Happy Thanksgiving!

sunny, hot, temps 30

An absolutely unbelievable Thanksgiving weekend. spectacular weather - and loving being with the whole family! We've rented a home very close (walking distance) to the main street in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Five bedrooms....almost enough for the 11 of us. Only young Roslyn needs to sleep on the floor. We made her a bed of cushions....then last night her cousins found a rubber chicken in the garage, that squeaks, loudly, when squeezed, and put it under her bed. Then filled her with ghost stories.

You can imagine the result.

Having just a blast. We decided to have Thanksgiving dinner last night - saturday night...we'd normally do it Sunday or Monday - but we wanted Sunday to eat leftovers and relax....so my older brother Rob cooked the turkey...Michael and I helped with the stuffing and did sweet potatoes - Doug did the regular potatoes and brussel sprouts. Mary did the pumpkin pie. We don't describe what Buttercup (the hound from Hell) contributed - but if we ever had to reassemble the turkey there'd be some bones missing.

It was wonderful. You can see our 'Official" thanksgiving photo.

And the weather was so glorious we went for long walks and chats and sat outside. And just visited.

Then today, we all decided to head to Niagara Falls and do the Maid of the Mist - the boat the goes under the falls. It was amazing!!! Absolutely breath-taking. We took lots of photos - and you can see, it was another splendid day.

they gave us the blue Smurf rain wear - and we still got absolutely drenched. But so fun. We laughed the whole time. The boat ride was about half an hour - and unforgettable. I had a memory of Niagara Falls being unbelievably tacky - and deeply unattractive....but I realize it wasn't (thank goodness) the falls themselves....those have been kept pristine, with lovely walks and parts and trees...but it's the town....at least the parts we saw. Very unfortunate. But at least the falls have been protected and are just amazing.

As I write, sitting outside in the garden, I can hear Rob and Doug and Rob's wife Audi preparing dinner for tonight (I've already joined them and did my chopping - but must get back before they decided to put the rubber chicken in our bed!). So lovely to hear them just talking, comfortably. Michael's upstairs having a little lie-down....probably just quiet time. The kids are off at a 'haunted' pub.

Michael and I are heading out at 5am tomorrow - back to Quebec. Doug and his kids heading out mid-morning. Rob and Audi and their kids leaving on Tuesday.

Hope you're enjoying your Thanksgiving - as Canadians, or honourary Canadians. Eh?

Happy Thanksgiving!

snow, freezing rain, rain - temps minus 1

Blech day outside. In fact, treacherous. We had an 8:30 appointment at the Volkswagen dealership to change the Beetle's tires from All Season to winter tires...as we did last week with Michael's 'real' car. But there were freezing rain warnings out for the Eastern Townships, and the dealership is in Sherbrooke - about 1 1/3 hours away (backroads and some highway).

Heard on the news that Sherbrooke was an ice rink. So we called to re-schedule. The man at Volks wasn't surprised.

but - in the meantime - we'd had a bright idea. Since my very last event for BURY YOUR DEAD is this Sunday we decided to celebrate. Guess which luxury Inn isn't far from the volks dealership?

Hovey!!

So - we'll go to exercise class monday morning, hop in the beetle and drive to Sherbrooke - drop the car off, pick up a loaner - drive to Hovey and spend two days. Doing nothing!!! No book to write. No research. No thinking. Except, when to get up, when to have a bath, when to eat. And what to eat. Jeez, come to think of it, that is a lot of thinkin'.

So, it all works out.

Went to Pina's exercise class in the church hall yesterday. First time in 5 years. But many of the same people were there...including Shirley who is well into her 80's. While I lay gasping on the floor Shirley was working away. Well, one day I'll be as ripped as her.

We do a warm up - then put our mats down and work on them for a while. At one stage, near the end, as I was doing some maneuver I looked down at my mat. The one that had been rolled up in our mudroom cupboard for 5 years. And there I saw sunflower seed shells. And something else.

Double blech.

