lucky stars

clear, temps minus 3

We woke up to snow this morning. Not a lot, but enough to finally give us a Christmas feeling. Flurries a few times through the morning, then it cleared up and the day became lovely and sunny.

well, our Christmas tree is up and decorated! Lights on the tree outside too - throwing beautiful light into the house. We're having a few days of near constant activity here - fun things....details getting looked after. You know what it's like. The last five percent of renovation work. but a very fun five percent. Just lots of running around. but now the television is in, the stereo hooked up, King's College Cambridge singing carols, just for us. Fire lit. Michael has his afternoon hot chocolate and I have my tea.

Woke up with a slight sore throat - worsening a bit as the day has gone on. Longing for a bath but ran out of time today. But wow, I just kept thanking my lucky stars that it hit the day after my very last event. Wow. All through the book tour - and into the fall - I just kept praying for good health. A cold on tour is terrible.

and sure enough - now it hits, when I have all the time in the world (almost) to relax. Or at least, no obligations in cement. The last event - and it's not even mine, we're in the audience - is heading to Ottawa middle of next week to see Trevor conduct the Messiah at the National Arts Centre. The day before that, the wonderful people at Flamarrion Quebec have organized an afternoon tea and invited Lise and me - to celebrate the success of the past year and the imminent publication of the fourth book in French, Defense de tuer (which means - no hunting....it's a sort of play on the American title, A Rule Against Murder). Many people around here, ourselves included, have 'Defense de tuer' signs on our properties - warning against hunting on our land.

The nights draw in so early now. 4:30. Lovely to sit by the fire, listen to carols, sip tea and look at the lights outside reflecting off the snow.

Trudy needs to be fed and walked - she's reminded me a few times already (though she starts wondering at about 3pm).

I hope you're enjoying a quiet evening too. We're following the terrible storm in Scotland. Linda Lyall, who manages my website and newsletter lives there and she wrote this morning saying they were all on red alert for 165 mile an hour winds! Can you imagine? We're waiting for news from her.

Hope you're well - talk soon!