Shameless Plug Number 2. This weekend, the city of Albuquerque is holding the biggest events of the tricentennial celebration in observance of Founder's Day. The Founder's Day parade is on Saturday morning in Old Town, followed by a birthday party of sorts in Tiguex Park. On Sunday, there will be a massive "entrada" recreating the Spanish arriving in Albuquerque. There will be numerous people in period costume, speeches, the Archbishop of Santa Fe, the Duke and Duchess of Alburquerque (Spain) and even cattle. There will be folk dancing on the plaza. But the big deal, for me at least, will be a book signing Ii am having at my shop, Treasure House Books and Gifts. On Sunday from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM, local author and retired newspaper reporter Howard Bryan will sign his new book Albuquerque Remembered. Howard is one of the nicest men in town, and we are honored to have him particpating in this event. Please come to Old Town this weekend, and stop in and see Howard. You'll be glad you did!

My Boozy Grandma Does Good. You might remember a post of a couple years back wherein a ripped the singer of I Never Promised You a Rose Garden for her intoxicated performance at a Summerfest concert. You also may remember the dissing she got after she was arrested for shoplifting a Harry Potter DVD from a Taos Smith's store. Yes, I've been very hard on the old girl, but I'm here today to say she's done good. She has just released a CD of cowgirl songs written by her mother Liz Anderson. It's aptly titled Cowgirl and it is the best Western album I've heard in a long time. We now sell it at the Treasure House.