Friday 17 April 2009

Happy Birthday, Susan!!!

sunny, then clouded over, mild, but strong wind, temps 14

Strange day. According to the thermometer it's the warmest day so far, but it actually feels cooler than many we've had. a bit of a bite in the air and a very strong wind. nearly whitecaps on the pond.

Had our first sightings of the fish in our pond...huge school of them zipping under the bridge to the island. I didn't know what it was at first, because of the turbulance on the surface, then I realized it was scores of bass. Yay.

Our great friend Susan is celebrating her birthday today. Happy Birthday!

Which reminds me, I want to say HI to Belinda, aka BB, who I hear is a lovely woman. She reads this blog so she must be lovely, refined, intelligent - and perhaps just the slightest bit nuts. The best people are. Clearly you are too, since you're reading this!

Wrote almost 3,000 words today...then had a crisis. I was sure it was wrong. Well, not wrong, but long. I'd taken almost a chapter to say something that might be said in a sentence. Did it really need two whole scenes, actually, three? I almost erased it, then I thought, instead of erasing it, I should put it into my "bits and pieces" file - in case. Then I thought - maybe I should just sleep on it.

So I got on the elliptical machine, plugged into my iPod, and realized indeed, the chapter was right. Besides, I can always take it out on the first edit.

Writing a first draft is like walking through an emotional mine field. Scary, dangerous, but best not to panic.

Michael and I went to Knowlton for breakfast at Cafe Floral. Yum. And they had Neil Young's Harvest playing. Hadn't heard it in decades. What a fabulous album. It's part of the 'music of my life' - one of those albums I remember from growing up...loved then and love now. I wonder what the 15 year olds of today would make of it?

Got a couple of steaks for the barbeque tonight but it's clouded over so much we might do it tomorrow...though we're actually going out tomorrow. Oh, the humanity! When will these dreadful decisions end!!

Keep well. Keep nuts.

10 comments:

lil Gluckstern said...

I've had a busy week so I'm catching up again. I must be nuts because I still feel as though we're having tea. For some reason, they didn't print my letter so a very belated happy birthday to Michael and congratulations to you for bringing it off in a beautiful way. BTW, Naked dreams are often about feeling unprepared; it sounds like you were very prepared, and book 6 will be wonderful!!! I heard a wonderful story about the actor Hume Cronyn once. He was appearing at a small college and confide to the stage manager that, after 35 years, he still got nervous. So you are in good company. As are many folks. when we out ourselves out there, we get a little nervous. Looking forward to more.
Lil Gluckstern

Rural Revival said...

Funny you should mention Harvest....I can't speak for any 15 year olds but my 19 year old cousin attended a Neil Young concert this week. She lives for Neil! She's 20 years younger than I and Harvest is for her what Hotel California is for me. Our parents left an indelible mark on our music tastes...good or bad!

Cece said...

Never hit delete!
I have found that having a "maybe" file is a very useful tool. More than once I have moved writing into it, only to tinker a little and move it back the next day, breathing a huge sigh of relief that it wasn't gone forever-because you know, you can never write the same thing twice. You were very wise.

Anonymous said...

I'm looking forward to the next book, I've read all of the series! Take your time and make it a good one.

Louise Penny Author said...

Dear Lil,

Funny, because I think your letter to Michael might have printed...I seem to remember reading it. But thank you so much for it, and for writing again to make sure. Such kindness...and love what you say about naked dreams. But what about the toilet? Never mind. Don't answer that. Perhaps it's all that tea we're drinking.

Louise Penny Author said...

Dear RR,

Ahh, Hotel California...let me guess what you might have being doing while that played. Some oregano? Perhaps I'm projecting. The sins of being raised in the 70's. But thrilled to hear your young cousin loved Neil. Brilliant singer/songwriter.

Louise Penny Author said...

Dear Cece,

Quite right. No delete...well, almost never. But sure glad I didn't let my fear and insecurities get the better of me...

Louise Penny Author said...

Dear Janet,

I'll do my best. Thank heaven for editing!

Anonymous said...

I couldn't do anything without the Backspace and Delete keys!

Pierre said...

Always interesting to learn about people that consider Neil Young (at least Harvest) as "music of my life".
I saw Neil Young live three times (only) including his most recent tour (which, by the way, was the ultimate "best of" tour). His music can carry me through a world of emotion and sensitivity. His electric work, for me, reveals his intensity and integrity. He's one of the few guitarist that really plays with his heart, his soul and his stomach (yes, stomach). So much to say... I'll stop.
By the way, I have my ticket for Blue Metropolis this Thursday.
See you there.