Stephanie and Rich Gross were at Tomie's September 15th party. Stephanie has cleaned (and painted, mended clothes, dog sat, housesat) for Tomie for decades. In fact, her vacuum is purring in the barn as I write.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
75th Birthday Party #2, Photo #7
Stephanie and Rich Gross were at Tomie's September 15th party. Stephanie has cleaned (and painted, mended clothes, dog sat, housesat) for Tomie for decades. In fact, her vacuum is purring in the barn as I write.
Monday, September 21, 2009
75th Birthday Party #2, Photo #6
(Left to Right) Coleen, Anne Marie (Brita of Sweden's daughter) and Meg worked Tomie's birthday party at Rockwell's at the (New London) Inn on September 15. Coleen redecorated the room with fall grasses and flowers.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
75th Birthday Party #2, Photo #5
Brita of Sweden "repaired" Tomie's sweater. She brought a rose for Tomie to his September 15th birthday party.
Carolyn Croll Sends Birthday Wishes
Check out Carolyn Croll's posts for September 14 and September 15 at:
www.cateatsbananasandflies.blogspot.com
www.cateatsbananasandflies.blogspot.com
75th Birthday Party #2, Photo #4
Tomie had a sweater that was moth-eaten, and he asked Brita of Sweden to cover the holes with embroidery. Brian of New York City gave Tomie the "sassy" pin. Tomie wore the sweater to Birthday Party #2 on September 15.
75th Birthday Party #2, Photo #3
Heather and Josiah Downey at Tomie's September 15th birthday party. Heather is Tomie's bookkeeper.
75th Birthday Party #2, Photo #2
Christine and Martin Marklin, candlemakers, at Tomie's September 15th birthday party.
75th Birthday Party #2, Photo #1
Young Chef/Owner Jerod Rockwell of Rockwell's at the (New London) Inn prepared a wonderful variety of hors d'oeuvres for Tomie's 75th birthday party, September 15, 2009.
The Food Is Awful!
Tomie is recovering well from Friday's carpal tunnel surgery. The surgery took a bit longer than the carpal tunnel surgery he had a few years ago. The doctor noticed this time an unusual congenital condition in Tomie's wrist that he last saw in a patient ten years ago.
The right wrist and arm were put in a hard cast. (The doctor hadn't expected the need for a hard cast during earlier discussions.) The doctor was relieved to hear that the book tour had been canceled as he had planned on asking Tomie to cancel the tour to give the wrist the best chance to recover. The doctor is optimistic about recovery.
The convalescent home (Tomie's home) is very nice although the food isn't very good while the cook is laid up.
(The blood transfusion made a positive difference in Tomie's breathing.)
The right wrist and arm were put in a hard cast. (The doctor hadn't expected the need for a hard cast during earlier discussions.) The doctor was relieved to hear that the book tour had been canceled as he had planned on asking Tomie to cancel the tour to give the wrist the best chance to recover. The doctor is optimistic about recovery.
The convalescent home (Tomie's home) is very nice although the food isn't very good while the cook is laid up.
(The blood transfusion made a positive difference in Tomie's breathing.)
STREGA NONA'S HARVEST Is a Best Seller!
STREGA NONA'S HARVEST is a NEW YORK TIMES best seller, according to today's lists. Number 8 on the Children's Picture Books list. "A garden yields an unpredictable cornucopia when a novice gardener disregards advice," according to THE NEW YORK TIMES.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Birthday Party #1 of 3
Here's an online PUBLISHERS WEEKLY article about Penguin Group's birthday party for Tomie on September 10, 2009.
www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6697418.html?&rid=1959776788&source=link
www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6697418.html?&rid=1959776788&source=link
Thursday, September 17, 2009
The Details
Some background.
Tomie has been anemic for years. He goes to the hospital every other Wednesday to have his red blood cell count checked. If it's low, he gets a shot.
Mid-summer Tomie got a rather serious foot infection. The foot has been healing very slowly, and that has been a concern for his foot doctor. He sees the doctor once each week, and yesterday morning was the next appointment.
Carpal tunnel in Tomie's right hand/wrist became evident during the late winter and early spring. Surgery is scheduled for 6:45 a.m. tomorrow.
Wednesday morning.
