Coming home

overcast, cold, temps about freezing

Blustery as well. But I keep thinking of those people in North Carolina, Virginia and the other places hit by those monstrous tornadoes. Trying to imagine how terrifying that must be. And almost no warning, of course. heard about the people in the big box store herded to the back of the store by the manager and workers (most of whom were probably very young themselves) within seconds of the tornado hitting. Everyone saved - but would almost certainly have been killed had the employees not reacted.

the difference a split second can make.

On a much lighter note, Susan and I drove back from Quebec City yesterday. We had a fabulous time. I went to the Salon du Livres to sign and meet people on Saturday and Sunday. What a terrific event. Just packed with readers. And tons of kids. All excited. About reading, and meeting their favorite writers.

Wish there was something like this in the rest of Canada. There are festivals, but it's not the same as having booth after book of authors, just there to say hello, to talk to, to sign books. A few panels and talks, but mostly a warehouse of books and writers there for the reading public.

I realize Susan, who was the official photographer of our weekend to celebrate her birthday, took loads of photographs - but all of them of our meals. So we have pictures of steak frites, pouding chomeur, croissant, our magnificent meal at Panache, and finally our last meal in Quebec City - as we drove out.

All weekend Susan had been going on and on about this one restaurant. I kept trying to ignore it, thinking she must be kidding. But no. It was the one place she wanted to eat on her actual birthday, which was yesterday.

Ashton's.

It's a Quebec fast food chain, like McDonald's...where poutine (that most Quebecois of Quebec dishes) was apparently invented. Though places in Drummondville and Victoriaville both claim to have invented poutine. Why anyone would fight over that honour is a mystery.

When I mentioned poutine in an early Gamache book both US and UK editors wrote to ask, 'What's poutine.' When I told them they thought I was making it up.

It's french fries, gravy and melting cheese curds. There are some fancy Quebec restaurants who make it with lobster. and fois fras. I'm not kidding.

Susan was pining for real poutine, in the cradle of poutine-dom. So we stopped at Ashton's. When she sends me the photo of that meal I'll post it. You might want to keep your children away. it might blind, or blight, them.

Then we drove home. I dropped her off and got back to the apartment by 7pm. Too tired to drive back to Sutton.

got up early - put in a few hours of writing. I was worried that it would be difficult to get back into it, but it wasn't. I'd felt uneasy about what I'd written just before leaving for QC. Not the content, which was necessary, but worrying that it didn't belong just there. That it was also too dense.

So when I got back to it this morning I pledged to trust my instincts, and sure enough, about a quarter though, I realized I needed to stop there, and change the scene. I loved it up to there....then I just knew something else had to happen. And I knew what.

So I saved the rest to a 'bits and pieces' file - about 4,000 words... and wrote a fresh scene.

Feels much better. And I know I'll use the other stuff I took out....eventually.

Well, off to pack up and head home. It sure will feel good! Oh, and great news. We're finally getting out car back!! The mercedes. Our accident was in January - and here it is mid-april, and we're just getting it back. Idiot garage the insurance people had us take it to didn't order the new parts until they came to need them...so it was delayed by weeks and weeks while awaiting parts. Then they'd start work again and discover they needed more parts. Then ordered them.

It's incredible. If I worked like that I'd never hit a deadline - and would certainly lose my contract. I sometimes feel like a crotchety old woman. I could use another word, but won't. You can fill in the blank.

And you know what? It sometimes feels good. And sometimes is necessary.

Hope you're well, and safe. and prayers for the people affected by the horrendous storms.