I had a lovely Saturday at the Flying Pig. Customers streamed in and streamed out, all bustling about on an absolutely stunning fall day. I was working, quite contentedly, by myself, and as a consequence, I didn’t have to share any of the riches that come in.

First, let’s start with the puppies. Desmond, a three-month old Bernese Mountain dog, came in, all fur and exuberance, just wanting a little more socialization training. I was happy to abandon shelving to aid in canine education. Amazingly, half an hour after Desmond’s training, in came young Wesley, a very small nine-week old mini-Dachshund. He just likes to be held, and hold him I did. There’s nothing quite as nice as a warm puppy nuzzling in my neck with that oddly yummy puppy breath wafting up at me. As if the puppies weren’t enough, a teenage customer just brought in her four-year old Corgi, Rex, for me to meet. I love this — customers just bringing in their dogs for us to meet. It’s fun and there’s something really cute about all these dogs walking up and down our flying pig rugs. Dogs and bookstores generally make a lovely combination, as customers just love to say hi to any four-legged creature who walks in.

Generally, on a Saturday we can count on a puppy or two, but we don’t often get gifts until the holidays. Saturday, however, was a bonanza of chocolate. The first was a lovely box of handmade Vermont chocolates that a teacher sent us as thanks for arranging a visit with Shannon Hale. I need to repeat: I was alone Saturday. No one but me knew about the delicious candies. Usually, one box of candy would make the day special, but no, there’s more. A customer, whose book order I had consistently messed up, since March! and felt sufficiently horrible about it that I gave him the book with sincere apologies, came in to thank me for the free book with a pound of fudge. I was here by myself! The fudge actually comes with a tiny knife so you can just slice off a piece when you or a customer needs one. I may say I don’t share, but at 4 pm when customers are addled, nothing gets them focused again more than an unexpected piece of fudge (I love the Shelburne Country Store for knowing how we all eat their fudge). The last food gift came from the shopkeepers next door who brought by several squares of a new organic chocolate they’re carrying. Oh, it was a good day here.

The best gift, though, came from one of my favorite customers, who told me that her suspected cancer not only might not be cancer, but is contained within her kidney, so after her surgery, she’s out of the woods. So I sliced her off a piece of fudge and gave her a candy for after the surgery.