overcast, rain, hail, sun, rain, hail, sun - temps, who knows!
One of those unsettled, dramatic days that swung from beautiful sunny and warm to violent winds and hail. And, of course, it chose to pour just as we needed to be outside. Took Trudy for a walk - approached the pond and suddenly there was thunder and lightning. So Trudy and I skiddadled back home. Poor Michael was out back cutting daffodils for Nancy and George when the storm arrived. He scooted back inside too.
We've had dogs - Bonnie in particular - who were terrified of thunder storms. Trudy doesn't seem to care at all, which makes all our lives easier.
We set the alarm for 6, as I mentioned yesterday - got up and were writing by 8am...in front of the fire. Fun to see Michael getting back to his book with real vigor...as he does everything. And I think I might finish my first draft tomorrow. Nothing at all on the agenda tomorrow - except to write...yay!!!
When we were in Washington, at the Malice Domestic, I was chatting with some other writers and heard a phrase I'm not sure I'd heard before. But it sure is true. The Muddle in the Middle. Now, I never thought I was the only writer who got all kinda confused in the middle of writing my books - I'd heard lots of other writers describe exactly the same phenomenon. But I'd never actually heard that perfect description!
The Muddle in the Middle. As you see, I feel it should be capitalized.
Perfect. And, as a middle child, I can attest to the fact it's true for more than just a book.
At about noon we headed out (through the storm) to Knowlton. I had a bookclub meeting in Boerne, Texas, via Skype. but, having done skype from home we realized our internet is too slow to support it well...so we needed to find another way to do it. and we thought of Nancy, who has high speed and is a computer whiz. Unfortunately I'd raced back from the pond with Trudy so fast, and then we were late, so I jumped in the car and forgot I was still wearing my rubber boots. So the boots got to come with us to Nancy's, to the bookclub, to lunch later with Cotton. To Danny and Lucy's bookstore.
We're home now - organizing our trip to New York City in July...need to work ahead to fit events and interviews and meetings together. Pretty fun, I have to say. I haven't yet reached the stage where flying for parties, interivews, and meals and meetings around my books is 'old hat'. It still gives me a thrill to realize I'm talking about myself, and haven't simply made it up.
Looking forward to writing tomorrow...fingers crossed I finish. That would be good. Oh, over lunch, Cotton mentioned that there's snow in the forecast for Sunday!!
Speak to you tomorrow.
Showing posts with label new york. Show all posts
Showing posts with label new york. Show all posts
Thursday, 6 May 2010
Thursday, 3 September 2009
Emeritus Professor Whitehead
brilliant, sunny day, warm, temps 25 - full moon
Gorgeous, perfect, still day. We're finally back in Sutton and wow does it feel great!
As you might be able to tell from the title, we returned to find a wonderful letter from McGill University, where Michael was a full professor of Medicine - that he has been awarded the honorific of Professor Emeritus!!!
We are both so moved and thrilled! What a remarkable career he has enjoyed. Teaching, research, his clinical practice, and running the hematology department at the Montreal Children's hospital...helping, or at least trying to help, so many children with cancer.
I cannot tell you how proud I am of him - and how wonderful this recognition is - and how well deserved!
Congratulations, Michael!!
I'm sorry not to have written sooner, but I headed off to New York City early Tuesday morning for publishers meetings, and returned fairly late last night. Shouldn't have been all that late except my flight got in at 5pm into Dorval airport, along with every huge plane in the world...and the customs was packed. It was ridiculous. On top of that, there were only 6 customs agents on duty for almost a thousand people. the line snaked around and around like a very ill-tempered colon. At one stage I thought they must have added lots more agents because the line suddenly seemed to move. Then I realized my metabolism must have slowed down and my body gone into survival/hibernation mode - so that a small shuffle forward felt like a sprint. The customs line lasted way longer than the flight. If I was a visitor to Canada I would never return.
Horrible.
I spent the time composing stern letters to my MP - which I then forgot in the euphoria of being through.
Oh, the power has been restored next door, which is good, since our friend Susan came down with us to stay the long labour day weekend. It's the Brome County Fair weekend, and we're off to see it tomorrow. Visit the animals (Michael has a thing for goats, but don't tell anyone) - we need to eat a famous Derby Burger, made by our neighbors down the dirt road, Charlie Derby - though they have competition at the fair these days from the bison burgers.
There's fresh cooked corn on the cob, and candy floss, and licorice sticks and pipes and fragrant, sweet apples.
Michael had another eye doctor's appointment with mixed results...but some hope! The leak is still there, and his eye pressure has dropped to dangerous levels, but the doc now thinks he can probably operate, close the tear and put in a shunt (which, of course I immediate associate with freight cars but suspect and hope that isn't accurate).