I got to work at 7:30 a.m., and Tomie told me he was having trouble catching his breath. When we went to the hospital around 7:45 a.m. to have his anemia monitored, his red blood cell count was very low. The nurses didn't give Tomie a shot. Instead they told him to return to them before he went to his foot doctor appointment later in the morning, and they then contacted his doctors.
When he went back to the nurses, they told him the doctors ordered a blood transfusion. Tomie spent about four hours yesterday afternoon getting a blood transfusion.
When Tomie went to his foot doctor, the doctor decided that it was time to send Tomie to a wound clinic for his foot. Tomie has the first wound clinic appointment scheduled for next week.
It seemed as if his body was screaming, "Give me a break!" We made the tough decision to cancel the book tour to give Tomie's hand a chance to heal, and to give his foot a chance to heal, and to get his anemia under control.
We were all set to start traveling on Sunday. This was hardly the outcome Tomie had wanted. He hopes the booksellers and fans will understand.
Tomie has been anemic for years. He goes to the hospital every other Wednesday to have his red blood cell count checked. If it's low, he gets a shot.
Mid-summer Tomie got a rather serious foot infection. The foot has been healing very slowly, and that has been a concern for his foot doctor. He sees the doctor once each week, and yesterday morning was the next appointment.
Carpal tunnel in Tomie's right hand/wrist became evident during the late winter and early spring. Surgery is scheduled for 6:45 a.m. tomorrow.
Wednesday morning.
I got to work at 7:30 a.m., and Tomie told me he was having trouble catching his breath. When we went to the hospital around 7:45 a.m. to have his anemia monitored, his red blood cell count was very low. The nurses didn't give Tomie a shot. Instead they told him to return to them before he went to his foot doctor appointment later in the morning, and they then contacted his doctors.
When he went back to the nurses, they told him the doctors ordered a blood transfusion. Tomie spent about four hours yesterday afternoon getting a blood transfusion.
When Tomie went to his foot doctor, the doctor decided that it was time to send Tomie to a wound clinic for his foot. Tomie has the first wound clinic appointment scheduled for next week.
It seemed as if his body was screaming, "Give me a break!" We made the tough decision to cancel the book tour to give Tomie's hand a chance to heal, and to give his foot a chance to heal, and to get his anemia under control.
We were all set to start traveling on Sunday. This was hardly the outcome Tomie had wanted. He hopes the booksellers and fans will understand.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Book Tour '09 Update: Life Happens Quickly
Tomie's book tour to promote STREGA NONA'S HARVEST during late September and early October has been canceled due to health issues.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Happy 75th Birthday, Tomie!
Here are Liz and David Shanks with Tomie at the birthday party they hosted for Tomie in NYC on Thursday evening, September 10, 2009. David Shanks is CEO of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Working Through the Pain
Artwork for LET THE WHOLE EARTH SING PRAISE (publication date during Fall 2010) will be sent to the publisher, G. P. Putnam's Sons, today. Tomie wrote in the author's note: The art echoes the beautiful folk art embroideries and naive designs of the Otomi people from the mountain villages around San Pablito, in Puebla, Mexico.
Tomie's carpal tunnel problems returned earlier this year while he was working on the artwork for FOR THE DURATION. It's remarkable that he has been able to work through the pain to finish the artwork for FOR THE DURATION, and create artwork for MY MOTHER IS SO SMART (March 2010) and LET THE WHOLE EARTH SING PRAISE.
Maybe he'll experience some relief after carpal tunnel surgery this coming Friday morning.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
A Salad Channels Strega Nona
"A salad of sweet local cherry tomatoes and watermelon, served with smoked ricotta... channels Strega Nona..."
THE NEW YORKER magazine, September 14, 2009
www.newyorker.com/arts/reviews/tables/2009/09/14/090914gota_GOAT_tables_lyon
THE NEW YORKER magazine, September 14, 2009
www.newyorker.com/arts/reviews/tables/2009/09/14/090914gota_GOAT_tables_lyon
Sunday, September 6, 2009
MY FIRST FAIRY TALES, a Board Book
MY FIRST FAIRY TALES, board book, features "The Princess and the Pea," "Rumpelstiltskin," "The Three Bears," and "The Elves and the Shoemaker," excerpted from TOMIE DEPAOLA'S FAVORITE NURSERY TALES. Grosset & Dunlap published this book on September 3.