Coming home

overcast, cold, temps about freezing

Blustery as well. But I keep thinking of those people in North Carolina, Virginia and the other places hit by those monstrous tornadoes. Trying to imagine how terrifying that must be. And almost no warning, of course. heard about the people in the big box store herded to the back of the store by the manager and workers (most of whom were probably very young themselves) within seconds of the tornado hitting. Everyone saved - but would almost certainly have been killed had the employees not reacted.

the difference a split second can make.

On a much lighter note, Susan and I drove back from Quebec City yesterday. We had a fabulous time. I went to the Salon du Livres to sign and meet people on Saturday and Sunday. What a terrific event. Just packed with readers. And tons of kids. All excited. About reading, and meeting their favorite writers.

Wish there was something like this in the rest of Canada. There are festivals, but it's not the same as having booth after book of authors, just there to say hello, to talk to, to sign books. A few panels and talks, but mostly a warehouse of books and writers there for the reading public.

I realize Susan, who was the official photographer of our weekend to celebrate her birthday, took loads of photographs - but all of them of our meals. So we have pictures of steak frites, pouding chomeur, croissant, our magnificent meal at Panache, and finally our last meal in Quebec City - as we drove out.

All weekend Susan had been going on and on about this one restaurant. I kept trying to ignore it, thinking she must be kidding. But no. It was the one place she wanted to eat on her actual birthday, which was yesterday.

Ashton's.

It's a Quebec fast food chain, like McDonald's...where poutine (that most Quebecois of Quebec dishes) was apparently invented. Though places in Drummondville and Victoriaville both claim to have invented poutine. Why anyone would fight over that honour is a mystery.

When I mentioned poutine in an early Gamache book both US and UK editors wrote to ask, 'What's poutine.' When I told them they thought I was making it up.

It's french fries, gravy and melting cheese curds. There are some fancy Quebec restaurants who make it with lobster. and fois fras. I'm not kidding.

Susan was pining for real poutine, in the cradle of poutine-dom. So we stopped at Ashton's. When she sends me the photo of that meal I'll post it. You might want to keep your children away. it might blind, or blight, them.

Then we drove home. I dropped her off and got back to the apartment by 7pm. Too tired to drive back to Sutton.

got up early - put in a few hours of writing. I was worried that it would be difficult to get back into it, but it wasn't. I'd felt uneasy about what I'd written just before leaving for QC. Not the content, which was necessary, but worrying that it didn't belong just there. That it was also too dense.

So when I got back to it this morning I pledged to trust my instincts, and sure enough, about a quarter though, I realized I needed to stop there, and change the scene. I loved it up to there....then I just knew something else had to happen. And I knew what.

So I saved the rest to a 'bits and pieces' file - about 4,000 words... and wrote a fresh scene.

Feels much better. And I know I'll use the other stuff I took out....eventually.

Well, off to pack up and head home. It sure will feel good! Oh, and great news. We're finally getting out car back!! The mercedes. Our accident was in January - and here it is mid-april, and we're just getting it back. Idiot garage the insurance people had us take it to didn't order the new parts until they came to need them...so it was delayed by weeks and weeks while awaiting parts. Then they'd start work again and discover they needed more parts. Then ordered them.

It's incredible. If I worked like that I'd never hit a deadline - and would certainly lose my contract. I sometimes feel like a crotchety old woman. I could use another word, but won't. You can fill in the blank.

And you know what? It sometimes feels good. And sometimes is necessary.

Hope you're well, and safe. and prayers for the people affected by the horrendous storms.

Dorothy L

light flurries, cool, temps minus 3

Lovely day...winter, without the cruel bite. We've been watching, along with most of NA, the terrible storms on the east coast. poor Baltimore, Washington, Philadephia...New York City. Wow. Of course, the real problem is a loss of power. that's when it gets frightening and dangerous.

We have a large generator here because when we lose power we lose water too. but I know, of course, in cities people don't have generators.

If you're affected by the storms, and I know many of you are - you really are in our thoughts.

We've been having fun watching the Today Show etc in Vancouver for the Winter Olympics. We Canadians don't often wave the flag, but I have to admit to feeling my heart swell when I see Vancouver, Canada on all the TV's and in newspapers. Very proud of how beautiful it looks...and how efficient everything seems to be. Of course, the games haven't even started - so I suppose it's a little early to crow! Still, I'm very happy - and proud - and excited. I love the Winter Olympics. I suppose as a Canadian they just strike a cord. We were raised skiing and skating and doing a lot of the sports...until that great well of laziness was tapped. ow we watch others.