The Doc wants to take it slowly and give the eye a chance to heal on its own, so we'll go back in 2 weeks and the operation is scheduled for october 1st.
We have every hope it will work.
We both want to sincerely thank all of you for your well wishes...both those of you who wrote to us, and those of you who might not have written but who thought of us with kindness. We could feel it. And this comes with my sincerely gratitude.
New York City was wonderful. I'm slowly getting to know it. Feeling more comfortable, though I still get turned around, which is nigh-on impossible since it's a grid system...you actually have to work at getting lost.
I walked from 52nd street where my hotel was, down to 20th for a lunch date, then back up - so lost in my own thoughts and imagination that I overshot it and finally ground to a hot halt at 59th street. 70 blocks of NYC...and adoring every moment. Of course, the weather was glorious.
I'm very, very glad to be getting to know New York, and feel less alienated. Such a shame not to appreciate one of the great cities of the world - and what a relief to feel that happening. Familiarity...and perseverance.
This has been yet another unexpected blessing of my writing career. Without it I would never have kept returning to New York... and would never have grown to really like it.
Well, off to the bedroom....haven't even been upstairs yet. We arrived in the country around 2pm - unloaded the car - then I went over the the guest cottage and Susan and I hopped in the car and drove across the border to the Hannaford in Enosburg, Vermont. She had a shopping list almost as long as the customs line. I, of course, impulse shopped...one of my favorite things. Then we headed home - arriving about 5pm...then I replenished the flowers in vases around the home and cut some to take over to susan...then Michael and Trudy and I walked through the woods to the cottage for dinner.
Susan's a fabulous cook!
And now we're home and I wanted to write you with an update, and to tell you about the Emeritus news, which we're excited about - and the very hopeful news about Michael's eye.
And to thank you, for your support!
Thank you.
Gorgeous, perfect, still day. We're finally back in Sutton and wow does it feel great!
As you might be able to tell from the title, we returned to find a wonderful letter from McGill University, where Michael was a full professor of Medicine - that he has been awarded the honorific of Professor Emeritus!!!
We are both so moved and thrilled! What a remarkable career he has enjoyed. Teaching, research, his clinical practice, and running the hematology department at the Montreal Children's hospital...helping, or at least trying to help, so many children with cancer.
I cannot tell you how proud I am of him - and how wonderful this recognition is - and how well deserved!
Congratulations, Michael!!
I'm sorry not to have written sooner, but I headed off to New York City early Tuesday morning for publishers meetings, and returned fairly late last night. Shouldn't have been all that late except my flight got in at 5pm into Dorval airport, along with every huge plane in the world...and the customs was packed. It was ridiculous. On top of that, there were only 6 customs agents on duty for almost a thousand people. the line snaked around and around like a very ill-tempered colon. At one stage I thought they must have added lots more agents because the line suddenly seemed to move. Then I realized my metabolism must have slowed down and my body gone into survival/hibernation mode - so that a small shuffle forward felt like a sprint. The customs line lasted way longer than the flight. If I was a visitor to Canada I would never return.
Horrible.
I spent the time composing stern letters to my MP - which I then forgot in the euphoria of being through.
Oh, the power has been restored next door, which is good, since our friend Susan came down with us to stay the long labour day weekend. It's the Brome County Fair weekend, and we're off to see it tomorrow. Visit the animals (Michael has a thing for goats, but don't tell anyone) - we need to eat a famous Derby Burger, made by our neighbors down the dirt road, Charlie Derby - though they have competition at the fair these days from the bison burgers.
There's fresh cooked corn on the cob, and candy floss, and licorice sticks and pipes and fragrant, sweet apples.
Michael had another eye doctor's appointment with mixed results...but some hope! The leak is still there, and his eye pressure has dropped to dangerous levels, but the doc now thinks he can probably operate, close the tear and put in a shunt (which, of course I immediate associate with freight cars but suspect and hope that isn't accurate).
The Doc wants to take it slowly and give the eye a chance to heal on its own, so we'll go back in 2 weeks and the operation is scheduled for october 1st.
We have every hope it will work.
We both want to sincerely thank all of you for your well wishes...both those of you who wrote to us, and those of you who might not have written but who thought of us with kindness. We could feel it. And this comes with my sincerely gratitude.
New York City was wonderful. I'm slowly getting to know it. Feeling more comfortable, though I still get turned around, which is nigh-on impossible since it's a grid system...you actually have to work at getting lost.
I walked from 52nd street where my hotel was, down to 20th for a lunch date, then back up - so lost in my own thoughts and imagination that I overshot it and finally ground to a hot halt at 59th street. 70 blocks of NYC...and adoring every moment. Of course, the weather was glorious.
I'm very, very glad to be getting to know New York, and feel less alienated. Such a shame not to appreciate one of the great cities of the world - and what a relief to feel that happening. Familiarity...and perseverance.
