Busy, but good, day

mainly sunny, warm, temps 27

Just took the laundry off the clothes line. Couldn't resist plunging my face into one of Michael's nightshirts. No aroma like it in the world.

Wayne came and cut the whole lawn - big job. We got caught up on village gossip over a pink lemonade. Who has opened a new vineyard, how belts are made, strange uses for septic tanks. Ask me anything now.

Had a lovely email from niece Sarah in Edmonton. Her knee won't need a big operation after all. But mostly it was about the death of Auntie Mary's father, Don. Like me, Sarah knew him as a kind and gentle man. Sarah also said how sad she was for young Brian, Rozie and Charlie. She was about their age when she lost her grandma (my mother) and it felt as though her world had shattered. And I realized this would be the kids first death in the family. So hard...and so difficult to see their mother in such pain too.

Am off in a few minutes to Vermont to tank the car up for the trip to Toronto tomorrow, visitation in the evening and Don's funeral on Friday. After getting gas I'll pick up the organic vegetables and then some fudge for Brian, Rozie and Charlie. When they come to Sutton the home-made fudge store is always a highlight.

Spent about 4 hours editing today...interspersed with 2 fun conversations. One with an aquaintance, Anna Maria Tremonti - just comparing notes. Anna Maria's a well-known journalist in Canada, and I used to be a journalist (famous for the hog market reports, thank you) and the other conversation was with a woman with the great name of Flannery. She writes for Chatelaine Magazine and was doing an interview. I had a riot...she was terrific. One of the most fun interviews I've had!

Editing went well - thank God. Am at page 202 in a 267 page manuscript (single spaced still). Word count is hovering around 117,000. Not bad, since we started at 140,000. I know there's stuff that needs to be added later in the manuscript, so I'm thinking the appropriate length is around 120,000.

Off to TO tomorrow. Pat has said she'll look after our 2 dogs - which is amazingly kind of her considering she has her infant grand-twins (4 months old), their 3 year old brother and two other children under the age of 5 visiting. I suspect Tony will come and spend the nights we're away here, and house-sit/dog-sit. I would too, if I was him!

Am off on my appointed rounds. We leave about 5am tomorrow. Try to get across the Champlain Bridge into Montreal early (construction on the bridge too)...the off to Toronto. About a 6 hour drive from here.

Probably won't blog tomorrow, but will try to do something from the hotel on Friday.