I had a great time yesterday signing books at Lemuria. My friends and family turned up, keeping me with a steady line of customers for about two hours. I signed books for my children’s teachers, friends from book group, from church, from my old days at the newspaper and people who just turned up in the store.

I brought a wolfsnail and some prey snails so the kids (and adults) could see a real wolfsnail in action.

I appreciate the efforts of the Lemuria staff, who made the visit very pleasant.

During a quiet moment near the end of the visit, a friend brought his son in for a book. Things were slow so I read the book to William, who is an intrepid backyard explorer. He told me he had found an alligator snapping turtle in his grandmother’s yard — just that morning.

My mother took the photographs (my teacher in action) and my father took my younger kids home when they had had enough of Mom being in the hot seat. Richard and Graeme joined us for the first 15 minutes and then left for Meridian so Graeme could play in a statewide piano recital.