This has been yet another unexpected blessing of my writing career. Without it I would never have kept returning to New York... and would never have grown to really like it.
Well, off to the bedroom....haven't even been upstairs yet. We arrived in the country around 2pm - unloaded the car - then I went over the the guest cottage and Susan and I hopped in the car and drove across the border to the Hannaford in Enosburg, Vermont. She had a shopping list almost as long as the customs line. I, of course, impulse shopped...one of my favorite things. Then we headed home - arriving about 5pm...then I replenished the flowers in vases around the home and cut some to take over to susan...then Michael and Trudy and I walked through the woods to the cottage for dinner.
Susan's a fabulous cook!
And now we're home and I wanted to write you with an update, and to tell you about the Emeritus news, which we're excited about - and the very hopeful news about Michael's eye.
And to thank you, for your support!
Thank you.
Sunday, 9 March 2008
New York, New York - I can't make it there!
overcast, flurries in forecast, temps minus 6
Bed is the perfect climate.
Noel Coward
Well, the biggest, honking storm I've ever seen hit us yesterday - and through last night. It ended at around 6 this morning. I know, because I was up at 4:30. Checked my Air Canada flight to NYC - cancelled. They said I could re-book by calling this number - so I called this number and sat on hold for - get this - 4 hours! I'm not kidding. At one stage I called Michael in the country and said, 'I'm not sure if I've just ended up on hold and they've forgotten about me - maybe I called the wrong Air Canada number, can you try?' So he tried and couldn't even get onto hold - they weren't taking calls anymore. Recorded message said whole Eastern Seaboard was shutdown and there was a HUGE volume of travellers trying to re-book. Bugger off. That last part was mine.
So at 8:30 this morning Air Canada finally answered me. My left ear is flat. I know all about their bonus frequent flier points and the specials between Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and New York. The recording will be my last conscious thought on earth, 40 years from now. My last words - 'This is a deal that's hard to say no to.'
So now I can't fly out until tomorrow morning - which will make it very tight to get to the New Canaan library for noon. The publishers have arranged for a limo to pick me up at the airport and drive me there. Fast. I'm sure I'll make it for the panel discussion, which I'm really looking forward to. It's with the wonderful Rosemary Harris (Pushing up Daisies) and Jan Brogan (Yesterday's Fatal).
But yesterday's storm was fantastic. All the buildings around our apartment disappeared. Couldn't see anything - it just descended upon us. Howling and blowing. Almost a foot fell in 12 hours. It was stunning, and frightening and very beautiful. Nice to be warm in the apartment. And I still am!
So, another day in Montreal, then heading out.
Nice bit of news though - The Cruellest Month was again on the bestsellers list here - ninth week!
Hope the storm wasn't too hard on you - I know the Eastern and Central US, as well as the Toronto area were whacked.
Stay warm - stay in bed. I plan to.
Bed is the perfect climate.
Noel Coward
Well, the biggest, honking storm I've ever seen hit us yesterday - and through last night. It ended at around 6 this morning. I know, because I was up at 4:30. Checked my Air Canada flight to NYC - cancelled. They said I could re-book by calling this number - so I called this number and sat on hold for - get this - 4 hours! I'm not kidding. At one stage I called Michael in the country and said, 'I'm not sure if I've just ended up on hold and they've forgotten about me - maybe I called the wrong Air Canada number, can you try?' So he tried and couldn't even get onto hold - they weren't taking calls anymore. Recorded message said whole Eastern Seaboard was shutdown and there was a HUGE volume of travellers trying to re-book. Bugger off. That last part was mine.
So at 8:30 this morning Air Canada finally answered me. My left ear is flat. I know all about their bonus frequent flier points and the specials between Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and New York. The recording will be my last conscious thought on earth, 40 years from now. My last words - 'This is a deal that's hard to say no to.'
So now I can't fly out until tomorrow morning - which will make it very tight to get to the New Canaan library for noon. The publishers have arranged for a limo to pick me up at the airport and drive me there. Fast. I'm sure I'll make it for the panel discussion, which I'm really looking forward to. It's with the wonderful Rosemary Harris (Pushing up Daisies) and Jan Brogan (Yesterday's Fatal).
But yesterday's storm was fantastic. All the buildings around our apartment disappeared. Couldn't see anything - it just descended upon us. Howling and blowing. Almost a foot fell in 12 hours. It was stunning, and frightening and very beautiful. Nice to be warm in the apartment. And I still am!
So, another day in Montreal, then heading out.
Nice bit of news though - The Cruellest Month was again on the bestsellers list here - ninth week!
Hope the storm wasn't too hard on you - I know the Eastern and Central US, as well as the Toronto area were whacked.
Stay warm - stay in bed. I plan to.
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