Gamache???

heavy rains, sunny breaks, torrential rains, clear blue - temps 15

Rreally a very cool (and not in a retro chic way) day. I, of course, am in shorts and sandals.

Doug and Mapy and Dennis (two of dougs friends) and every child in the world, left. But between the time we arrived home yesterday about noon and when they left this morning - the beetle broke down on the highway, young Gordie dove into the pool and hit his face on the bottom (diving into the slope where shallow becomes deep - but not quickly enough apparently). We were SO lucky _ though it took some doing to convince Gordie he was lucky - since all that happened was he broke a tooth. A front tooth. In half. And adult front tooth. In half. What luck.

But clearly it could have been worse. Tragic even.

A little later there was a kid meltdown involving fists and a drink.

Uncle Michael, while playing a role in Gordie's tooth, decided to sit out the slugging. And pretend it wasn 't happening.

But despite all this, it was fun. The worst day with doug and the kids is still better than the best day without them in our lives could ever be. It would be horrible if the kids, or their parents, decided they didn't want to come visit. We're really more like grandparents to the kids than Aunt and Uncle. Very fun. And we've learned over the course of many, many years, that upsets come and go. Such is life in a family.

By 7 this morning they'd all left and we were also on the road, to VW in Sherbrooke, to take the car in. We'd just returned home (a 1 hour drive) when they called to say come pick it up, it needs two parts they don't have...so we'll need to take it back next week.

So today we've taken the car there and back - twice - and done endless loads of laundry.

On the bright side, our wonderful friend Susan, on hearing the stresses suggested a rain check. She was going to come tomorrow and stay through the weekend. As she said, her gift to me was alone time. How perfect to have a friend who knows me so well...and would give up a vacation so I can stare at a wall.

Tomorrow morning I said I'd meet a good neighbour's granddaughter in Sutton. She's an aspiring novelist. And then hoping to come home and finally, finally, do nothing. But that was the plan for today. Oh well...

Absolutely ADORE your thoughts on who should play Gamache in a movie/TV series. I remember one producer explaining that leads in TV series are generally unknown...the series makes their careers. And I suspect that's true. I also know that John Thaw was not how Colin Dexter described Morse, but he was perfect for the role.

So many of you got it absolutely right...the physical appearance is far less important than the sense of the man on screen.

I'd also encourage you, though, to rent Miss Pettigrew lives for a Day. That's where I discovered Ciaran Hinds. since saw him in a few things, to see what I thought, and didn't see him as Gamache in anything else. But he made a perfect Gamache in his role in Miss Pettigrew. I guess that's why they call it acting.

And - to refresh your memories...Gamache is mid-fifties, solidly built, and speaks French, of course...but when he speaks English it's with a slight British accent, since that's where he learned the lnguage.

But again, not of that is as important as a commanding, kindly, warm, strong presence. Please keep the suggestions coming...