Every year, when I turn the calendar page to September (which of course I still do, being from the olden days and enjoying a bit of whimsy in the kitchen), I think (almost like Pavlov’s dog), YAY! Almost Fall! Time to make something! Time to redecorate! And this year, even better, Time to Plan a cross-country Book-Signing tour! Ask me if I’m happy! Oh yes, I am!!š. . . Ā MUSICA
It’s forever that back to school feeling . . . Making something from nothing, we do it all the time, and so much, and so normal, we often don’t even know we’re doing it. That’s life! But do try to notice! We all need to recognize how many-faceted we REALLY are! It makes us braver!
To recognize our own creativity makes us more able to do it on purpose. That’s when we enter a whole different world where we know our day is nothing until we create what goes into it. It’s us! It’s always been us! Look at that purely original and wildly brave Dolly Parton. The thing that makes me saddest . . . so much beautiful loving wisdom and generosity, gone from us. But never forgotten. And still spreading her gifts.šĀ 
So, I need to tell you, an anchor was Ā attached to my get-up-and-go about a month ago … Ā See? No? Neither can I!Ā
There was a teeny red spot on my lower eyelid, right NEXT to my eyeball Eeek!, found during a regular check-up of my birthday suit by the dermatologist, that turned out to be basal cell carcinoma, which is a slow-growing kind of sun cancer, that nevertheless must GO. And because it’s so close to my eye, and because the MOHS procedure I had to remove it required four passes to get it all (to get “clean edges” as they say), I had to have reconstructive surgery the next day by an ocular 
plastic surgeon. Here I am about five days after (still having to sleep sitting up), with my old pals Elaine and Diane (you know them from my book The Fairy Tale Girl) ~ Elaine out visiting us from Martha’s Vineyard and Diane came for lunch that Joe made. In this shot, I’m faking health and vitality because I wasn’t about to miss them. But healing is going to take a while. The bandage is off, so each day it gets better, but three times a day I have to put ointment on it, mungy stuff that glues my eyelashes together into boardlike structures, and there is one last procedure coming Sept. 23 … then I will be as good as new, both eyes matching, can’t ask for more than that! It’s just required a lot of laying around, no bending over, no sleeping flat, and trying not to use eyes. Now you know why there are over a thousand of your comments from last blog waiting for me to read!š«£ But each day I feel more energized. I like to DO stuff, so this entire scene has an element of torture to it!š The moral of this story is a reminder to get your birthday suit checked! They can get it if they find it early enough! And being blessed as I am, I never had to lay around alone.š First off I had my darling husband ~ a profound statement considering what a doll he is, and a fantastic cook to boot! I was well taken care of.š And then these guysā¬ļø . . . so you see? You don’t have to worry about me at all!Ā
My two boys, seemed to understand the situation and cozied right up for the duration.š„°
Simon, in my soft spot.
Sammy, in HIS soft spot. We all had great times with TCM.šĀ
Going down for a nap, I felt paws on my feet, but I couldn’t move around to see and risk the chance the paws would leave, so I lifted the phone over my head to try for a photo so I could see what was happening, and found this. Sammy. My furry, kindred-spirit, cuddle-bug, heart’s desire.š
Ā And you know I’ve been hurrying to finish my new book . . . but this is what happens when you’re busy doing OTHER things!
I was SO CLOSE to done . . . Ā I literally texted Kellee the approval for the spine on the way to the hospital! She was finally able to send the entire book to the printer . . . and I went down for the count . . . š
And while I was sleeping, they printed out the pages and sent them back so I could approve them… Here they are! I’m so happy.šš¼šš¼šš¼ My bucket list had “write a new book when I’m 80 … and I did it!! A dream come true! (Let’s be clear, I’m not 80 yetš, but in my 80th year, so I’m counting it)! ā„ļø You’ll probably notice my editing marks on the pages, ignore them, they were tiny details I wanted fixed, your book will be unmarked and just for you. Here’s the cover:
So many of you have been preordered we already added more books to the printing! I know you know, but I 
just want to thank you again for being with me as I created this, you’re my inspiration!ā¤ļø And speaking of inspiration… I was telling girlfriends on Instagram that this new book reminds me a lot of the 1980s version of Country Living Magazine’s Christmas issues ~ some of you will remember how wonderful they were! I was totally addicted to that magazine . . . couldn’t wait each month for the new issue . . . I’d plan my red letter 
day: 1. Lunch with my new Country Living!š Comfort and Joy is just like that! Filled with photos and Decorating ideas, a collection of my very best Comfort Food Recipes, Winter DIY Projects, Snow Days, Valentine Breakfast, Ideas for gifts, Tablesettings, Parties, Girlfriends, December, January, February, and March, and everything that happens between Christmas and Spring! Above and below are a couple of pages of the Index so you can see some of what is covered…
Ā 
And I don’t KNOW if COMFORT AND JOY is my last book, but it might be! So I’m treating it with the respect that my last book deserves from me, and extending the celebration with my 2027 calendars and new cups too, made in England, to you from me with Love . . . If I’m going, I’m not going without a proper goodbye … and now we’re coming to see YOU, or at least trying to meet you half way . . . for goodbye hugs and years of gratitude in my eyes ~ this country is BIG, and you never know it more clearly than when driving across it and wishing you could go to every corner! š So come find me! I’ll give you a schedule soon.
