Maria has been sketching whenever she can. I think the tour has been wearing for her, and sketching has kept her in touch with herself as an artist. I am grateful for the help and support she’s given me, it would not have been possible to make this trip without her. This afternoon, we arrived in Solon, Ohio, right near Chagrin Fall, and the Bainbridge Library, where we are going tonight. Tomorrow, a long ride home. Then a couple of days to get organized, and out to South Hadley, Mass. Libraries are my favorite places to go.

I love the sketches Maria has been making, her own record of an exhilarating but grueling trek to the middle of the country and back. I am thinking  a lot about whether I should be hauling Izzy around to signings and readings. Tonight might be his last one. I’ll write more about that later. Got to get to the library. More about that later, too.