sunny, blistering hot (for some), temps 34
Unbelievable day. Scalding. We're so lucky to be in the country. Can't even imagine how hot it is in Montreal, with the heat radiating off the buildings and the pavements. Out here our feet burn when we walk bare-footed to the pool. Happily, we have a ... pool. amazing relief.
Well, I think I'm on the shortlist for World's Worst Employer.
you might remember back in the autumn when Lise joined me as my assistant and we gave her a special vase (since she's also a gardener) as a welcome gift. Turns out that vase, made out of some funky rubber material, looks a lot more like something men are given during long hospital stays, than a vase.
Seems we'd given Lise a "Welcome to the Job' urinal.
Now comes word that with the summer season, we've poisoned her. In the summer she shifts to outside and does our gardens as well as others lucky enough to have her. She's wonderful...even worse then that we've, well, you know...poisoned her. here's an excerpt from an email I received yesterday:
Well guess what.... there is actually a plant in your garden that does not appreciate me.
You should see part of my back shoulder and my neck. I am blistering right up. The culprit is your Gas Plant (Dictamnus albus), the little devil did not like the fact that I staked it back up in the proper position. Well, let me tell you I will not make that mistake again.
I just hope it doesn't spread the word to all the other plants in your gardens to attack me!
Then later, this update...
Found out the "gas plant" also known as the "creosote plant" is considered a poisonous plant in Canada.
Went to the walk in clinic and it is very rare that they see this particular dermatitis....s.s.s. (whatever on the spelling), but it turns out that it is the combination of the oils on the plant and the ultraviolet rays from the sun that cause the burns to happen. I have never before had to stake that particular plant because it is such a strong standing plant. But all the bad weather knocked it down so I staked it. Being a warm day I had on a tank top and used my shoulder to help with the staking, from there I kept cooking. Anyway, I know have a tube of "steroid" cream to apply for 7 days and it should go away.
Poor Lise. Hope she's this understanding when she realizes we're paying her in licorice sticks. Might change that to nettles for next month.
Went to Dave's funeral this morning. Lovely. Especially the hymn Abide with Me. Went to the basement after for sandwiches etc and realized in a rush that this was the exact setting for Jane's funeral at St-Thomas's chapel in Three Pines. Felt very comfortable being there, which is a real gift on a sad occasion.
Have had a busy day fielding invitations. Had to decline to run a workshop for a Canadian government initiative for artists and to host the CBC Radio Morning programme for two weeks this summer. Editing book 5, as you know, and I have too much respect and affection for the current host, Mike Finnerty to want to 'break' his show.
Did however agree to an event in Collingwood, Ont. next year and one in Bancroft, Ont in Sept 09. We're booking a year and a half ahead, and getting packed. Will soon need to push bookings into 2010. How strange to write that.
Did agree, as well, to a signing at McNally books in Toronto in Nov 08, as well as speaking to the Grade 11 boys at St George's school in TO this fall, where DEAD COLD is part of their curriculum.
And said 'yes' to contributing to a new column the Globe and Mail is running for the next couple of months called, 'The Summer of Love.' They're asking authors to write about a romantic experience. Michael was pretty chuffed. Ego. But, of course, he's right. It will be about him. Who else?
had some good news too from the vet. Took our eldest, maggie, in because of her limp and she seemed bloated. The vet decided we were just worried parents and the bloating was in our heads. Not the first time that's been the diagnosis.
speak to you tomorrow.
Showing posts with label Dave. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dave. Show all posts
Tuesday, 8 July 2008
Monday, 7 July 2008
Murderous thoughts
Sunny, not and humid, temps 31
Anotehr amazing day. We don't use air conditioning but Gary put a ceiling fan in our bedroom last fall and it's on all night. What a difference it makes. And it's silent. Amazing. Hot and sticky day...classic Quebec summer day.
Went exercising this morning - which is far from 'classic' for us. Pina Maku's class. she's a friend, neighbor and ruthless exercise class leader. I thought it might be a good chance to tone up but also have an hour to let my mind work on a couple of editing issues that have come up. By cutting out a character I've created a few structural 'weaknesses'. Holes really. Great, gaping gaps in the logic of the story. So I thought doing an hour of Stretch and Strength would give me 'time off' - or at least my brain.
We'd done exercise with Pina a few years ago, so really there was no excuse for idiocy like that. Of course I wouldn't have time to think of anything except why this seemed a good idea, and how to kill Pina. And how long, Dear Lord, how long? Looked at my watch every 30 second and time at first stood still then seemed to go backward. We'd created a black hole.
Eventually, after a century and a few lifetimes had passed, the class was over.
