Scorcher - sunny, hot - temps 30
Too hot to be outside. Quebec! I'm telling you. If it's not minus 30 it's plus 30.
Well, we puppy-sat Pat and Tony's dog, Daisy. You can see her in the foreground of the picture, with Trudy behind her. She's a gorgeous golden mix - but she's mostly golden, as you can see. Just a funny sort of tuft of hair on the top of her head which makes her look like she's part blue jay. Daisy's a rescue dog, and just now a year old. Beautiful temperment, but with some separation anxiety...which we began to feel too. We longed for Pat to return!
In fairly short order Daisy (despite walks around the pond) had peed in the house - twice and destroyed the child-proof gate down to the mudroom. Granted, Pat had warned us to keep her in the same room with us - hence, the gate.
And walking Daisy was an experience. She definitely was not used to a leash. She'd get a whiff of something (perhaps our newest arrival, the gopher) and take off...yanking my arm, and thankfully the rest of me, still attached, along with it. At one stage she wiggled out of her collar and took off. I was terrified she'd smelled the porcupine. Or, perhaps worse, a deer and was about to disappear into the forest and not stop running til sunset. We'd never find her.
but then - as I ran after her shouting, 'Daisy!' 'Daisy!'....I suddenly remembered what works for me when I hare off after something. 'treat!' I started calling. 'Treeeeeeat!!'.
And, my God, didn't Daisy stop. Right at the border of the woods. She looked back, at the demented woman with the empty collar and leash - like a failed dominatrix - and either took pity on me, or (like me) was totally seduced by the promise of a treeeeeat. She came back.
Oh, what a relief. She got her cookie...as did Trudy, for being a good girl and not running off.
It was an extremely entertaining, at times amusing, but not very restful afternoon. Still, I have to admit, I'd rather baby sit a one year old puppy than a one year old human.
Watched the Vancouver Canucks lose to Boston last night in the Stanley Cup hockey finals. 4-0. Enough said.
Had breakfast this morning with Joan. Loads of fun - nice to be getting caught up with people. And tomorrow I'll be having breakfast with Cheryl. Then an 11am conference call to discuss the upcoming booktour. Then at 12:30 I'll be at the Cowansville prison, to talk to the prisoners about literacy. The local Yamaska Literacy Council gives classes and quite a few of the men attend. In fact, when the local radio station had a contest to write a radio play - open to anyone in the Eastern Townships - one of the inmates won! We'll be giving him his prize too.
Saturday we have a lunch to celebrate a friend's birthday - then a party Saturday night - and then spending all Sunday with Joanne Sasvari - who lives in Vancouver but is here to write a travel article on locations in the townships that have inspired my books. I'll be taking her to Brome Lake Books, and the monastery of St-Benoit, where Brother Charles has agreed to give us a special tour - and Georgeville...and finally, dinner at Hovey Manor. she'll spend the night and I'll drive home.
Next week I'm off to disneyland (or is it world?) in Orlando with Linda and Bethany Mount - to celebrate Bethany's 16th birthday.
Not a bad life at all! Butter Beer at Harry Potter World! I hope to blog from there.
Hope you have a great, relaxing, weekend.
7 comments:
Would love to hear about Harry Potter World. It sounds fascinating. Enjoy the trip.
Hilarious post! LOL I am mom to a golden mix myself. He is a rescue, and had lost a lot of his spirit by the time I brought him home. Still, he is very happy and a titch neurotic. Maybe two titches... lol
My church participates in Prison Ministry at a state prison about 30 miles from my home. We do STORYBOOK, in which we record an inmate reading a book to his children on an MP3, then burn a CD and send the book and CD to the children. It's a wonderful way for the dads (and sometimes grandpas) to keep a connection with their kids while they're incarcerated.
So looking forward to seeing you Sunday, especially the visit to Lac Brome books. Assuming that I can still move by then – am traveling in the Quebec Maritime region right now, such a beautiful place, and your fellow Quebecers seem intent on stuffing me with cheese, fois gras and maple syrup. Which, you know, isn't all bad.
Gee, Louise, you sound as busy when you're "relaxing" as when you're writing or touring.
Your lupine and peony arrangement from the other day is scrumptious. I would never think to put the two together, but they are gorgeous. It must be your artist's eye at work.
Lurching dogs are the story of my life -- not that I didn't love each one to distraction. Next one will have to be more manageable, though, as my arms have been stretched about as much as I can stand.
Necessary repairs are being done here in the good weather, in the form of a new back deck and removal of a buried oil tank (long decommissioned). Will be great when the work is all done. I keep remembering your marble counters, and wish it were happening here.
Enjoyed hearing about the prisoner who won the prize. I worked at a Federal Institution for years and know how many challenges they have facing them both inside and once released. Great to hear a good news story.
Thanks for cheering me up, Louise (things are rather gloomy around here). Treeeat!!! Ha haa ha.
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