Anticipating winter

partly cloudy, cool, temps 13

Chilly morning - but all of them are now. Like most northerners, I adore autumn. Best time of the year. I don't even mind the promise of snow to come. I suppose that's because I don't have to 'deal' with it so much. When I was working at CBC Radio and living in the Plateau Mont Royal quartier winters were horrible...for those us us with a car. No parking - just street parking...and when there were snow storms it was terrible! Snow clearing came with their sirens at 2am - everyone scrambling out of bed trying to shovel cars clear in the narrow streets...which pretty much meant dumping the snow on your neighbor's car and hoping he wouldn't come out and find it - which he always did because everyone needed to move their cars. Amazing it never came to blows. But very stressful.

Now we live on 70 acres so we can toss the snow anywhere we want! Actually, Tony digs us out now. And we're never in a rush. A few times I've had to get out to make a flight for a book tour and that gets very stressful...but generally we can see the storm coming at least 12 hours ahead and can make other arrangements.

But nfor the most part Michael and I just light the fire, put water in the tub in case the power goes off (no - not 'cut off'!) and make sure we have lots of food. Then we hunker down and watch the storm hit. It is amazing to be safe and warm inside. Though I always spare a thought and prayer for people stuck on the highways.

Now that is terrifying. I don't know an adult Canadian who hasn't had the experience of knowing this was how, and when, they'd die. Only to, miraculously, survive.

Perhaps that's why our murder rate is so low in Canada. Why bother killing someone when the elements would do it soon enough for you?

Wrote some more of the Quick Reads book this morning...now just listening to music and sipping coffee. Still loving the montreal apartment.

Michael wrote to say Tony was stacking the winter wood supply, dropped off by Delmar - so we'll have plenty of winter wood.

Talk to you tomorrow. Have a great last day of the long weekend - if you get one. I now know that in the UK at least there is no Labour Day long weekend.

Be well.