light snow, mild, temps minus 3
A beautiful, gentle day here...in contrast to what those of you along the east coast have last night and today. My God - 18 inches in places. Some places more. New York city getting a foot and a half. It must have been absolute chaos.
Our day was very quiet. I went off to be Pina-ed. She's our neighbour and runs an exercise class in Sutton which Michael and I have started taking again. After a 5 year hiatus. Have you noticed that some days, when exercising, it's not terribly difficult and other days you can barely lift your legs? I had the latter today. Torture. Pinatized. I might need therapy. Again.
But wow, does it feel good when you stop.
Popped into the grocery store (resisted the chips and gummis) then home just in time to meet Kirk. He and Jane are helping us design the renovation. We have a solarium at the end of our kitchen which was never the best quality and has not improved with age. So now it's like having an open window in our kitchen. And when it's minus 34 as it was Monday, that is not a good thing.
So we've decided to re-do it, and the kitchen. So Kirk came by to discuss it, and then our contractor came and we all walked around discussing options.
Now, I'm not extravagant. Mostly because I hate being in debt. If we can't pay it off quickly, it doesn't happen. So the poor contractor kept having to re-adjust the ideas to try to fit our budget. But my theory is that anyone can do a great house if you have a million dollars. The creativity comes in trying to achieve something beautiful and useful on a modest budget.
that's what we're trying to achieve. We'll see how I feel when the cardboard kitchen cabinets arrive, and the sod floor.
then in the afternoon we got caught up on bits and pieces - wrote the February newsletter for instance - and replied to emails.
Hope those of you along the east coast are safe and have managed to dig out. We're thinking of you.
Showing posts with label Pina. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pina. Show all posts
Thursday, 27 January 2011
Monday, 3 January 2011
Pinalty
mainly sunny, cold, temps minus 10
Well, the cold has snapped back into place and everything that had turned to water has now become ice. The snow, what's left, has a firm crust on top...we can even walk on top without sinking in.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for your beautiful messages after yesterday's post. I read each and every one - and feel the embrace. Thank you too for telling me your personal stories. It can be heartbreaking. Especially since, if it's a family member or loved one, there's often little we can do - except disconnect with love. And not have them take everyone down with them. Easier said than done, though.
Well, we're off to Pina to re-start our exercises. We actually love it. Afterward. During is a whole other matter. One hour of 'stretch and strength' twice a week. But it's shocking (shocking I say) how much better we both feel for doing it. Physically, certainly - but there's a huge emotional boost. Taking back control.
Out got the rest of the chocolates, the cakes, the cookies. And in comes fresh fruit. Our big treat are cafe au laits, using the Nespresso machine, with skim milk.
So - we head into the sunshine of a new year. Hope you're thriving.
Thank you again, my friends. How kind you are.
Well, the cold has snapped back into place and everything that had turned to water has now become ice. The snow, what's left, has a firm crust on top...we can even walk on top without sinking in.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for your beautiful messages after yesterday's post. I read each and every one - and feel the embrace. Thank you too for telling me your personal stories. It can be heartbreaking. Especially since, if it's a family member or loved one, there's often little we can do - except disconnect with love. And not have them take everyone down with them. Easier said than done, though.
Well, we're off to Pina to re-start our exercises. We actually love it. Afterward. During is a whole other matter. One hour of 'stretch and strength' twice a week. But it's shocking (shocking I say) how much better we both feel for doing it. Physically, certainly - but there's a huge emotional boost. Taking back control.
Out got the rest of the chocolates, the cakes, the cookies. And in comes fresh fruit. Our big treat are cafe au laits, using the Nespresso machine, with skim milk.
So - we head into the sunshine of a new year. Hope you're thriving.
Thank you again, my friends. How kind you are.
Friday, 18 July 2008
Privations, with a bit of froth
Thunderstorms, temps 20
A dramatic day. Love them every now and then. Montreal and Burlington really got walloped by some strong winds. Trees down, power out. We ran the water into the tub, in case we lost power - but all we lost (briefly) was the satellite.
Wrote a lot today...still having to substitute z for s. Then once in a while I hit replace and all the 'z's turn into 's's. So now size become sise. And sizzles become sissles. We've gone from book 5 sounding like it's narrated by Boris and Natasha to someone with quite a lisp. Well, at least the writing's going well.
Off to see Pina's show tonight.
The espresso machine arrived! We immediatelty cooked up two double's, and Michael did the froth. We sat in the screen porch as a thunder storm struck, dipping orange biscotti into our capuccinos. God, the life of a writer. Why me, oh Lord? When will it end?
