July 31, 2007 — Warm, humid. Hitting the road in the morning with Izzy, the media whore. We are heading for Boston and environs – readings at the Framingham Barnes and Noble Thursday night, then 12:30 at Borders in downtown Boston, then to the Toadstool bookstores in Petersborough and Keene on Saturday (one is at ll a.m., the other at 2). Izzy will spend three days and nights with me, going to readings and joining me in some media appearances. Only his second or third time in a big city, but he has mastered New York and Albany, so Boston should not be a problem, and Izzy has not yet met a group of dog lovers he didn’t like. Hope we will have time to hit some of the great parks in Boston and Cambridge, but there won’t be a lot of down time. I’m bringing a crate for him to use in the hotel.
  Then back to the farm, and in a week or so, off to North Carolina. The book tour has been a lovefest, as I have pockets stuffed with cards, biscuits, pictures and ceramics of dogs living and gone. People love to tell me the stories of their dogs, as I love to tell them mine. But book tours are not a natural form of life, and I am wary of getting sick of me, as I suspect others are.
  The book tour has about two weeks to go, and I am eager to get back to my next book, “My Farm,” a story of my love affair with my farm and it’s history. I find myself getting very attached to the goats, and continuing a great love affair with the donkeys. I have some great animals, and am quite fortunate. Rose will run the place while I’m gone – she and Annie routinely go sheepherding now when I’m away, and Annie says Rose was balky at first about taking orders from her, but has gotten the handle of it. Rose becomes fond of anybody who brings her to sheep.
  I’m bringing the camera, too, in the hope of taking some good pictures. Very much looking forward to the fall, and only two hay shipments away from being ready. Had a long yak with Paula, and then Anthony came bye to say goodbye and he is excited about his plans for the fall. So am I.