Happy Birthday Michael!!!

light, high clouds, temps 9

Actually, that's a guess....but it seems likely. I haven't been out today.

I'm about to head out to the train station in Montreal to pick up Michael and his son Victor. What an adventure they've had! Chicago...then Michael's son Mike couldn't make it - was stuck in Toronto - so they guys flew to Toronto to be with him yesterday...and are training home now. Via Rail. Very relaxing.

It's Michael's 77th birthday! And not a day goes by when we're not very, very aware of how lucky we are with his health. Nothing wrong! His eyes are better than ever. He had a stress test and passed with flying colours. He has way more stamina than I, and can go all day. As you know, i basically lurch from cafe to bistro to bench.

And speaking of bistro - we're having dinner at the bistro on the Avenue tonight, to celebrate.

Happy Birthday, Michael.

I spent yesterday mostly writing. 3,000 words. One of those great days. Then went for a walk, had a shower, and did the Skype conversation for Nikki's bookclub at the Barnes and Noble in Ithica, NY. What a great tool, Skype is. For those not aware of Skype, it's this free tool that allows the camera on your laptop to connect live to people around the world. So I can see them and they can see me. And we can hear each other. Most of the time. At yesterday's skype event, the audio kept breaking up and fading out, and the video kept locking. But we bumbled through - thanks to a great deal of patience on the part of the club members. What wonderful questions, about how much I plan the series, and how much I respond to reader's comments - does that help influence future plots and books.... about Rosa. And Agent Morin. And Olivier.

Of course, I couldn't say much because not everyone had read all the books. But I do want to say now that I really enjoyed the Skype visit. As you might know, I'm now saying a polite (I hope) "No thank you" to almost all invitations.

In fact, I've cancelled my appearance at Bouchercon in St. Louis. I've been to Bouchercon for six years in a row - and need to pull back, take a break, and find time for myself...and do other events.

So with the help of Sarah Melnyk, the publicist in NYC, we're picking and choosing. This isn't, believe me, out of ego or some sense I'm too big to do smaller events. It's really just exhaustion. Seven years of near constant writing, promotion, editing, touring and all the other things.

My friend Louise, as part of a course she's taking on grieving, was given an assignment. (this is not the non-sequitor it appears to be) Not sure if I told you about this - she was given a glass, half filled with water. And a bunch of empty glasses. And told to label the empty glasses and pour an appropriate amount of water into each.

One she labelled "Jacques" - her husband who died in September. One was "work". One was 'Family" and so on. One was herself.

Then she started pouring. And realized she had nothing left for herself. And very little left for the things she loved.

She found this extremely illuminating. And so did I. I realized we all only have so much energy. It really is finite, not infinite. And we need to make choices.

Now, some of those glasses give back more than they get. But some just keep sucking. And will take it all, if I allow it, and am not careful. It's nobody's fault but mine if I give all my energy away. Especially to people, or things, that really don't care. And why should they? It's my energy. If I'm silly enough to agree to something, it can't be blamed on the people who are simply asking.

I also, like many of you, find it hard to say "no". But I'm getting way better!

So please, don't stop asking....but understand if I decline. It's not out of disrespect for you, or your invitation. It's simply out of a renewed respect for myself, and the people I love.

On a way different topic, a reader yesterday sent me a wonderful link - to a segment on the news. I thought you'd like to see it too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=61WkeY9Jcvw&vq=medium

Be well - I have a bit of a crazy week coming up. have to make a video, do a television interview, sign books, do a conference call, drive back and forth to the country, drive to Quebec City and spend all of next weekend at the Salon du Livres, signing. And speaking. French. Oh, and write a book.

And this is post-pledge to decline invitations. Makes you wonder what my life was like before that.

I'm an idiot.