Overcast, mild, temps 20
Quite a nice day. No rain, though we had some yesterday. Went off to the dentist this morning - then drove home. Met Michael in Sutton for lunch. Lovely to see him again. Then home. Great to be home again - even after so short a time away.
Arrived to wonderful news. THE BRUTAL TELLING has received a starred review from Library Journal. Here it is:
[star!!] Penny, Louise. The Brutal Telling.
Having won numerous mystery prizes, including the prestigious Arthur Ellis and Anthony awards for her debut, Still Life, Canadian author Penny has only gotten better with each succeeding novel. Her fifth in the series is the finest of all. Featuring series protagonist Chief Inspector Gamache, this literary mystery explores the ways in which sins of the past have a way of resurrecting themselves, wreaking havoc upon their perpetrators, and, unfortunately, the innocent. Thus, when a hermit is slain in the woods near an isolated village in rural Quebec, secrets surface, unmasking characters who have adopted benign personae to conceal their questionable past deeds. Fortunately, sagacious Gamache possesses the acumen to peel away the layers of deceit and to expose the truth. VERDICT This superb novel will appeal to readers who enjoy sophisticated literary mysteries in the tradition of Donna Leon.
And - almost as exciting - I arrived home to find Michael had re-organized my closet. Imagine that! We've decided, actually, to share closet space, so neither one of us has the best or the worst space. But I'd been meaning to organize my bits, and he knows it. So it was amazing to get back and he'd already done it.
Honestly, I really should go away more often. The most amazing things happen!
Have a roast in the oven - felt I should at least give him a decent meal - make sure he's happy to see me back! Brought a couple of pastries from Montreal to seal the deal!
Be well - talk to you tomorrow.
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Monday, 14 September 2009
Thursday, 2 July 2009
Home Again
rainy, humid, temps 20
Back home now. Had the BEST time at Hovey. Stayed in a room called The Birches, which is actually in the woods above the Inn...with huge windows looking into the forest on one side and out over the lake at the front. A huge room, with a huge bathroom. I could actually live there, I'm convinced. Such fun to dress for dinner in our finery and walk through the woods to a formal, candle-lit dinner.
I think my favorite meals at Hovey, though, are breakfast. This morning it was two soft boiled eggs, ham and shallots, asperagus and a confit of red pepper. With a side of smoked bacon. Plus the cold buffet of fruit compot, home-made granola, cheese, croissants, cinnamon buns. Dear Lord, take me now.
What bliss.
Then arrived home to a torrent of problems...all of them fairly minor. Problems with the water at the guest cottage (and we have guests so that's not great)... our Sharp Aquos TV (a real lemon) has broken again and is taking 3 weeks to repair...this is the second time in a year. We've had televisions that haven't broken in 25 years...and this supposedly high end thing breaks twice in a year. The warrenty is about to expire...so I asked the company for a) an extended warrenty since this is clearly a problem TV or a replacement.
I think Aquos has a fine reputation. We seem, uniquely, to have a lemon.
But so far the company seems unimpressed with our requests. Will go up the chain. But again, this is an irritant when there are other things to concentrate on. Oh well, it could be worse. The TV could have decided to poop. God, that's probably next. Day after the warrenty expires.
For now all the phone calls are made...personal war has not been declared, emails have been returned and forwarded and replied to. Sent out the newsletter on July first - or at least he wonderful Linda Lyall did...and had hundreds of responses. I can no longer personally respond to them all, but have replied at random to a number of them.
Am giving away a signed ARC for The Brutal Telling. Will also give one away next month on the newsletter.
Will start editing book 6 (the Quebec City one) tomorrow in hopes of finishing it completely by the end of august. One foot in front of the other. And remembering to count my blessings. So important. And not hard, after that blessed time away with Michael.
Be well - talk tomorrow.
Back home now. Had the BEST time at Hovey. Stayed in a room called The Birches, which is actually in the woods above the Inn...with huge windows looking into the forest on one side and out over the lake at the front. A huge room, with a huge bathroom. I could actually live there, I'm convinced. Such fun to dress for dinner in our finery and walk through the woods to a formal, candle-lit dinner.
I think my favorite meals at Hovey, though, are breakfast. This morning it was two soft boiled eggs, ham and shallots, asperagus and a confit of red pepper. With a side of smoked bacon. Plus the cold buffet of fruit compot, home-made granola, cheese, croissants, cinnamon buns. Dear Lord, take me now.
What bliss.
Then arrived home to a torrent of problems...all of them fairly minor. Problems with the water at the guest cottage (and we have guests so that's not great)... our Sharp Aquos TV (a real lemon) has broken again and is taking 3 weeks to repair...this is the second time in a year. We've had televisions that haven't broken in 25 years...and this supposedly high end thing breaks twice in a year. The warrenty is about to expire...so I asked the company for a) an extended warrenty since this is clearly a problem TV or a replacement.