Can hardly wait for the games to begin. In truth, I root for Canadian athletes, but I also often also root for athletes from other countries. Some just have such inspiring, amazing stories. Imagine the work for these young people to get there? And they are all so young. Amazing. Humbling.

Had fabulous news from the website Dorothy L. It's a very prestigious site dedicated to crime fiction, with a bent to traditional mysteries _ ala Dorothy L. Sayers. Every January they poll their members for the top books and favorite writers....

Can you see where this is going....

Well, The Brutal Telling was the top book! And Louise Penny was the favorite writer!!! It actually feels very strange writing this because it feels way too much like bragging. And yet I've told you about other unexpected and wonderful events and honors...not sure why this feels different. and I suppose, really, it is bragging. But I'm just so happy about it. And frankly surprised. But mostly astonished and really, really joyful.

Do you know what I find amazing??? That I live outside a tiny village, in a french speaking province, in a lovely but quiet country - and readers have found my books. And enjoy them. And far from Canada and Quebec being a handicap readers seem to find it a good part of the series...a real benefit.

How open readers are. And how I have benefited by that. Honestly, what are the chances a middle aged woman writing in front of a fireplace in an old farmhouse would be discovered?

When I think of it my heart soars - and I'm aware again that it happened because of you, being open to what appeared to be a small Canadian village mystery series...but is in fact (I hope) set not in a place, but inside all of us. that's the real landscape. They're not about death but really about goodness and kindness, about friendship. About the light, not the darkness.

Enough of this - I just wanted to tell you the great news - and to thank you. I suspect many of you reading this now are also members of Dorothy L. You have a very, very happy author here...and I thank you.

Oh, another bit of news - Michael and I decided to go for our Nexus cards, which would speed our passage through Canadian and US customs. Since we travel so much, especially my air, it is huge to be able to avoid what is often a very long line. In some cases it takes an hour or more of shuffling forward. So we applied and guess what???

Michael got accepted, but I was rejected? Do they know who I am? Apparently they know perfectly well. I'm the idiot who got caught not once, but twice trying to sneak something into Canada. A Lands End bathing suit - then a month later, a restoration Hardware swing arm lamp.

Honestly - what was i thinking? It was humiliating. And apparently the border security people have long memories.

We went for Michael's interview two days ago at the Montreal airport and I explained my situation. The extremely kind (and beautiful - and powerful) customs officials looked up my dossier and discovered the infractions. I asked if maybe, since it was clearly a minor issue, it could just be, well, maybe, erased? (cue huge smile).

No. (cue their huge smiles). These cards are, they explained, for TRUSTED travelers.

They had me there. The irony is that I am actually, now, probably the most trusted traveler you could find. Nothing would entice me to lie at a border now. But the horse has already bolted. I am deemed untrustworthy.

Michael found this both amusing and annoying since we travel together all the time and his being able to sweep through customs means he just has to wait on the other side for his recidivist wife. Well, his fault for marrying me. He should have seen this larcenous streak in me.

But i have to say, the customs people really were very sympathetic and kind - and very helpful when Michael's eyes didn't want to have the retinal scan. Very patient they were. Finally, holding his lids open so wide I was sure the balls would roll out, they got the scan.

Hope you're doing well - and if you've been in the path of the storms, that you haven't been too, too badly affected.

Privations, with a bit of froth

Thunderstorms, temps 20

A dramatic day. Love them every now and then. Montreal and Burlington really got walloped by some strong winds. Trees down, power out. We ran the water into the tub, in case we lost power - but all we lost (briefly) was the satellite.

Wrote a lot today...still having to substitute z for s. Then once in a while I hit replace and all the 'z's turn into 's's. So now size become sise. And sizzles become sissles. We've gone from book 5 sounding like it's narrated by Boris and Natasha to someone with quite a lisp. Well, at least the writing's going well.

Off to see Pina's show tonight.

The espresso machine arrived! We immediatelty cooked up two double's, and Michael did the froth. We sat in the screen porch as a thunder storm struck, dipping orange biscotti into our capuccinos. God, the life of a writer. Why me, oh Lord? When will it end?

Must go make dinner then get out of my flannel pajamas for Pina's show. It's also very hard being a trophy wife.