I turned the mat over, but by then the damage was done. God knows what I inhaled. I'm sure there's a life lesson in there but I'm trying to block the whole thing out.

Am almost crippled this morning.

Still, despite everything, it sure feels great to get back to class. It's really as much emotional as physical. That sense of well-being and self respect. I might not get into better shape, but I'll be in better condition. Shirley condition.

While I was inhaling God knows what, many of you were inhaling turkey! I hope it was a wonderful Thanksgiving for all of you Americans. And that your family and friends were together.

As I look out the window I see snow shooting sideways - not a blizzard, the flakes are very small and I suspect there'll be very little accumulation. Just very strong wind. so great to be warm by the fire.

Have two more events for Bury Your Dead.

Tomorrow at 4pm I'll be speaking at the Georgeville Community Centre. So looking forward to it. We rented a cottage on the lake in Georgeville for two summers. It feels like time travel - back to small villages of the 40's and 50's. Indeed, Three Pines was partly inspired by our time there. So it will be a huge pleasure to go back.

And on Sunday we have a brunch at noon with our friends Jack and Jane - then at 2pm the very last event....at a place where we have in the past done the first events. Launched most of the books there.

Brome Lake Books, in Knowlton. 2pm. With Danny and Lucy. A low-key affair...a party and signing. I might do a bit of a reading, depending on how it goes. But such fun to be with Danny and Lucy, and celebrate the end of a wonderful tour.

Yay!

Calgary

mainly sunny, cold, temps 6

Wow, what a difference a day, and a flight, makes. It was sunny and warm for the past two days in Regina - unseasonably so. But lovely for Thanksgiving. Had a great time with Rob and his family - and the rest of the family. So wonderful to see everyone getting along. it wasn't always so. Just growing pains. It sure took my brothers and me a long time to appreciate each other, to genuinely care for each other.

And now we're so happy to be in each other's company. And as I said yesterday, the greatest pleasure we all got was seeing all the cousins together.

Flew to Calgary, Alberta this morning. Short, easy flight. About an hour. Arrive in late fall, suddenly! Was picked up at the airport by just about the nicest person on earth. Anne Green. She's the head of the Calgary WordFest. A great literary festival. She runs the whole thing - with hundreds of paid employees and volunteers, of course. She does all this and still manages to be kind and thoughtful, effective and smart. And warm.

Michael and I just adore her.

We initially said no to coming to the Calgary WordFest this year, since the schedule was way too packed, but then we heard it was Anne's last year, so we re-arranged all sorts of things to get here. She needs to be celebrated. and we sure want to be among the voices raised to thank her. And cheer.

We're taking her out for a private lunch tomorrow.

Have a chat with my agent, Teresa, in London tomorrow morning - then a 40 minute interview for CBC at 10am - I think it's being recorded or something for the website. Then lunch with Anne - and a gala 200 dollar a plate fundraising dinner tomorrow evening.

Michael was dis-invited because there was so much interest, they, well - they sold his seat. Understandable. And I'm not at all sure Michael's sorry. As an author I'm sort of part of the attraction, apparently. So Michael gets to sit in his flannels and order room service.

We arrived at the Fairmont Palliser Hotel in the early afternoon and immediately upgraded to the Gold Club level. As this tour progresses I'm finding an even greater need for pampering. Against my nature, of course.

The tour continues. Hope you're well - and for the Canadians....Happy thanksgiving Monday! And thanks to all of you who sent Thanksgiving greetings. How thoughtful you are.

Happy Thanksgiving!

sunny, unseasonably warm, temps 24

It's Canadian Thanksgiving! Michael and I are finally together. Met at the airport in Regina (Saskatchewan) Friday night. with my older brother, Rob. What an amazing feeling. Two men I love standing there, waiting. And to get huge bearhugs from both. Made being away worth it!

What wasn't waiting was my luggage! It got lost. No big surprise, really. I'd booked it through from Houston, to nashville, to Denver to Regina. I've been extremely lucky with my luggage. Can't remember ever losing a bag. What made this a little stressful was that I'd lost the baggage tag!

