lupins

Mainly sunny, hot, temps 30

Another stunner. Gorgeous. Spent the morning on the screen porch, writing. I wish I could say I was editing, but the truth is, I'm doing mostly original writing...doing new scenes at the beginning of the book.

But I really like what I'm doing, and don't feel at all badly that all the writing I did months ago to start the book will never be read...will in fact disappear. Because I know two things....what I'm doing now is better. And I needed to write what I did before to be able to write this.

It's all a process...building on itself. And the beginning of my books are almost always going to need re-writing because when I start a book the themes and direction are never as clear as when I finish. So the second draft is done from a whole different perspective.

I'm actually very excited about this stage...not at all afraid anymore, even though it looks as though the editing is really more of a second draft than an edit. And will almost certainly take longer than expected. But I'm now hoping to have this draft finished by the beginning of July. We're going to NY for a few days early in the month to celebrate a friend's birthday so I'm aiming to have it done then.

Lovely life. To sit on the porch, looking over the gardens, and writing about Three Pines, about Clara and Ruth and Gamache.

when I'd finished for the day I took Trudy for a walk - and found that the lupins by the pond were out.

Did I mention that a duck is nesting on the island? Trudy and I scared it by mistake a few days ago and it flew away...then I worried it wouldn't come back - but I didn't want to check, and scare it again. But Victor and Michael reported it was back. So we're expecting a brood of ducklings any day now.

My Assistant Lise dropped by with the flats of annuals. She'll put them in tomorrow. And Kirk came by with a suggestion for a wall colour for the Montreal apartment.

Nice, nice day. I feel at peace.

Ka-boom

huge, honkin' storm - hot and humid - temps 30

Sultry day - loads of rain...then the sun came out and the humidity shot up even higher - then there was a massive storm felt like it was right over the house. Even Trudy (who normally only reacts to cookies) jumped out of her skin.

Had a wonderful morning, sitting on the screen porch watching the rain come down in sheets...and the mountain in the distance disappear in mist...and edited book 6 from the hardcopy. I realized I adore the extremes...sitting in the living room during a blizzard, hearing it lash the house, and being safe and warm with Michael, Trudy, and a hot chocolate in front of the fire. Or, in the summer, being on the porch during a summer rain.

Peace. Safety. Those are things I yearn for, and have found. Sometimes!

Went off next door to the wonderful Bal and Linda's - and of course their daughter Bethany and their three dogs - for a mid-afternoon visit. They had nine friends visiting from all over - all doctors and their spouces. Bal is also a doctor - he created Palliative care in Canada. It was such fun for Michael and me to be included in their gathering...and it was clear how much these people (who were all at Queens Medical School together 50 years ago) love each other. And how comfortable they are with each other. A real gift to be allowed to visit that devotion, and even feel a part of it.

One of the great and very real blessings of my writing career has been re-connecting with people I'd cared about and failed to keep in touch with. How splendid to find them later in life and love them still. People like Wendy and Pat, like Janet and Marcie.

Have an interview tomorrow with Hannah Sung, of the CBC bookclub... if you haven't checked it out you might want to...just go the the CBC website and look up the bookclub or Canada Reads. The Murder Stone was chosen their book for the entire month of August. Am also doing an online chat - live of course - this Thursday between 2 and 3 Eastern Time.

Am off now to write something else in preparation for the launch of The Brutal Telling. So looking forward to that!

Sleep tight.

Moonshadow, moonshadow

brilliant sunshine, temps minus 12

A stunning winter day. After all the snow we had it's still in the trees and on the branches and piled on top of our stone walls and birdfeeders. And now comes the first cloudless day. It just looks like heaven. Sets the heart to thumping it's so beautiful. And peaceful. I think there's no peace on earth like a still, calm winter day. Every sound is muffled. The snow is undisturbed by tracks.

The only thing moving are those flying pigs mascerading as birds.

Last night it was a clear, clear night. And if not a full moon then almost. You should have seen the gleam. On the midnight snow it was almost daylight. And the moonshadows? Bold, clear.

What a world.

Today I'm looking after odds and ends. Lise (as part of her taking charge of Michael's area) needs storage boxes so we're consulting over that. Some photocopying necessary. Some emails and phone calls. Details. I hate details. But I generally have a day when that's all I do, and it's amazing how much can be done in very little time. Classic, isn't it? I dread it for days then get it all done in half an hour.

Be well - and I'll talk to you tomorrow.