I think Aquos has a fine reputation. We seem, uniquely, to have a lemon.
But so far the company seems unimpressed with our requests. Will go up the chain. But again, this is an irritant when there are other things to concentrate on. Oh well, it could be worse. The TV could have decided to poop. God, that's probably next. Day after the warrenty expires.
For now all the phone calls are made...personal war has not been declared, emails have been returned and forwarded and replied to. Sent out the newsletter on July first - or at least he wonderful Linda Lyall did...and had hundreds of responses. I can no longer personally respond to them all, but have replied at random to a number of them.
Am giving away a signed ARC for The Brutal Telling. Will also give one away next month on the newsletter.
Will start editing book 6 (the Quebec City one) tomorrow in hopes of finishing it completely by the end of august. One foot in front of the other. And remembering to count my blessings. So important. And not hard, after that blessed time away with Michael.
Be well - talk tomorrow.
Tuesday, 30 June 2009
creme brule, eh?
sunny, hot, temps 26
We're at Hovey Manor, on Lac Massawippi...the Inn that inspired the Manoir Bellechasse. Inspired, but wasn't a real model...since it's considerably less isolated than the manoir in The Murder Stone/A Rule Against Murder.
We arrived Sunday and have been having a wonderful, relaxed time. Pour buckets yesterday, but it was very peaceful. We sat on the wide porch with a pot of coffee and read all morning, then the rain let up just in time to have lunch on another porch, overlooking the lake...I had a warm duck panini and Michael had a lobster salad on baguette, ice tea...then we shared a creme brule.
Then, nap time, and dressed for dinner...by then it was raining heavily again. I had the seared scallops appetizer and duck breast main course, while Michael had fiddlehead soup (an astonishing colour!) and halibut. Then we both had a strawberry parfait.
Dear Lord.
Unbelieveably relaxing. Trying not to think of editing book 6, or launching The Brutal Telling...but I must admit, thoughts sneak in. Had a massage today and kept seeing scenes from book 6, as they might be improved. Oh well. I think that's just how it is. Lucky, I love my characters, so bringing them to Hovey is natural...especially the Gamaches.
Didn't ask for an upgrade, you'll be pleased to hear. And ended up with a lovely room. Hard to have a bad one here.
A couple of readers dropped by for coffee today...their dog, Missy, ate their library copy of Dead Cold and they wondered if maybe I could sign a new one for them, as a replacement. We had a great chat, then they left and I had the massage.
Be well...and be confident in the certainty there is more creme brule coming!
We're at Hovey Manor, on Lac Massawippi...the Inn that inspired the Manoir Bellechasse. Inspired, but wasn't a real model...since it's considerably less isolated than the manoir in The Murder Stone/A Rule Against Murder.
We arrived Sunday and have been having a wonderful, relaxed time. Pour buckets yesterday, but it was very peaceful. We sat on the wide porch with a pot of coffee and read all morning, then the rain let up just in time to have lunch on another porch, overlooking the lake...I had a warm duck panini and Michael had a lobster salad on baguette, ice tea...then we shared a creme brule.
Then, nap time, and dressed for dinner...by then it was raining heavily again. I had the seared scallops appetizer and duck breast main course, while Michael had fiddlehead soup (an astonishing colour!) and halibut. Then we both had a strawberry parfait.
Dear Lord.
Unbelieveably relaxing. Trying not to think of editing book 6, or launching The Brutal Telling...but I must admit, thoughts sneak in. Had a massage today and kept seeing scenes from book 6, as they might be improved. Oh well. I think that's just how it is. Lucky, I love my characters, so bringing them to Hovey is natural...especially the Gamaches.
Didn't ask for an upgrade, you'll be pleased to hear. And ended up with a lovely room. Hard to have a bad one here.
A couple of readers dropped by for coffee today...their dog, Missy, ate their library copy of Dead Cold and they wondered if maybe I could sign a new one for them, as a replacement. We had a great chat, then they left and I had the massage.
Be well...and be confident in the certainty there is more creme brule coming!
Tuesday, 13 January 2009
Does that storm system look like a muffin to you?
overcast, mild, windy, temps minus 1
Just came back from a wonderful lunch with Lise. I do like her so much. She gave me five handmade Armand Gamache bookmarks to take to my events in Arizona - to give one out per event. So it you're there, we'll see about doing a draw or something.
We chatted away at the Cafe Floral - saw a bunch of people we knew. Had fish chowder. Yum. And stopped by Lucy and Danny's bookstore in Knowlton - Brome Lake Books. They'd just shipped a signed copy of The Murder Stone to Hilary in Medicine Hat Alberta. Fun idea.
This morning Michael and I headed off to Cowansville for breakfast, stopping first at Denis's service station to replace a burned out headlight in the volvo. Then breakfast of french toast, bacon and fruit.