Fortunately there wasn't anything irreplaceable in it. Jewelry, and this really nice embroidered evening coat I was hoping to wear to a formal dinner in Calgary on Tuesday and the bouchercon opening ceremonies and all the cocktail parties (and dinner with my US agent) Thursday. Bit of a shame, but not a disaster.

Fortunately it showed up the next day...yay. I can't begin to tell you how it feels to be with my family. Rob and Audi and their children, Kim, Adam and Sarah. Doug and Mary and two of their kids...Roslyn and Charlie. And Michael.

One of the photos above shows the cousins together, most in their Saskatchewan rough Rider green jerseys...on their way to the big football game...Saskatchewan vs Toronto. (toronto won). A friend of Adam's - Andy - is visiting from the UK, and he's spending the holiay with us. the other photo shows the kids, minius Kim - wearing the 'freebee' from Rob - little yellow rubber 'hardhats'. Very proud. Not many could carry off this look.... (no, don't say it).

I'm sitting right now at the dining room table, writing. all around me people are laughing, joking, talking, making bagels and serving fruit salad, pouring coffee...rob and audi have just moved to Regina (he's the deputy minister of transportation with the government here). this is the first time we've seen their home. Great, open-concept kitchen, living room, DR. So we're all together. Rob is basting the turkey...that's him up there too. The place smells of turkey. (and with six guys in the house, that's a blessing)

When our mother died ten years ago we realized unless we made an effort we ran the risk of drifting apart. All with busy lives. And that would be terrible. So once a year, around Thanksgiving, we get together.

The event at Murder By the Book was such fun!!! Saw old friend Catherine and Ron after decades! Saw Cay and Billie and the 'two J's'. FAbulous Dean (whose latest book stayed THREE weeks on the NYTimes list!!!) and handsome, generous, brilliant John, who works at the store and interviewed me. It was standing room only - and everyone was so welcoming.

But, of course, as wonderful as it was to see everyone there, the most glorious was McKenna. The owner of the store. Who recently lost her husband, David. Such a beautiful young woman. We talked about David. Not about his death, but about his life and his plans. McKenna's mother, Brenda, was there - so supportive. Making sure her daughter knows she's not alone.

McKenna and her friend and co-worker Anne will be at Bouchercon. when McKenna and I embraced and kissed we both leaned in the same direction - and almost lip-kissed. then spent the night kidding each other that 'people will talk'.

Early flight Friday morning to Nashville. Beth met me at the airport and we zipped into the city...like most people I only think of country/western music and the Grand ol Opry. which is tribute enough. But it became clear immediately that Nashville is that, and much more. A very, very beautiful city.

I was there for the Southern Festival of Books. One of the photos above shows the amazing state building, where the festival is held. Wonderful group of people. Very warm reception.

thank you to everyone who took time to come out! I just loved seeing you all.

then back to the airport...flight to Denver....then to Regina. Arriving about 10pm.

Phew. And now home. With Michael.

Happy thanksgiving!!!

Happy Thanksgiving

brilliant sunshine, mild, temps 10

Another lovely day....but mostly I'm just writing to say Happy Thanksgiving to all of you celebrating today!

As you know, the Canadian Thanksgiving is earlier - in October. But quite similar. Turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes...no parades, though. And no big shopping. Too early for that. But lots of walks and touch football in the autumn leaves.

Enjoy yourselves. As we'll enjoy ourselves today.

Vive Gamache mugs

cloudy, mild, temps 10

Amazingly mild again today - but a grey day. Nice to sit, once again, in front of the fireplace.

Wrote the December newsletter and set up a mailing. I think our local bookstore, Brome Lake Books will be selling the Vive Gamache mugs. Indeed, I plan to take our last box over to them tomorrow. If you'd like to order some for Christmas or just because, feel free to email or call them. Their email is: blb@b2b2c.ca and their phone number is: 450-242-2242. Not sure we've settled on a price yet...taxes and mailing etc...but hoping each will be under 15 dollars. Canadian. Am letting you know first, but I'll also be putting it on the website and newsletter in a few days. Once we figure out a price. It's really the mailing that is so difficult to predict. Interesting issues I've never considered before, but happily Lise has. Things like packaging, boxes. Oh well, I'm sure we'll (she'll) work it out.

