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.

Where's my key, agenda, cheque, head?

snow in morning, very windy, then bright sunny skies temps minus 14

Drove in to Cowansville for breakfast this morning, then on to Montreal. Took the back roads since there was a lot of snow. But mostly the danger comes from ice, and blowing snow - which we had in abundance this morning.

Michael drove the Mercedes home - hallalujah!

Though it took a while to get here to the Montreal apartment. It was, in many ways, a day of remebrance - following a day of forgetfulness. Our DOF happened last visit to Montreal. Michael forgot to bring the cheque for Volvo, Steve at Mercedes forgot to give us the second key, and I forgot my agenda at Lemeac Restaurant. All in a matter of hours.

So today we retraced our steps...took the cheque to Volvo for the final payment before selling the car...picked up the second key for our new Mercedes (adore it!!!) from the dealer...and met Michel at Lemeac for lunch and picked up my agenda at the same time.

Lunch was great. Michel will be the person translating my books into French. Over a lunch of calamari, fish soup, cuisse de canard, baguette we discussed all sorts of things, including translation options and turns of phrases. Can you believe this is work??? Hope to convince Revenue Canada it's work, but it sure didn't feel like that. Michael and Michel laughed about the role of a hematologist in designing murder mysteries. We had a blast.

And speaking of blasts - that's what met us (after we forgot the key to the car in the restuarant) as we walked to the car. A bitterly cold wind right in our faces. Feels like the skin is peeling away. Poor noses. And ear lobes.

The new car is fabulous...a real dream. As you know we agonized over what to get. We needed an all wheel drive, we wanted something comfortable for the highway, and something environmentally responsible. We got two out of three. Situational ethics, c'est moi. However, to right the imbalance - and because they're cool - we're also going to get a used Smart Car for tooling from home to the villages, and only use the Mercedes for trips to Montreal or further afield.

I've quite lost my heart to the Smart Car - but I wouldn't want to drive them around our mountain home in winter...nor would I want to drive them on the highway in any weather. people do, I know...but not these people. We first saw a Smart Car in Paris about five years ago. I remember standing stock-still and staring...mesmerized by the tiny car. Adoring it right away. So it will be such fun to have one.

Rob - Barbara Peter's husband (she of Poisoned Pen books) in Phoenix - has a Smart Car and we got to see it. Course, it might make a little more sense in Phoenix than in two feet of snow. But I'm sure I can justify it. Oh, wait...I don't need to. What a relief.

So now we're home in the Montreal apartment...no plans for tomorrow, except to maybe lose a few more things.

Fruit salad for dinner...craving healthy food - finally.

Hope you're well...talk to you tomorrow.