Markus

overcast, rain and sleet on the menu. temps plus 2

Well, we got tricked into wearing our huge winter coats out to breakfast today, only to find it was actually quite mild. Everyone else walking around in spring-type jackets. And're in boots and parkas. At least I left the skunky one on our verandah. That would have completed the image.

And now, when we come in to Montreal, not only will we almost certainly be smelling of eau de pepe le pew, we'll be trailing horse manure. I'm ready for my close-up!

Well, plans for Markus are moving apace. Seems, as Marjorie and others have said, he's a retired racehorse. Thank you for telling us that! You'd have thought we could have googled OTTB ourselves, but preferred to guess. Oye, That Terrible Battle-ax... Our Two Tubby Bottoms... Off To The Booze.

see, it could mean any number of things. But I agree Off Track Thoroughbred is most likely when discussing a race horse.

But, frankly, we can see that he might not have been the most successful race horse. The description of him says he can walk, trot and canter. But it does not mention gallop, which would be an advantage in a race horse. Can you just see him trotting out of the gate? Amazing he lasted as long as he did. However, if that's his approach to life he'll fit in just fine with us. We'll get him a sofa, a diet ginger ale, a croissant and put Animal Planet on the TV...he'll be indistinguishable from Trudy, Michael and me.

jana, our saintly neighbour who has horses and has agreed to board Markus for us, has some questions for the rescue people, but she and I talked just now and agreed none of them was a deal-breaker, and we'd get him out to us (her) and if there're problems, we'll deal with them later.

And - get this - My Assistant Lise spent ten years grooming horses and riding them. Her husband Del was practically born on a horse...and they themselves had horses until their lives just became too packed. I didn't know that about Lise. So more and more this just feels fated.

And to hear from some many of you that you have, or had, horses is comforting. And a little disconcerting. It means I'm unlikely to convince you that OTTB means, Oh That Terrific Book. I only hope I can convince myself!

Wrote almost three thousand words today. Slow to start...each work plunked down, but picked up more and more speed. Quite an interesting, tense, scene. I realize I love to write scenes that on the surface are relaxed, pastoral even, but that crackle with suppressed energy. It's not about two people chasing each other across roofs, it's about a verbal and mental cat and mouse game. Two people sparring across their wine and cheese. Baiting each other, thrusting, hiding, attacking. With words and looks. Tense, subtle.

Very fun to write those scenes.

Need to write the April newsletter. Bye for now - and thank you SO much for all the support, with the book and with Markus.