Slowly but surely, as my eye improves, and my vision becomes clearer, I’ll work out a schedule for our book tour that we will probably start in November! And Yes! I will be debuting the new/old Diane Keaton Louis Vuitton shoes I won in the on-line auction of her clothing by some predestined, supposed-to-be, miracle.š«šš« They fit perfectly, they’re well-worn I’m happy to see, but she must have loved them since she held onto them for so long. So far I’ve walked in Diane Keaton’s shoes among girlfriends twice.š„°Ā Getting dressed, humming, š¶Seems like old timesĀ šµ. . . how is it she’s gone? And Dolly too.šø What is going on??? Two hard-working, positive icons. I don’t think I care much for the direction this seems to be going!š¢
It was already difficult enough to say goodbye to our parents, but it also turned out to be all their friends too, and all their icons like John Wayne and Bob Hope! So weird! That’s them up there, in the Olden Days, in our back yard, at one of their Come as You Are Breakfasts (I’m in front with a white barrette in my hair), the people we grew up with who made their parties all about us, look all those kids; I still remember their namesš . . . they truly were the Greatest Generation … the people over 30 we said couldn’t be trusted (said with that special sort of charm reserved for the young) and never ever gave enough credit to for the wonderful, funny, hard-working, contented people they were when they were alive . . . we didn’t know how much we would miss them . . . and now this, Baby Boomers are disappearing. I cry at the remembrances every week on CBS Sunday Morning (the best show on TV) . . . and all the Boomer fun and inspiration we had with them is being remembered and honored.šĀ It is true, as Joni sang, šµš¶ You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone. . .š¶ Which applies to everything . . . if you don’t already know it, a long life will teach you that.š
LOOK, one of our girlfriends found this picture of Diane Keaton WEARING MY SHOES and posted it on my Facebook page (FOSB, Friends of Susan Branch!).ššš
I had to look close Ā . . .
But it’s TRUE! I could just KISS that Facebook Girlfriend for posting them!ššš Kellee found them there and sent them to me, making my day!ā„ļø
I am definitely aware of not being able to fit into one single item of Dolly Parton’s clothes! Her tiny little feet, with those highest of high heels. Never. I am all clodhopper, all the time. And socks. Diane was my spirit animal.š
So anyway, the other thing we did to prepare for our farewell book signing, is to reprint books that have been out of print! You know I updated the Summer Book last year ~ I wanted to make sure we had them for our last book signing, just in cases Ā . . .Ā
Ā Ā And This! Autumn! Back due to popular demand! Just arrived! Perfect timing if I may say so.š It’s been out of print for 2 years! … but here it is ready to fuel creative hearts for the next three heavenly months. Makes me think that all my books are about comfort and joy. Handmade with love for you from me.š
And speaking of books made with love . . . my ex-husband, who, as many of you know, has turned into darling old guy with an extra-wonderful, girlfriend extraordinare wifeš, Cliff Branch (major character in life-changing Fairy Tale Girl and Martha’s Vineyard Isle of Dreams; my unlikely guardian angel in black capeš“āā ļø from the way-back machine) called yesterday to ask me if next time I wrote a Willard, would I please THANK my girlfriends for your interest in his brand new (and 1 old) book ~
Of course! Thank you!š You made his day, he thinks you’ve forgiven him!š And you made my day because I could help him! Life is funny that way! He gave us a special deal: BOTH books, beautifully written, filled with memories and photographs, for $10, and no shipping, so, essentially, free to my girlfriends! He wrote about me in the first one, as you probably saw, and even in the 2nd one ~ he was much nicer to me in his books than I was to him! But if you missed my last post, and you’d like to take a little trip back in time, go to www.Americanmadestory.com Just put in the code SUSAN10 when you’re checking out, and voila! ā„ļøĀ
