Boggis and Bunce and Bean.

Another short status report.

Pegasus Books almost matched last year in sales the last four days before Xmas, which considering how big those days were, is a real accomplishment. It almost certainly means we'll beat last December, which will mean -- technically -- we'll have beat last year four months in a row.

As I apparently was quoted garbled in the O.P.B. story, beating last year isn't any big deal, because last year was the frickken " End of The World!" Ha. Ha.

At any rate, to be on the safe side, I'm planning for the rest of this winter to probably match last winter, and same with the spring period.

The day after Christmas used to be a very big day for us. Lately, it has become an almost average day. I think people are taking more of a respite, theseadays.

Of course, there is always the possibility of returns. We have an "exchange" policy, which we try to convince people to use -- but you get the occasional customer who insists on money back, and it's not worth arguing. And if it's not worth arguing, you may as well be gracious about it and give in quickly when you realize that's what they want. A little bit of "well, you can have anything in the store for the same price..." weedleing, and then I crumble.

Gift certificates also used to be much bigger. Unlike the chainstores, I credit my balance when I sell, rather than when it is redeemed, so it doesn't help the bottomline.

I pushed gift certificates in my early years because, frankly, I didn't have as much inventory and it stretched my inventory farther. But I also began to realize that I was just pushing off the inevitable, and I felt obligated to 'special order' for people who I had sold gift certificates too, so it ended up not being as helpful as I'd like.

I still take the money, of course, but I'd much rather sell a physical object.

I had two and half beers at Christmas dinner, and slept poorly. Damn. I used to like to drink. That was only about the third or fourth time all year I've drank any booze. It just wrecks the next day, so if I growl at you today (like the animals in the Fantastic Mr. Fox, grrrrr. girrrr. gurrrrrr) please forgive me.

Speaking of the Fantastic Mr. Fox, I gave the book to my wife for Christmas, and then read it outloud to her. Really fun. Mr. Dahl was great at alliteration and surprising wordplay.

Boggis and Bunce and Bean
One fat, one short, one lean.
These horrible crooks
So different in looks
Were nonetheless equally mean.