Debbie's Blog
Professional Hair & Make-Up for a Day
Today, all day, I’m involved in a photo shoot for the 2011 Debbie Macomber Christmas Cookbook and a new publicity photo for my May 2011 hardcover, A Turn in the Road.
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Weekend of Stitches
Christina, Renate and I were in Hartford, CT, this past weekend where we attended the STITCHES conference. This was both pleasure and business. While there, I attended a class taught by J.C. Read more
Stitches East
Tomorrow my assistant, Renate, and I are off to Connecticut for the big Stitches East conference in Hartford. This is knitter’s heaven. The classes are fabulous and the market . . . oh my! I OWN a yarn store, and I will still buy yarn, which I’m convinced is the sign of a true addict. (Help! Read more
Happy Birthday Maddy!
My granddaughter, Maddy, and I are celebrating our shared birthday today. Maddy is by far the best birthday gift of my entire life. The day she was born my daughter phoned to let me know she was in labor. I was so excited, and I told her I’d meet her at the hospital. Only I had a nail appointment that day, so I raced down to the salon to tell Jane I had to cancel. Naturally, I told practically everyone in the entire mall that my daughter was having her baby on MY birthday. Then I stopped by the bank to tell my good friend, Betty Read more
Football Sunday
Our entire family loves football. Wayne and I have had season tickets to the Seahawks since 1978. All four of our kids are into football, too. When the season tickets arrive, it’s like a huge lottery to see who gets what game. So, in celebration of Maddy’s and my birthdays this week the entire family is attending the game against the Cardinals this Sunday. The reason I mention this is because Seattle took a restaurant survey a few years back. One of the questions included on the survey was where is the most expensive place to dine in the c Read more
Going Green–or Would that Be Orange?
Okay, I'll admit it. I'm up to my eyeballs in cooked pumpkin. I sorted through recipes, and if I bake twelve more pumpkin pies, pumpkin bread and a huge batch of pumpkin soup, I will have used up one full pumpkin. The problem is, there are still three more pumpkins to be cooked, and they are all larger than the one I've already cooked!
Weekend Contentment
I spent a good portion of my day in the kitchen on Sunday.
Wayne and our son, Ted, carted up pumpkins from the garden–I had six huge ones. I dug up the rest of the carrots and potatoes, so it was the perfect time to make a large batch of stew using vegetables from the garden.
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Young Writers
I’m packing my suitcase tonight to fly up to Rye, NY, and then I’ll head back to our home in Washington state. While in Rye, I’ll speak to the group of young writers who are attending a week-long, intensive workshop as winners of Guideposts’ annual writing contest. It doesn’t seem that long ago that I was one of those eager young writers so anxious to see my stories in print. I hope to offer them encouragement and inspiration and show them that it really is possible for our dreams to come true. Read more
Testing Your City Skills
I’m feeling rather intellectually superior this morning. I took a test via the Internet that shows famous cities from the air. Sixteen different cities. I got 14 of the 16 correct, which gave me a 90% score . Wayne, the great brain of the family (and I’m not kidding; he’s a member of MENSA), took the same test and got 60%. I’ve been glowing ever since. If you’re interested in testing your own skill, go to www.guessthecity.com and take it yourself. Have fun. Read more
Columbus Day
Today we celebrate Columbus Day in honor of Christopher Columbus, who sailed the ocean blue in 1492. Some four hundred years later my grandfather crossed that same ocean, coming from a German-speaking settlement inside of Russia near the Black Sea. As it happens, all four of my grandparents came from the same general area in Russia. My guess is that many of our grandparents and ancestors crossed that same ocean. So thank you, dear Christopher Columbus, for leading the way. Read more
Celebrity for a Day
I had quite a Monday. Once the news was out that I had signed with Random House, the phone didn’t stop ringing and I had three or four interviews. In the meantime I was running up and down stairs doing laundry and making a list for Wayne to take to the grocery store. Bogie wanted my attention, too (he likes me to toss him his toys so he can chase after them.) So between laundry, making grocery lists, entertaining Bogie and attempting to write my chapter, I was a celebrity for a day. Ah, the incredible life of the writer! Read more
Big News
Got news? I do, and it’s big! Effective 2012, I’ll be writing for Random House, specifically for Ballantine Bantam Dell. I will forever have friends with the fine people where I have been published for 28 years. However, in this broader world I have created for myself, Random House is the perfect fit. Because it will be a new beginning, I’ll be starting a new series set . . . 76 trumbones please! . . . Read more
Fall Dessert
I have a notorious sweet tooth. I came by it honestly–my father and grandfather had one,too! The sad fact is Wayne can take or leave desserts. Except this one.
