Happy Friday! A few quick updates:

Book orders: If Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or other retailers show the book as “sold out” or on a long backorder, don’t worry — thousands of copies are en route to warehouses right now. They should appear in the system in a few days and be available for immediate shipping, so check back soon and they should arrive well before Christmas.
Events: Tomorrow we’ll be in Washington, D.C. for LivingSocial events at 918 F Street. These are pre-ticketed, so if you reserved a spot we can’t wait to see you there. On Sunday we’ll be back in Richmond for a free signing at Mongrel in Carytown at 1pm.
Reader comments: You folks are amazing — check out the hundreds of hilarious comments on our recent post.

It’s been two weeks, so here’s another long tour update. We finally caught our breath after the busiest stretch yet. Between Boston on November 7th and Dallas on November 18th we hit six cities in two countries, took ten flights, and spent six nights away from Clara and Burger (they were much happier at home with my parents). We also sampled countless cookies thanks to the local bakers at each of our six West Elm events.

Our last recap left off in Toronto; from there we flew to Minneapolis. We’d heard great things about the city and were disappointed that we didn’t have time to explore, since interviews and other commitments filled our schedule. Still, the event that night was wonderful — the Twin Cities crowd was warm and fun, and the West Elm staff (the “Elmers”) were fantastic.

We recognized a few familiar faces from blogs we’ve featured before, which is always a treat: Jen from IHeartOrganizing and Jackie from Teal & Lime. Meeting readers who’ve shared rooms on the blog makes the experience extra special. And yes, we apparently need to work on new photo poses — we promise we’re not statues.

We also met Sarah, who sent us a photo of her frame wall after receiving the book. She later returned with the signed copy, which was great to see.

Tour stops always deliver fun stories. At one event a reader named Amy brought cupcakes for a birthday sing-along — a moment that turned into a memorable, slightly awkward but totally sweet scene. There’s even a video from the event capturing the moment.

We’ve written all kinds of inscriptions, but one of the oddest involved writing “I’m watching you poo” in a book as part of a reader’s inside joke — it made for an amusing story when explained in context.

One special moment in Minneapolis: West Elm asked us to sign the leg of a parson’s table that they auctioned off at the event. The table raised $170 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital that night. We were honored to be part of that charitable effort.

After a short sleep we flew to Houston. Our schedule there was tight, but we managed Tex-Mex, a quick shower, and the signing. Unbeknownst to me, friends had arranged a surprise birthday display for my 31st — it was an incredibly thoughtful gesture that left me speechless.

Someone filmed my attempt to blow out all the candles — spoiler: trick candles won this round. The video captured my determination and ultimate disappointment.

At the Houston event we met many playful readers and saw a variety of goofy faces. One couple tried idea #141 from our book — sketching each other — and the result was delightfully entertaining. At another moment a marker mustache smudged, leaving a bright dot on Sherry’s neck that looked oddly vampire-esque.

Readers continue to surprise us with thoughtful gifts. Kiki and her friend painted matching cow canvases for Clara — we hung them in her room right away and she adores them.

Our final stop on this stretch was Dallas, where we had more time to enjoy the city. The Omni downtown was an impressive hotel (more on that in a separate post) and even had a TV built into the bathroom mirror. We squeezed in a Skype with Clara, which was an emotional highlight of the trip — she proudly showed me my birthday balloon.

We explored the West End, ate more Tex-Mex, and wandered into a cowboy boot shop where a quirky “Guide To Romance” machine delivered the same result for both of us — apparently we’re soul mates according to a random arcade device.

That night we soaked in the hotel hot tub and enjoyed a rare evening without an event. The next day we signed at West Elm in Dallas, where readers showed up with everything from vintage YHL shirts to race shirts they’d worn earlier that morning. A polite young man even had us sign his copy of Harry Potter — a sweet reminder that book signings bring together all kinds of people.

One reader invited Sherry to sign her baby’s onesie — she pulled it out to avoid marking the baby directly, and baby Marc was a trooper about the whole thing.

The Dallas signing ran a long time but we still made our evening flight and were back in Richmond by late that night. Since then we’ve done a D.C. signing and have a couple more events coming up, so more updates will follow soon.

One other highlight: in the first month since the book launched we’ve raised over $1,200 for charity through West Elm events and local auctions. We’re grateful to everyone who helped make that possible.

Thanks to everyone who made this tour so special — the event hosts, the West Elm teams, the taxi drivers, and especially the readers who came out with cards, gifts, and treats. It’s been hectic and tiring at times, but meeting so many generous and funny people has made every minute worth it. And to answer a few frequent questions: yes, we’ll sign your baby, your Harry Potter book, or even write a silly note in your copy. #gladthat’ssettled