As you see, my life has become very simple, as has my conversation. I have two topics. You can choose from either the 'weather' column or the 'food' column. Sometimes I can be persuaded to talk about travels and airlines.
Just looked outside - in the five minutes I've been writing this a storm has blown up! Almost a white-out. And HUGE winds. Unfortunately we need to head into Sutton to do some banking and so Michael can get his beard trimmed.
He hinted, quite broadly, the other day that maybe I wanted to get my hair cut too. Now, Michael wouldn't notice a cow if I moved into our home so I have to figure my hair must be pretty bad for him to say something. And, to be honest, I haven't had it done since the dasterdly 'drag queen' episode in Cambridge, England in September. But perhaps it has grown out enough. Or, maybe Michael prefers the drag queen look. Hmmm. Though this does bode well for the future, especially the moustache I'm working on.
Be well - will talk to you tomorrow.
Just came back from a wonderful lunch with Lise. I do like her so much. She gave me five handmade Armand Gamache bookmarks to take to my events in Arizona - to give one out per event. So it you're there, we'll see about doing a draw or something.
We chatted away at the Cafe Floral - saw a bunch of people we knew. Had fish chowder. Yum. And stopped by Lucy and Danny's bookstore in Knowlton - Brome Lake Books. They'd just shipped a signed copy of The Murder Stone to Hilary in Medicine Hat Alberta. Fun idea.
This morning Michael and I headed off to Cowansville for breakfast, stopping first at Denis's service station to replace a burned out headlight in the volvo. Then breakfast of french toast, bacon and fruit.
As you see, my life has become very simple, as has my conversation. I have two topics. You can choose from either the 'weather' column or the 'food' column. Sometimes I can be persuaded to talk about travels and airlines.
Just looked outside - in the five minutes I've been writing this a storm has blown up! Almost a white-out. And HUGE winds. Unfortunately we need to head into Sutton to do some banking and so Michael can get his beard trimmed.
He hinted, quite broadly, the other day that maybe I wanted to get my hair cut too. Now, Michael wouldn't notice a cow if I moved into our home so I have to figure my hair must be pretty bad for him to say something. And, to be honest, I haven't had it done since the dasterdly 'drag queen' episode in Cambridge, England in September. But perhaps it has grown out enough. Or, maybe Michael prefers the drag queen look. Hmmm. Though this does bode well for the future, especially the moustache I'm working on.
Be well - will talk to you tomorrow.
Thursday, 26 June 2008
But do they eat each other?
mainly sunny, warm, temps 26
One more day. Until the kids come. Doug, my brother, wrote from Toronto with a list of callisthenics we can do, to build up muscle mass before they descend. And take us down with them. Of course, it's far too late for that and we must now rely on cunning, and bribery.
Doug, his kids Rozy (who is just turning 12) and Charlie (10) are coming. His oldest, Brian (13) is at camp. Each of the kids is bringing a friend. Spencer for Charlie and Elan for Rozy. Doug is bringing his imaginary friend.
We have lists everywhere - of food, of activities, of hiding places.
Ice cream, candies, hard boiled eggs, cheese, orange and grape crush and root beer. And that's just for Doug. Actually, he's a vegetarian and doesn't eat eggs or mushrooms either. But, he does eat Caramilk bars.
We're watching the forecast, as though that helps. We waited anxiously to see what movie the local theatre, the Princess in Cowansville, would be playing while the kids were here. Praying for Kungfu Panda.
It's Sex and the City.
Never liked Sex and the City, and even less now.
They arrive tomorrow (Friday) mid-afternoon. 24 more hours. I think we need to just hunker down and pray for daylight.
One more day. Until the kids come. Doug, my brother, wrote from Toronto with a list of callisthenics we can do, to build up muscle mass before they descend. And take us down with them. Of course, it's far too late for that and we must now rely on cunning, and bribery.
Doug, his kids Rozy (who is just turning 12) and Charlie (10) are coming. His oldest, Brian (13) is at camp. Each of the kids is bringing a friend. Spencer for Charlie and Elan for Rozy. Doug is bringing his imaginary friend.
We have lists everywhere - of food, of activities, of hiding places.
Ice cream, candies, hard boiled eggs, cheese, orange and grape crush and root beer. And that's just for Doug. Actually, he's a vegetarian and doesn't eat eggs or mushrooms either. But, he does eat Caramilk bars.
We're watching the forecast, as though that helps. We waited anxiously to see what movie the local theatre, the Princess in Cowansville, would be playing while the kids were here. Praying for Kungfu Panda.
It's Sex and the City.
Never liked Sex and the City, and even less now.
They arrive tomorrow (Friday) mid-afternoon. 24 more hours. I think we need to just hunker down and pray for daylight.
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