Tuesday 17 August 2010

Fourth Draft

overcast, bit threatening, temps 24

Not sure what to wear today...started in sweats, moved to flannel, then to half and half. Woe is me.

Lovely quiet day, reading the manuscript. Up to page 197 of 244. Was hoping to be finished by now, but had some phone calls and an interview to do. have a French TV interview on Friday, so was chatting with the publicist about that. The general message seemed to be, 'Don't merde it up.'

'I will do my bookshelf,' I told her in French. 'And will manufacture to wallpaper leave.'

'Merde,' she said.

So, I'm pretty confident.

Read out on the screen porch, sipping cafe au lait and eating fresh peaches. More woe. Plodded around the pond with Trudy, where we looked for geese and bass, but found mosquitoes and poop instead - so all was not wasted.

tons of emails, of course. The fall tour is taking shape. looks like I'm leaving here Sept 20th and returning sometime in late November. All over Canada, the US and off to Britain. then over Canada and US again. So I really need to finish this manuscript before I leave in Sept.

But am taking Saturday off from the manuscript to volunteer at the SPCA adoption day in Knowlton. It's for the dogs at the SPCA Monteregie, the local no-kill shelter. I'll be one of the 20 dog-walkers. From 11am to 3pm. the hope, obviously, is to find homes for some of these dogs. We're sort of thinking of finding a brother or sister for Trudy...an older dog, perhaps. It's hard because we have such a great relationship with Trudy - it's very different having just one dog...we really focus on her and have a quite special relationship. But we also know that Trudy's a very social dog, who loves other animals. so we think while she's happy, she might be happier with a sibling. But it would have to be a very special dog. We'll know her/him when we see her/him.

I think I'm a little more enthusiastic about another dog than Michael is. He loves just having Trudy. So we're in no rush. Have to wear Michael down. That can take a while.

Off tomorrow morning for breakfast in Cowansville then visiting Jacques and Louise about 9am. Then home to work, then off to dinner with susan at the guest cottage.

had great fun with susan yesterday. She came for a swim, then relaxed dinner of barbequed corn on the cob and burgers...Susan (who's a great cook) showed us how to do Mexican corn....barbeque it, slather with butter, then sprinkle cheese like parmesan, and cayenne pepper...and finally squirt lime on it.

Delicious.

Susan also made this wonderful lemon custard sort of dessert, with raspberries and peaches and whipped cream.

Oh, oh - now I'm hungry again.

Speak to you tomorrow.

6 comments:

Susan Fish said...

I'd like to adopt "Don't merde it up!" as my motto. Thanks!

Candy said...

You make me laugh. If you'd like to see another example of "merding up" the French language, stop by my blog and read the comments between Autumn Leaves, Jimmm (my husband) and Anonymous (my sister) on my most recent post.

I think it's really nice that you're so active with the SPCA. Trudy has a very good mom.

Darlene said...

Would it be rude to ask if you have some mega vitamins to keep you travelling so extensively and for so long? Do you have your own bus or RV, or do you m/hotel your way around the US and Canada?

We've had one dog, two dogs, and three dogs simultaneously -- think mini dog team. It is said that if you have one dog it relates to its people as its pack. If there is more than one dog, they relate to each other first. I would tend to agree with this.

YAY! SPCA!

Aimee said...

Mosquitoes and poop ... wow, you're really living the dream now. *lol*

We have two dogs now. Our first dog really bonded with me and now with the new dog (we've had him 6 months) I think he's bonded more with my daughter. So they play but prefer being with their person. It's really not an us against them mentality. They also have vastly different personalities which may play into it.

dleisert said...

Don't merde it up.... My new motto.

I firmly believe that having an older and a younger dog helps both of them. Can't prove it, but think that getting a younger rescue kept the older dog active and mentally alert. Obviously, the older dog taught the younger dog stuff. Both good and bad, of course. I need to get another dog now. Need to wear my own husband down.

debra

Louise Penny Author said...

Hi all,

Thanks for your very fun, and supportive, comments! Looking forward to the SPCA day. Hope lots are adopted! Hope whichever dog I get to spend the day with is adopted!! That would sure feel great.