Done!!!!

sunny, brilliant, wonderful day...well, actually, it's cloudy and rainy, but you'd never know it by the mood in here!!!

Yippee! Finally finished the second draft, and I'm pleased with it. Very pleased. A huge re-write, really, more than a draft...but worth it. And my first drafts are really often not all that good. More like sketches. But vital.

But wow, does this ever feel great!!! Yippeee... worked late yesterday after getting home. Sat on the screen porch. Beautiful sunny day - and watched quite a drama unfold in front of me as I wrote.

First the wonderful Wayne showed up. He'd heard rain was in the forecast so he decided to come and cut the grass while he could. Now, we have about 70 acres, though most is forested, of course, but about 3 acres needs cutting, including trails through said woods. So we have this huge great tractor/mower. Up Wayne gets on it and off he goes. At some point I decided to walk Trudy around the pond and I could hear him in there...for a long time.

But I walked on, not really thinking anythung of it, until I look up and Wayne's standing in front of me on the grass. Without the mower.

'It's stuck,' he said. 'In the woods. A soft spot.'

I resisted the temptation to asked, 'Are you sure?'

Instead I asked, 'What should we do?'

He gave me a list of people to call, while he took the hand mower and continued around the house. I called Carl, I called Dwayne. I called Gary. I called Tony. I called Lise. Of course. Who but My Assistant Lise can come to the rescue? I really should have a special ring which I can point to the sky and yell, "Lise! Lise!'

But I used the old fashoined method and telephoned. She, of everyone, was in! And her husband Del was just getting home. By now it was about 5pm. And Tony had arrived with his pick-up truck and chains.

As I spoke to Lise I saw Wayne walking back across the field, with Tony. Like two mud covered dough boys after a battle. A losing battle.

They stopped in front of the porch.

'We're stuck.'

'Both of you?'

'got my truck stuck too,' admitted Tony.

There was a regular traffic jam in our woods.

Del, bless him, said he'd come first thing in the morning with his big truck, two guys and more chains. But Tony had one more idea. Our neighbour Guy.

Ten minutes later I heard a motor...and I think distant trumpets, but perhaps not. There was Guy riding his tractor full speed with Tony hanging on the back. Into the field, past the fruit trees, around the pond they disappeard. Riding to the rescue.

Fifteen minutes later Guy drove by - triumphant. The battle won, the vehicles freed!

All very thrilling!

Almost as thrilling as finishing this draft!!! Yay. Worked all today and just finished....Now, taking 2 weeks off to get caught up on all the other stuff - and perhaps to play! going to cut some peony and delphiniums and make a little thank you arangement for Guy and Nicole.

Lucky us to have such neighbours. And to be free - of the mud, and the muddle!!!

speak to you tomorrow...

Oh - Pat just called...there's been an earthquake...felt not here but in Ottawa and Toronto. Must hurry and check...