Tuesday 30 September 2008

MORE me

sunny, mild, temps 18

It started out cloudy and misty. The mountain beyond our field had disappeared. But as we drove to Cowansville the mist burned off. It was so gorgeous we had to stop the car, get out, and stare. The mountains covered in red, yellow, amber trees, coming out of the mists. Honestly, it made my heart ache.

Then we got in the car, drove to Cowansville and had endless cups of coffee and a stack of french toast (called pain dore here) covered in bananas and strawberries, with bacon - and maple syrup.

Almost as wonderful as the view. An edible view. Yum.

The mountain behind our home, when not shrouded in mist, is stunning. Not a home on it, not a building, ski run, antenna, road. No lights shine from it at night. It's perfect. In spring we watch as the light, young, green creeps up its slopes and doesn't reach the top until mid-June. Then in September it goes in the other direction. We watch as the very tip of the mountain turns red, orange, yellow. Then it crawls down the slope until now the entire thing looks like it's burst into flame. I wish I could capture all this in a photo for you. Michael tried, but our camera isn't good enough.

You'll have to imagine it.

Picked up a couple of magazines in Cowansville while Michael had his eye exam. MORE Magazine - the Canadian edition. It has Celine Dion on the cover (cover hog) and me inside. Not, it must be admitted, the entire contents. Some was given over to lesser lights. do you remember my telling you about the photo-shoot mid-summer? When they came with the 4,000 dollar Armani jacket? Well, if you get the latest copy of More you get a chance to see a worried looking author, and an Armani jacket. The next page has a photo of me looking doughy and vacuous. fortunately, the article is interesting.

The other magazine was Chateleine. The November issue. With Michael Buble on the cover. (cover Hog) and me inside. Granted, yet again I was forced to share it. But that was a fun article by a woman named Flannery Dean. It's a series she writes on people's perfect weekends.

The woman at the checkout must have thought I had a 'thing' for Celine and Mr. Buble. she pointed out that I had more than one copy of each. I agreed. But didn't tell her why. Better she think I had a thing for them, than the truth. I have a thing for myself.

Spent most of the afternoon editing. Then decided to do some fact checking on what I'd just edited...made some calls and discovered I had to go back and re-write some of it. But not much. I love research, though my books don't call for much. Such fun finding out about other parts of the world, or how people do things, and why.

Need to go. Found some great recipes in the Chateleine! And plan to run a bath and read both magazine...skipping that Penny woman, who insinuates herself everywhere.

We've also spent quite a bit of time watching BBC, CBS and even CNN...but I think you don't need to hear my take on things.

Be well - talk to you tomorrow.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Congratulations, and don't worry about having a "thing" for yourself. You should have bought more! I'll be sure to pick up copies at Chapters tonight when I go pick up the latest Dick (and Felix) Francis.

Louise Penny Author said...

Dear Elizabeth,

Thanks - you make me feel better about the truck load. Guess what everyone's getting for Christmas?

Happy reading.