A life in bloom

heavy misty rain, then clearing, temps 15

Atmospheric day. Feel like Wuthering Heights here. Heathcliff!!! Cathy!!!

Took Trudy for her morning walk through the misty rain. We had four geese and at least eight, maybe 10 babies, all on the pond. Lovely sight...though walking around the pond is no longer a bare-footed event. Cannot begin to tell you the amount of you-know-what on the lawn.

Why am I surprised. It was about time for another event.

Still, this one is worth it. Very nice to have such life on the pond. But, by the time we went out later, they'd gone. Apparently mom and dad goose carry the babies on their backs. Never seen it, but heard it described. Either way, they're all gone.

Lise and Donna came today. The garden looks fabulous.

Janet and Bob arrived from Pittsburgh and are now in the guest cottage.

Am madly signing books for the US launch of The Brutal Telling. This is never a hardship - though there must be a thousand of them. Everyone I sign I think of you, handing over money you worked hard for, to read my book. And I'm filled with gratitude. That you'd do it. And that this is my job!

We have the fire on today. Michael's reading the proofs of The Brutal Telling, trying to catch all the small errors. Dear Man - he had plenty of his own work to do, but he reads my proofs.

Sent off an endorsement for a book, and a critique of the first ten pages of another one.

I've agreed to read another manuscript, with a view to endorsing it...but it will have to stop there, so I can catch my breath. Will also be doing a feature interview with Alan Bradley - author of The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. He's a Canadian, with an amazing success story...in his 70s! The interview is for Mystery News. Great publication...and I love being able to promote other writers, where possible.

Also have a novella for literacy to write. I'm thinking of making it an 'early' Gamache...when he first joined the force...perhaps even his first murder. This is not book length, but longer than a short story and is both a fundraiser for adult literacy and a book meant to be read by adults reading at about a grade 4 level.

Am hoping to get everything done by the end of the year. And some things need to be done considerably before that. But if I pace myself it's not hard.

the rain has stopped. Will walk trudy, stroll the gardens (lupins up, irises exploding, alliums in bloom - roses in tight bud as are the peony. The clematis has climbed up the posts and is winding itself around the birdhouse. And the huge mature honeysuckle bush is in full bloom - yay lise!!!) Then off to Sutton for food, home to exercise, then flopping on the sofa with a movie.

Hope your day is going well!