Must go make dinner then get out of my flannel pajamas for Pina's show. It's also very hard being a trophy wife.
A dramatic day. Love them every now and then. Montreal and Burlington really got walloped by some strong winds. Trees down, power out. We ran the water into the tub, in case we lost power - but all we lost (briefly) was the satellite.
Wrote a lot today...still having to substitute z for s. Then once in a while I hit replace and all the 'z's turn into 's's. So now size become sise. And sizzles become sissles. We've gone from book 5 sounding like it's narrated by Boris and Natasha to someone with quite a lisp. Well, at least the writing's going well.
Off to see Pina's show tonight.
The espresso machine arrived! We immediatelty cooked up two double's, and Michael did the froth. We sat in the screen porch as a thunder storm struck, dipping orange biscotti into our capuccinos. God, the life of a writer. Why me, oh Lord? When will it end?
Must go make dinner then get out of my flannel pajamas for Pina's show. It's also very hard being a trophy wife.
Thursday, 17 July 2008
Ezprezzo countdown
sunny, hot, beautiful, temps 29
wonderful day - went exercising this morning. Very hard. I find some days I feel stronger than others. Especially those torturous leg lifts and bicycles. Ugh.
Pina - our neighbor/exercise instructor - is also an artist who's on the Tour Des Arts and now an actor. She and two other women have written a play called Three Old Bags. They workshopped it last year and this year they've had HUGE success. They were at the Montreal Fringe Festival and sold out one of the biggest theatres in the Townships, in North Hatley. they're putting on shows during the Tour as well. I thought she'd be a great profile for MORE magazine, so I'm going to pitch her to them. We'll see. Hoping to get to the show tomorrow night.
From exercise we did our shopping - the pharmacy's moved into the biggest building in Sutton - drugs, drugs, drugs galore. This is a great community. Drugs, and condoms.
Got home in time for a swim, and Wayne mowing the lawn.
Then put in 4 hours work. Didn't get as far with the editing as I'd hoped. Seems the 's' key has really given up now. So after pounding away at it I grew weary and frustrated. Then decided to substitute the 's' for 'z'...zo now wordz are zpelled ztrangely. Must say, it cuts down on the creativity when I have to do that.
Michael thinks it's a riot...says I've bagged so many zzz's in my life, at least now I have a use for them. har, har. Nice thing is I realize none of the main characters has an 's' in their name, except Lacozte.
Perhaps it's time for a new laptop. Was hoping to get through this book. We actually have one in the office I could use, but I find it's tempermental - skips lines and I don't realize it so that I'm writing happily away and it doesn't make sense. Oh well. probably better than the 'z' solution.
Espresso maker supposed to arrive tomorrow! Then everything will be right with the world.
Speak tomorrow.
wonderful day - went exercising this morning. Very hard. I find some days I feel stronger than others. Especially those torturous leg lifts and bicycles. Ugh.
Pina - our neighbor/exercise instructor - is also an artist who's on the Tour Des Arts and now an actor. She and two other women have written a play called Three Old Bags. They workshopped it last year and this year they've had HUGE success. They were at the Montreal Fringe Festival and sold out one of the biggest theatres in the Townships, in North Hatley. they're putting on shows during the Tour as well. I thought she'd be a great profile for MORE magazine, so I'm going to pitch her to them. We'll see. Hoping to get to the show tomorrow night.
From exercise we did our shopping - the pharmacy's moved into the biggest building in Sutton - drugs, drugs, drugs galore. This is a great community. Drugs, and condoms.
Got home in time for a swim, and Wayne mowing the lawn.
Then put in 4 hours work. Didn't get as far with the editing as I'd hoped. Seems the 's' key has really given up now. So after pounding away at it I grew weary and frustrated. Then decided to substitute the 's' for 'z'...zo now wordz are zpelled ztrangely. Must say, it cuts down on the creativity when I have to do that.
Michael thinks it's a riot...says I've bagged so many zzz's in my life, at least now I have a use for them. har, har. Nice thing is I realize none of the main characters has an 's' in their name, except Lacozte.
Perhaps it's time for a new laptop. Was hoping to get through this book. We actually have one in the office I could use, but I find it's tempermental - skips lines and I don't realize it so that I'm writing happily away and it doesn't make sense. Oh well. probably better than the 'z' solution.
Espresso maker supposed to arrive tomorrow! Then everything will be right with the world.
Speak tomorrow.
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)