Funny thing happened while playing in my yard

I don't know about the weather where you are, but the weather here in New England this past Saturday was a tad wet. It rained most of the day and night.

When Sunday rolled around and the sun decided to show it's brilliant self, I immediately went outside...after doing some early morning writing.

And here is where my story begins. With me dressed in shorts and tank top, sandals, hair pulled back in some thingy that makes me look like I'm about twelve years old, and work gloves. I do make quite the picture for 'Farming USA'.

Anyway, I'm out there pulling weeds and planting plants, radio blaring my one and only Zac Brown Band CD when I look up to see my neighbor walking across the street and in my direction. Mike has been in the neighborhood for not quite two years and we speak at least once a week, share a beer between mowing our yards, and the occasional ice cream cone when the ice cream truck guy drives by and I happen to catch him. I mean who wouldn't want an ice cream on a hot summer day.

At first I asked Mike if the radio was too loud. He responded with, "Huh?" and held up his hand to his ear.

Ha ha. Very funny. Actually it was loud so I asked him If he wanted me to turn it down. "He said he liked music."

Great. So I let it keep playing.

Then Mike turns to me and asks if it is a secret.

"What is a secret?"

"That you're an author?"

Then he proceeds to tell me how his girlfriend looked me up on Facebook, found my website and that I was an author. She called Mike and told him, "You have to go check out this website."

He, being the good boyfriend did and to his amazement he was staring at my website. Apparently, it was quite the shocker. So much so that he then called his mother and told her the story of his author neighbor and while they were on the phone speaking, she ordered a copy of IT HAPPENS IN THREES for her Nook. How cool is that?!

After that Mike decided to spread the word and tell a few of his friends and work colleagues. Maybe I should hire Mike as my publicist.

A week later, Mike is in my yard giving me grief for never having mentioned it and telling me he wants to read CONNECT THE DOTS, which of course, I will give him a copy.

[SHRUG] I guess that by this time I assumed everyone knew I was a writer. Oops!

Note to self: Put a sign in yard that says, "Author lives here." Or perhaps, rather than wearing my Ireland or Boston Red Sox cap while playing in my garden I should wear a hat that says, "Have you read one of my books yet?" Hm...that would make a great T-shirt.

Thanks Mike for making my day.