A Vowel Movement

flurries, mild, temps minus 2

Still have not been outside. I'm goin' for the record, ma.

Laughed over your comments about the US vs Canadian/UK versions. Totally agree about titles. I think/hope that has stopped. Not my first choice either. To be fair to the publishers, it's not their first choice, but they genuinely believe they're dealing with different sensibilities - and what attracts in the UK might not attract in the US. They really are doing their best. But I agree, it's annoying.

And in terms of what you're missing...I can guarantee you aren't missing much...except of course the final chapter of The Brutal Telling. We kept that out of the US version.

Kidding...

You are only missing a few 'u's but you get a bunch of quotation marks in exchange. But I'll be happy to tell my US editor there is a ground swell of support for keeping the Canadian/UK spellings etc.

We're having a lovely day here, basically just getting caught up with Doug and him with us. Planning the next family reunion. We realized after our mother died there was a danger we'd drift apart...that her home and seeing her was the focal point for most of our lives. So we decided we needed to make a pledge to get together once a year, and rotate it among us. last year it was our turn and everyone came for Thanksgiving. Next year it's our brother Rob's turn. he and audi just moved to Regina where he'd the new deputy minister of Transportation for the province. We're very proud of him. I remember when he was in his early 20's and had just moved out to Alberta...he'd send hundreds of photos home of roads he was building...honestly, they all looked like dirt roads through forest, but we looked at them all and exclaimed over them.

What was obvious was his absolute passion for transportation, and road building specifically. A passion that has stayed with him all his life.

Back to the reunion...since we've been doing these reunions for many years now we think we might adjust the concept and go somewhere else...and we think maybe it'll be Arizona in october. But it's early days yet. Tried to phone Rob earlier today so we could speak with him but there was no answer. Will try later.

Such fun having Doug visiting. He needs to get back to Toronto tomorrow and we need to be at a doctor's appointment for Michael's eye in Montreal - so we've decided to get up reeeeeally early and drive in...miss the runsh hour traffic. Will leave here at 5am.

Going to order pizza from Knowlton and watch the Canada/US hockey game tonight. Doug's kids and Mary are actually there!!!

Be well - will try to blog tomorrow.

Happy Thanksgiving!

brilliant, sunny day, temps 10

Didn't wake up to this! In fact, when Doug and I took Trudy around the pond for her morning walk it was dreadful. Driving rain, cold, almost sleet...all the way around all you heard was Doug and me begging, 'Pee!! Pooooop!' finally, Trudy did the deed and we skiddadled back home.

Rob and Audi were stuffing the turkey and Michael was making coffee. Wonderful. Now the turkey's in the oven, the gibblets are boiling on the stove, potatoes all ready to be boiled and mashed. Pumpkin pie in the fridge and the cream ready to whip. A fire laid in the hearth.

And the sun has come out.

And we are surrounded by family. How lucky we are. Such an amazing feeling to have my two tall, sturdy brothers here. As we walked around the pond yesterday morning, just the three of us, I had the oddest feeling. Not sure I can even describe it. Gratitude, but also something that feel so right. Primal, almost. It surprised me, and almost hurt it was so intense. Joy, yes, but even more than that.

We miss the rest of the family, those who couldn't make it, and those who are no longer with us. But those who were meant to be here made it.

Heading out early tomorrow for Burlington, Vermont. Rob needs to buy some dress shoes. He's getting the Award of Distinction from the Canadian Transportation Association in Vancouver next Sunday. He has everything, except the shoes. So Burlington it is, then we stay the night at an airport hotel, and Rob and Audi fly out to New orleans for a vacation and I head to Houston. Will be speaking at Murder by the Book - a fabulous bookstore in Houston, on Wednesday.

Taking the MacBook. If you don't hear from me, you'll know I haven't figured out how to work it.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

I'll be the one in the straight-jacket

flurries, windy, milder - temps minus 9

Had a terrific phone call yesterday with my older brother, Rob and his family - daughter Sarah and wife Audi. It was Rob's birthday and wonderful to get caught up. They'd just returned from a 14 day cruise in the caribbean. Princess Cruises. They reported it was OK. Their first cruise and Rob and Audi say they'd made a different choice next time. Perhaps go with Princess, though the food apparently wasn't very good - but they'd definitely choose a newer, smaller ship. This one seemed 'tired'. And I think if you're on it for 2 weeks you'd want wonderful food - at least I would!

Their son, Adam, is having adventures in Australia and their oldest daughter, Kim, is in New Zealand - in a town called Franz Joseph. Isn't that a great name? At least, I think that was the name. Perhaps it was Franz Ferdinand. But I think it was the former. Sarah and Audi asre hoping to visit Kim in a few months.

Rob and his family live in Edmonton. Rob's an assistant Deputy Minister in the government, and I'm always so proud of him.

We're in Montreal now. Had lovely, long breakfast with Joan, which stretched to almost noon. Heard, among other things, that her son (and our friend) Gary has grown a mustache and beard. She says it looks great. Can hardly wait to see it, but am afraid by the time Michael and I get back from Quebec City it might be gone.

Had a friend, Sharon, write to ask about the results of the second mammogram. Don't have them yet but the radiologist wen tout of his way to reassure me it was nothing. I should have asked if what they saw looked a little like a gummi bear. Or a muffin. Actually, I don't think they saw anything...just wanted to be sure.

Off to Arizona tomorrow...2pm flight. Should arrive about 7:30pm local time. REally looking forward to watching the Inauguration on TV Tuesday. Have a TV interview (by phone if you can believe it!) 10am Tuesday with KAZ-TV - a show called: AM Arizona. Then 3pm event at the Tempe Library, 5pm dinner with some loyal readers, 7pm event at Poisoned Pen.

On Wednesday there's noon at the Mesquite library, 2pm at the Velma Teague library, 4pm telelvsion interview with Barbara Peters to go on YouTube, 7pm - another event (with Rhys Bowen) at Poisoned Pen - then a midnight flight back (changing planes in New Jersy) and arrving in Montreal 10am Thursday morning. Then have a noon newspaper interview in our Montreal apartment.

Then kill someone. Haven't decided who, but I worry for the newspaper reporter.

Will try to blog tomorrow, but...