I can’t remember where I got the recipe, but I’m fairly certain a reader passed it along . . . or I might have heard someone talking about it while standing in the grocery line. Either way I’m sharing it with all of you. You’re gonna love it.
Baked Apples
2 apples, peeled, cored and divided into 4 pieces (8 pieces total) Read more
Knitter’s Joy
I’ve got my knitting needles poised and ready for this weekend, starting today. A GOOD YARN, the store below my office (yes, friends, I write above a yarn store and an ice cream parlor–God is so-o-o good!), is celebrating its second anniversary. There’s a Knit-In with me this afternoon, followed by dessert this evening and, what else . . . Read more
Speed Demon?
I’ve been getting regular updates from Wayne "Mario Andredi" Macomber as he completes the safety driving course in Arizona. He has always been something of a speed demon, and these classes have only fueled his enthusiasm for driving. (No pun intended!) We routinely drive between our two homes–one in Washington State and the other in Florida. In case you’re interested, that’s 3,323 miles, door to door. It generally takes us about a week. I have the feeling following this driving class Wayne will figure out a way to get there in t Read more
NASCAR Driver
Wayne is in Arizona this week taking a safety driving class . . . Read more
Meeting Readers
Every now and again I have the opportunity to meet the most amazing, fun readers–women who give my heart a reason to sing. This happens far more frequently while I’m on tour, but it also happened this weekend.
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The Definition of Contentment
It's feeling a great deal like autumn here in the Pacific Northwest, with chilly mornings, overcast skies, and burnt orange leaves swirling about in the wind .
This summer Wayne had our fireplace converted over to gas so he wouldn't have to fuss with building a fire for me. I have to admit, I'm enjoying it a great deal.
Fisherman’s Wharf & Ghirardelli Square
I’m in San Francisco with my friend, Mary Lou Carney, who wrote the children’s book THE TERRIBLY HORRIBLE SWEATER . . . THAT GRANDMA KNIT, with me. We discovered dim sum in China Town and ate sum! In fact, we ate a lot! The shopping was incredible. I’m now decked in stone- flowered necklaces. We’re enjoying every minute of our mutual birthday celebration. (True, we’re celebrating a little early–we’re two days apart in October—but that doesn’t matter!)
A Toast!
Wayne and I, along with our friends, the Wilson’s, spent the weekend celebrating our anniversaries. Tink and Wayne met in first grade in Colville, Washington, and have been the best of friends ever since. Tink and Wayne were roommates in Seattle when I first met Wayne. Then Tink and Renelle were married a week after Wayne and me, so it's become something of a tradition to celebrate our anniversaries together.
Poker, Pool and Partying
Wayne and I are taking a short anniversary trip over Labor Day and getting an early start tomorrow morning. I’m excited to get away and spend some time with my husband and another couple who are friends. We’re doing a short wine tour in Oregon and then heading to Reno (Wayne loves to play poker). While I’m not much of a gambler, there’s always lazy time by the pool, shopping and fabulous dining. I hope you enjoy your Labor Day weekend as much as Wayne and I plan to. Read more
Cable Cars & Cabled Yarn
I spent a girls’ weekend in San Francisco with my friend,Candi Jensen, who produces Knit and Crochet Today for PBS, and my writer friend, Christina Skye, who wrote the Code Name and Draycott Abbey series. The three of us are all addicted to yarn, and where do you think we spent our time? If you guessed China Town or on the famous San Francisco Wharf or even the shopping district, you guessed wrong. We did a yarn crawl followed by a wine tasting. We had an incredible three days. There’s nothing better than girl time with good friends. Read more
Family Feud
I’ve been spending a little time each night straightening out my library. I have piles of books all over the room that I’m sorting through. I find it excruciatingly difficult to give up a book, so I’ve been transporting them downstairs . . . Read more
Second Chance Contest Winner Announced
For those of you who’ve been asking . . . yes, Virginia, there is a Santa . . . oh sorry, wrong season. A final selection by vote for the Second Chance Essay Contest has been announced. And the winner is . . . drum roll, please . . . Tina Salomonson from Louisville, TN. Congratulations, Tina! Read more
2 a.m. Discussion
Bogie got us up at 2 this morning, wanting out. The discussion between Wayne and me went something like this.
Wayne: "Bogie wants out."
Me: "Why are you telling me this?"
Wayne: "He’s your dog." Read more