not be able to command the rain.”
KNOWN FOR: His incredibly diary.
A KEEPSAKE:

Samuel Pepys’ Diary at Lady Frans Library. $19.00
Let’s be real: we enjoy receiving awards. They are sweet acknowledgments that readers like our blog. We appreciate everyone who has taken the time to nominate us for various awards these last few months. Unfortunately, we’ve lost track of a few of them and for that we apologize. Keeping awards in play is awfully time-consuming and repetitive: there are only so many personal facts we have to share. Frankly, we’d rather spend the time creating new content for the blog. Although we’ve no desire to hurt the feelings of our nominators, a compromise is definitely required.
It’s a work in progress so, whilst things are subject to change, here’s what we’ve come up with after much thought:
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS:
Thank you, Morgan, from I am a heathen, for nominating us for the Versatile Blogger Award.

Versatile Blogger Award
Thanks, Nanuschka, for nominating us for a 3-in-1 Award. Check out Nanuschka’s Blog here.
It’s not everyday that a book by a long-dead Nobel Prize winner comes to light. How fascinating!
A Pearl Buck Novel, New After 4 Decades [courtesy The New York Times]

Pearl S. Buck, circa 1932
If you need me today, I’ll be in this chair: legs thrown over the side, disheveled, peaceful. Reading, sipping tea, staring out open windows. Living life with the timer off. Collecting quotes, not thinking, blissfully unaware. Ruffling doggie ears, painting my toe nails, napping. Tomorrow, I’ll be back. Ready to jump into the fray. But that is in the future and today, today, is about the now.

A great place for solitude.
Thank you to the lovely Vickie Lester, for reminding me that I do not need permission or justification for taking some alone time.

Miss Zizi
*“Time spent with a cat is never wasted.”-Colette

Charles Bukowski Unisex T-Shirt by PunkNRockPlus. $14.52

It Was a Dark and Stormy Night Quote Charm by The White Space. $13.95
“There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.”-Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady

Tea for One.
Tea set: MoMA STORE (no longer available)
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was born on this day in 1859. In addition to being a physician and wildly famous author, he was quite the fashion plate.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, 1890.
QUOTE: “I have frequently gained my first real insight into the character of parents by studying their children.”
SOME WORKS: The Sherlock Holmes books; The Stark Munro Letters; The Maracot Deep; The Lost World; dozens of short stories.
A KEEPSAKE:

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle print by Pemberley Pond. $19.92