On this side of it, it feels great. My goal (modest as always) is to be like the ancient Greeks and have a balance of mind, body and spirit. I believe the mind and the spirit get regular workouts, but the body is lagging behind. On the sofa. With a pastry.
I'm never going to be slim, certainly not skinny. Have no desire to be. I love food too much. But I know I feel better when I exercise. And can touch my toes.
Had another wonderful email from Dolores Gordon-Smith, a wonderful writer from the UK we met at Crimefest in Bristol. We'd been corresponding about children and she said she quite liked them. I thought she had 2 daughters, so I agreed if you actually have some it's probably best to like them. here's her response...
As a a matter of fact, old thing, I've got five daughters. There's about 18 months to two years between them all, so it was a busy time, but good grouping, wouldn't you say? Eventually we found out what was causing it, so that was that.
I've just had an email (thank goodness for emails!) from Helen in Cambodia. There was one bit that was so nice, I'm going to paste it in. She went round the huge Angor Wat Indiana Jones-y ancient temple and, while she was feeling temple fatigue, met some children.
"They came up to me whilst I was sat on a bit of temple reading a book about Angor, so I was showing them the photos and the 13 yr old saw a coloured one of Cambodian dancers which she kept wanting to turn back to because she was learning how to dance like that. She was so taken with it I couldn't say no when she asked me to rip it out for her! Nice to give someone here something other than money."
Isn't that lovely? It's those moments which I treasure, where you stop being a tourist and become more of a traveller.
Now, if I could give birth to an adult Helen I'd do it. She sounds wonderful. But then her mother is too.
Must be off. We have a few things to prepare for tomorrow including a funeral. Our friend Dave Crandall died in the winter and like so many Quebec funerals, his had to wait until they could dig in the ground. I believe he was cremated and this is the service for his friends, and to bury the ashes.
A reminder, as always, to cherish each moment.
Anotehr amazing day. We don't use air conditioning but Gary put a ceiling fan in our bedroom last fall and it's on all night. What a difference it makes. And it's silent. Amazing. Hot and sticky day...classic Quebec summer day.
Went exercising this morning - which is far from 'classic' for us. Pina Maku's class. she's a friend, neighbor and ruthless exercise class leader. I thought it might be a good chance to tone up but also have an hour to let my mind work on a couple of editing issues that have come up. By cutting out a character I've created a few structural 'weaknesses'. Holes really. Great, gaping gaps in the logic of the story. So I thought doing an hour of Stretch and Strength would give me 'time off' - or at least my brain.
We'd done exercise with Pina a few years ago, so really there was no excuse for idiocy like that. Of course I wouldn't have time to think of anything except why this seemed a good idea, and how to kill Pina. And how long, Dear Lord, how long? Looked at my watch every 30 second and time at first stood still then seemed to go backward. We'd created a black hole.
Eventually, after a century and a few lifetimes had passed, the class was over.
On this side of it, it feels great. My goal (modest as always) is to be like the ancient Greeks and have a balance of mind, body and spirit. I believe the mind and the spirit get regular workouts, but the body is lagging behind. On the sofa. With a pastry.
I'm never going to be slim, certainly not skinny. Have no desire to be. I love food too much. But I know I feel better when I exercise. And can touch my toes.
Had another wonderful email from Dolores Gordon-Smith, a wonderful writer from the UK we met at Crimefest in Bristol. We'd been corresponding about children and she said she quite liked them. I thought she had 2 daughters, so I agreed if you actually have some it's probably best to like them. here's her response...
As a a matter of fact, old thing, I've got five daughters. There's about 18 months to two years between them all, so it was a busy time, but good grouping, wouldn't you say? Eventually we found out what was causing it, so that was that.
I've just had an email (thank goodness for emails!) from Helen in Cambodia. There was one bit that was so nice, I'm going to paste it in. She went round the huge Angor Wat Indiana Jones-y ancient temple and, while she was feeling temple fatigue, met some children.
"They came up to me whilst I was sat on a bit of temple reading a book about Angor, so I was showing them the photos and the 13 yr old saw a coloured one of Cambodian dancers which she kept wanting to turn back to because she was learning how to dance like that. She was so taken with it I couldn't say no when she asked me to rip it out for her! Nice to give someone here something other than money."
Isn't that lovely? It's those moments which I treasure, where you stop being a tourist and become more of a traveller.
Now, if I could give birth to an adult Helen I'd do it. She sounds wonderful. But then her mother is too.
Must be off. We have a few things to prepare for tomorrow including a funeral. Our friend Dave Crandall died in the winter and like so many Quebec funerals, his had to wait until they could dig in the ground. I believe he was cremated and this is the service for his friends, and to bury the ashes.
A reminder, as always, to cherish each moment.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)