Mom?

Mainly sunny, some high cloud, waspy, temps 20

Yes, I meant waspy. Since we're in Westmount, Quebec that can mean swarms of White Anglo Saxon Protestants (like me) - but it also means the stinging kind of wasps....though the Anglo Saxons can also sting, they're just more subtle about it.

Tried to sit out on the balcony to read over some research in preparation for today's news conference and a wasp kept bobbing around. Normally I don't worry - but then normally after a swat or two they go away. This one kept landing and climbing. hard to concentrate.

So I ran away. Back inside. I suppose I could have killed it but that didn't seem fair. Besides, everytime I see a wasp I wonder if it might be my mother, re-incarnated. Best, for karmic reasons, not to squish your mother.

Went to Nick's this morning for breakfast. Michael arrived in from the country yesterday afternoon...so it was great to have company. After breakfast he had some errands to run and so did I. Went off to return the videos...saw Grey Gardens...an HBO movie nominated for some Emmys. Oh, my God was it fabulous! Drew Barrymore in particular was amazing. a revelation. I highly recommend the movie. Also saw the remake of The Italian Job with Mark Wahlberg (dull) and Meet the Parents with Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro. Hilarious. Hadn't seen it before.

ASfter returning the DVD's I zipped into a sporting goods store and bought new sweat pants. My old ones were 15 years old (bought on my honeymoon - I know, most brides go for lace and satin...Michael got sweats and flannel and a very comfortable and happy wife.) Time for a new pair of sweats.

Then home to write more on the novella. Have gone from dreading it to actually enjoying writing it. Not sure how much editing it will need and if I'm moving the story forward fast enough (it needs to be between 10-and 12-thousand words...my normal books are about 110-thousand).

Still, it's fun.

Have the news conference with ABC Canada (the sponsors of the literacy novella series), Joy Fielding, a fabulous Canadian writer, the Federal minister of something (who are providing the funding) and members of the news media. That's at 2pm. For half an hour. I suspect my part of it will be about 30 seconds.

Then have the rest of the day to myself. Such fun. Will probably nap. God, if I feel like this now how will I feel when I'm 90? Probably full of beans, having rested most of my life.

Will report in tomorrow. Hope you're well.