For a lot of us, there are only two seasons, Autumn and waiting for Autumn! It’s here . . . I see it in the leafy shadows crossing my living room, and feel it in the cooler air Ā . . . We’ve only just begun!šš
Kellee has two points of “insider information” she wants me to relate to you . . . I’m the messenger today … First off, she is planning a Studio Sale, maybe the end of October, for the years of Studio 
STUFF we’ve gathered . . . even things from my old retail store, painted book shelves, work tables (one of them about, I don’t know, 20′ long?, beautiful, handmade for us in Martha’s Vineyard, pictured here with a long countertop leaning on it, when we were moving in), hutches, tons of heavy-duty storage racks, not sure but I think there might even be a couple of quilts made with my fabric, and 
of course my art and things. Lots of big things that can’t be shipped. Soon we’ll set a date; it will be we at our Studio in Atascadero, California. An excellent Girlfriend’s road trip ~ we know not everyone can make it, but we are closing the Studio down (don’t worry, Kellee and I have figured out other ways we can still work together . . . she just won’t be doing the shipping anymore so we don’t need all that space). Anyway, as lots of you know, we have quite a sale going on, and she wants me to say that soon it will all end . . so if you want anything before the Studio Sale happens, this would be the time to get it! š
Yes! Lots going on!
I must go, Simon is waiting. Talk soon old friends, and new ones too!šššĀ MUSICAĀ
Whew! I’m so thankful they spotted that spot by your eye in time! And you still got the book done in time – you’re a wonder woman!
Please please pretty please come to the Chicago area on your book tour! Two great bookstores in the suburbs near me: The Book Store in Glen Ellyn and Anderson’s Book Store in Downers Grove (you and Joe were there on your Fine Romance tour, and Anderson’s has a larger space in their Naperville store). Fingers crossed!
Thank you Ginnie, next time you’re in there, tell them you wish I would come with my new book . . . it really helps pave the way for when I call them!!āāļø
I have contacted Bethany Books in Bethany Beach, Delaware to see if they could have you visit.
Another, not far, would be Browseabout Books in Rehoboth Beach Delaware.
Looking forward to your tour!!…wherever it takes you! š
Thank you Kris, wrote that down! Hope to see you!š
Thank you for a wonderful Willard! I am hoping your eye will be back to its usual self by months end! I canāt wait to see if I can make it to your book signing. Much love from SoCal!
Your girlfriend! Karen Baron
Hi Karen! Thank you! Much love from Central Cal! Your girlfriend, you know who! ā„ļø
I hope you feel better! Fingers are crossed that I may get to meet you on your road trip š I am looking forward to the arrival of my new book.
Hope to see you out there Helen!
Be Still my heart!! I was thrilled to see the new Willard! I’ll take my sweet time pouring over all of it, but I want to stress how important it is to have those twice annually visits with the dermatologist. Tom and I both look as though we’ve been in battles, due to our years of living in the sun. He’s actually missing a chunk of the end of his nose! Still my heart throb!! He, on decks of ships at sea and on various golf courses. I, in the years I spent sailing small boats and getting involved in Women’s Yacht Racing. Anyway, so far neither of us have any melanoma, just basil cell and squamous. So good you are on the mend.
Love the pictures of the “new” kitties. They are both stunning!! A book recommendation, Theo of Golden. Such a sweet, uplifting book. I’m sure you will love it.
Love you, Dear Lady,
Debbie in cool Downeast Maine
I read it as a good kindred spirit does!š Thank you for adding to the importance of visiting the dermatologist. So often it’s an easy fix . . . and most of the time it’s nothing! And when it’s something, they’ve caught it early . . . a complete win-win. Good to see you here Debbie, and sounding as chipper as ever! xoxoxo
Thank you for bringing us up to date on ALL that is going in your life, Susan! I do hope that your eye is improving daily and that all continues to go well…you will be in my prayers!!
