A hard and magical frost

brilliant sunshine, mild, temps 15

When we woke up there was a hard frost. It was gorgeous. Like a very fine layer of snow on everything. Had to scrape the car windshield. Michael took the dogs around the pond and it was beautiful (he reports).

Deanna came in today to clean so we skiddadled off to Cowansville for breakfast. As we drove I noticed something I'd never seen before. It was a brilliant, sunny morning. And the sun quickly melted all the frost, except where there were shadows. We'd drive by fields that were frost-free...except in the shadow of a tree...and the frost made the perfect outline of the tree, or the barn, or the post... It was magical. As though there were giant frost cut-outs everwhere, surrounded by sun.

In Cowansville we had breakfast - French toast with fruit and bacon for me. 2 eggs over easy, bacon and french toast for Michael. Then off to the grocery store for some Thanksgiving food.

This weekend is Canadian Thanksgiving. Our friends Linda and Bal Mount and their daughter Bethany are coming out for the long weekend and we'll have Sunday Thanksgiving turkey together. I'll be in Baltimore, arriving just in time to eat. How did that happen???

Fortunately Linda volunteered to make a few dishes...and Pat said she'd make a sweet potato casserole and Michael will make his signature cranberry sauce... and put the turkey in.

I suspect the dishes will fall to me. But, it seems only fair. Unless I can pay Bethany to do them. How much could it cost? But I think she's too smart a kid to fall for that. I can remember having to do the Christmas dishes with my brothers...and walking into the kitchen to do them and practically bursting into tears. There were so many!

After Cowansville we headed into the office in Sutton. We've decided to give up the space as of the end of October. We just weren't using it any more. But now we need to move all the furniture and boxes. Lise - wonderful woman - packed most of it up. And today Tony and Joe came over and moved most of the heavy furniture for us.

Thank God for friends.

Tomorrow I head in to Montreal to tape an interview with Dave Bronstetter on the CBC radio weekend show. Great show. And really like Dave. Funny, smart guy. Then tape the narration for a film on literacy. then do laundry and pack for Bouchercon in Baltimore.

My life swings wildly, as you can tell, from the privileged and glamorous to the mundane. Not sure which I prefer. Oh, wait. Did I mention how much I like luxury? Yes, that I definitely prefer. Though, I think I love it because I don't have it all the time. What a treat when I do.

Talk to you tomorrow.