Is that a bear dropping?

Sunny, milder, temps 4

Slight chill in the wind but mostly a nice spring day. Crocuses (Croci?) are up. Trudy and I went for a walk through the forest, between the main house and the cottage. Should have worn my Wellies. Up-to-here in mud. As was Trudy. Saw what looked like moost droppings...way to big for deer, but similar. Our neighbours, Guy and Nicole, say there's a huge black bear around but I didn't see any evidence. Though my skills as a tracker aren't all that honed.

Nice day. Breakfast in Cowansville, Lunch with Cheryl and Joan in Sutton (Cheryl's birthday) - then off to Richford Vermont for gas and to mail a few things.

Then home for the Trudy walk and a meeting with Lise, my assistant. She brought turnovers and pumpkin chocolate loaf for Michael's birthday so we put the kettle on, had a tea and fresh baking! Not a bad corporate environment.

Back to book 6 tomorrow...can hardly wait. And Malice Domestic in Washington fast approaching, as are a couple of events next week - a workshop at Bishop's University and signing in their bookstore, then a Blue Metropolis Literary Festival in Montreal...I have an event next Thursday night - April 23rd - with Giles Blunt, a fabulous Canadian mystery writer. Then the shortlist for the Arthur Ellis awards will be announced. They've asked Michael to read out the names of people nominated for the Best Unpublihsed First Novel. So kind of them to do.

Off to feed Trudy. Speak tomorrow.