Your new sale sounds wonderful…and it would be a fantastic “girlfriends’ road trip” from DELAWARE!!!! But, I’m sort of thinking that my family may not be keen on it…we’ll see! š
I had wanted to go to the yard sale that you had last month in Martha’s Vineyard, but didn’t make it up there, either. How did that sale go? Was it very well attended? With all the wonderful items that you have collected over the years, I can just imagine!!!
Well, until next time, thank you for sharing your wonderful talents with us! I’m going to go off to create!! Have a blessed day!
Yes, it turned out really good. House is spic and span! Busy on the island that time of year … difficult to get a ferry reservation if you want to bring a car… But winter is a terrible time to have a yard sale!š All worked out well. Yup, make it a good one! xoxoxo
I live in Delaware as well (Georgetown) and I can’t wait to see the list of book signings – I LOVE road trips!
Susan take care of yourself and your eye, ya know you only have two!! Enjoy the fall. . . . . Denise
Oh I am SO clear on how many eyes I have!ššš«£
Dear Susan,
Thank you for sharing about your eye, and I’m glad the basal cell carcinoma was caught in time. Life…when the unexpected happens…especially with health. I Will Always Love You and your art, writing, talent, positive energy. Thank you for bringing joy to my life, and to Barbara, my 90-year-young mom’s life.
Lisa in Wisconsin
Thank YOU for the kind words Lisa, and give your mom a big hug for me! š
Susan! Oh, my goodness, your eye! I’m so glad it’s on the mend and glad you have your peeps around you. Oh and those adorable kitties! I miss Jack as I’m know you do, but these lovelies are so snuggly cute! I’m so happy you have them to love on. I had to stop part way through Willard to go do some shopping in your shop before all the sale items were gone. I just bought a giclee of Isle of Dreams. I have the Isle of Dreams postcard on the wall in my office, and I am looking at it now. I have loved this piece of art from the first moment I saw it. I can’t wait for the Holly Oak cup and Comfort & Joy preorders to come. I am so looking forward to them. I live in So. California and would love to come to the Studio Sale, but I am having some health challenges of my own and not sure what treatment is in store for me yet, so prayers and good thoughts. I am so hopeful to see you again at a book signing and glad you will be doing one last hurrah! Blessings and peace to you, Joe, and the boys, Simon & Sammy.
I miss him too! In fact I wouldn’t mind having ALL my kitties back! But we sure got luck with these two! Both love bugs. Sending prayers Maureen!! ššššš
Dear Susan,
Glad they caught that spot on your eye. Sounds like the ordeal is almost over. It’s hard to keep a good person down. I agree with you about all the people you grew up watching are pretty much all gone now. And every day you hear of another one. The sad thing about Dolly Parton was she still looked so good, not sick (we did not know about the cancer) and she still had more productive years left). I wasn’t ready to let her go. Keep healing and looking forward to your next Willard. Isabel
Going until the end. Leaving a beautiful legacy. Changing lives. You can’t ask for much more. Better every day Isabel, thank you!
Oh Susan, I am so sorry to hear what you have been going through. Iām so happy they found it in time and were able to help you. Hang in there, this too shall pass. I cannot wait to receive my new book and cup that I ordered. I have quite a Susan Branch collection going and ALL bring me such comfort. Happy Fall Friend!
Happy Fall Carla, and thank you!!ššš
Just had my 8th Moh’s on my face, yesterday. All because I fell asleep under a sun lamp in high school and got burnt, way before tanning beds. I met you and Joe in Hudson OH on your book tour in 2016, I think. My picture was on your blog. I’ve always related to your life and interests and will be 82 in beautiful October. Life is sure different, but some things never change and you share those beautifully.
Thank goodness some things never change. I’m very dependent on that! š„° Happy Birthday! Hudson was one of my favorite stops! We had fun! š
Susan! Our bright light-healing wishes sent your way from Long Island. I was just sitting in a different spot than usual yesterday and looked into my book shelf. You have your own little space there! God bless
Thank you for the prime real estate! And for the sweet words and blessings. āāļø
Have you sold ur house on Marthaās Vineyard
We go in and out of escrow constantly, but for some reason, we still own it!š
Hello—You are awesome …..I could read your words all day Long..
Thank you for always making my day a better one!!!
Get some rest and feel better,Love Linda Matera
Hi Linda! Thank you so much for your kind words . . . Love hearing from you!š
I’m so very thankful that your dermatologist had an “eagle eye” to notice the cancerous spot in your eye during your normal body scan. It’s so important to have these procedures regularly so that whatever might be found can be treated early. I’m sure your recovery has been trying, but I know your loving husband has been nursing you back to good health. I’m hoping I can meet you if you are in the Northeast, specifically Cape Cod, during your book tour. I can’t wait to receive your new book!!
Prayers for your complete recovery šš»šš„°.
He has been such a doll. I don’t know how I got so lucky! We’ll be in Sandwich at Titcombs for sure, and maybe other places too! I’ll write later with dates. And thank you so much for your prayers. I love that. xoxoxo
Hi Susan. I have been a long time fan and have all of your books. It has been a pleasure to see how you have matured and grown over the years. Every year, your work gets even more spectacular! I am a big fan of your bookmarks and have missed several of the ones offered for free in the past. Could you round them ALL up someplace and offer them again (free)? Pretty, pretty please? And, will you create a Phases of the Moon bookmark for 2027? I wish you a great retirement and the choice to control your time. For me, retired for 12 years, it has been the best time of my life! Linda
I keep hearing that!!šš¼šš¼šš¼šš¼ I get tiny tastes of it even now! I have TIME to get better! I’ll ask Kellee about the bookmarks! Good idea! Yes on the Moon! Of course! š
I hope everything is ok now with you. I’m so happy for your new willard. It would be honor to get your new book
Hi Magdalena! Nice to hear from you! Everything is getting better! āāļø
I’m so sorry you have had to go through the eye issues but happy you are on the other side. And SO excited about the sale coming up in Atascadero – YAY! Looking forward to finding out the date.
Keep getting better!
Linda W in Paso Robles
Oh perfect! You’re here! I think it’s going to be a good one!ā¤ļø
Dear Susan,
I am so thrilled for your new book coming out. Congratulations! Also so glad that it goes into those winter months. I find January, Febraury and March so hard to go through in CT. It’s so dark and we by then are so tired of snow and cold cold cold. So I’m looking forward to getting your book so I can find a way to enjoy those winter months. I think I’ll wait to see the pages after Christmas until AFTER Christmas. Something to look forward to.
Wishing you a speedy recovery,
Tara
Joe is from CT and for some reason he grew up loving winter! He passed that on to me, it was such a good time for planning. I hope I put some fun into it that will transfer to my girlfriends! In the book, as in life, Christmas comes first! So it’ll be easy to hide the rest from yourself! You’ll be busy anyway!āāļø
Glad you are over most of the fix for your eye. Hard to stay still I am sure. Thank you for all you do. I read your books at least 2-3 times a year. Take care. Rose
Yes, it’s just itchy and hard to see. But how lucky am I that it came in the exact middle of finishing book and leaving to drive across country! Someday that’s all I will remember!š Thank you Rose . . . I just love your name.ā„ļø
Know that you are in our thoughts and prayers for a quick recovery!!!!!!!!!
And I so enjoyed receiving Cliff’s books, as well as looking forward to COMFORT AND JOY!!!!!!!
Take good care, and get good rest, too!
Joy & Peace,
Denise Hyde
Corpus Christi, TX (in the not-too-distant future–Little Rock to be near family)
Know what? Cliff’s FUN and interesting wife grew up in Corpus Christi! Lynette Branch now, not sure what her maiden name was, but her mom and grandma live there too, she’s pure Texas! Extra little detail!
Oh, and I really enjoyed The Echo of Old Books!!!!! Thank you!!
Denise
Oh good! I loved it too! xoxo
Hi Susan,
So good you got your mole check and they found that little spot and got it removed.. I had Mohs surgery a few months ago on my cheek next to my ear..All went well. My husband is very fair and has many things removed. Thank goodness for dermatologists! That photo in your backyard could have been my Momās family. Right down to the white āscarvesā tied around the womenās heads.. My Aunts wore cloth diapers tied around their pin curlsā¦. Yes.. That was a thing.. Canāt wait to find out the tour schedule.. Last time at Applewood we did a girls trip and it was so fun!!! Take it easy. Relax with those kitty cuddles and Hubby TLC. Love, Beverlee
My mom too, they wore diapers tied around their pin curls! Perfectly normal!š