In the meantime I'm polishing my book and reading someone else's manuscript. And doing a mailing.

tomorrow having breakfast with Joan then meeting Tim Belford for lunch in Knowlton. He's a friend, and host of the CBC Quebec City morning show. He's doing an interview with me - but we've extended it to include a social lunch. Then hope to go off to Cowansville to get the flu shot.

Friday should be another quiet day. Longing for really quiet days - without manuscripts to read and mailings to do and all that other stuff. But I suspect my life will never be totally quiet. Sometimes I think I should shut down the blackberry and computer for a few days. And perhaps I should. But I'm afraid of the hundreds of emails I'll return to.

Still - good problems to have.

Happy Thanksgiving tomorrow to the Americans!

Happy Thanksgiving!

brilliant, sunny day, temps 10

Didn't wake up to this! In fact, when Doug and I took Trudy around the pond for her morning walk it was dreadful. Driving rain, cold, almost sleet...all the way around all you heard was Doug and me begging, 'Pee!! Pooooop!' finally, Trudy did the deed and we skiddadled back home.

Rob and Audi were stuffing the turkey and Michael was making coffee. Wonderful. Now the turkey's in the oven, the gibblets are boiling on the stove, potatoes all ready to be boiled and mashed. Pumpkin pie in the fridge and the cream ready to whip. A fire laid in the hearth.

And the sun has come out.

And we are surrounded by family. How lucky we are. Such an amazing feeling to have my two tall, sturdy brothers here. As we walked around the pond yesterday morning, just the three of us, I had the oddest feeling. Not sure I can even describe it. Gratitude, but also something that feel so right. Primal, almost. It surprised me, and almost hurt it was so intense. Joy, yes, but even more than that.

We miss the rest of the family, those who couldn't make it, and those who are no longer with us. But those who were meant to be here made it.

Heading out early tomorrow for Burlington, Vermont. Rob needs to buy some dress shoes. He's getting the Award of Distinction from the Canadian Transportation Association in Vancouver next Sunday. He has everything, except the shoes. So Burlington it is, then we stay the night at an airport hotel, and Rob and Audi fly out to New orleans for a vacation and I head to Houston. Will be speaking at Murder by the Book - a fabulous bookstore in Houston, on Wednesday.

Taking the MacBook. If you don't hear from me, you'll know I haven't figured out how to work it.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

Are you SURE that's the football???

rainy, cold, temps 5

Glove weather! Wore cashmere turtleneck and sweater for the first time this season. Don't think we'll be using the swimming pool again this year! But we're keeping it open because the family is coming from all over Canada for our annual reunion next week and the place just looks more attractive with the pool in operation and not covered by a slimy leaf strewn net.

My brother Rob and his wife Audi are coming from Edmonton. He's the assistant deputy minister of the Environment in Albert. We're very, very proud of him. And amazed that a man who couldn't remember to flush a toilet is now in charge of the environment. Don't tell me there isn't karma.

My brother Doug, whom you've met, is also coming, with his three kids, Brian, Roslyn and Charlie. And probably their dog, Buttercup, the hound from hell. Actually, Buttercup is much better...calming down. Her one outstanding eccentricity is her ability to eat anything - then poop it back out. Most of the fun of a Penny family reunion is seeing what comes out of Buttercup. Be warned, in case you're thinking of marrying one of us.

As well, two of Michael's sons are coming down. Just ordered the turkey. had an interesting conversation with the butcher.

I wanted grain fed, free ranger, organic turkey. pretty much a turnip shapped like a turkey is what I wanted. He offered wild turkey.

Wild turkey?

Does someone shoot them, I asked. Because I don't approve of hunting.

He looked at me understandably sceptically. I'm quite selective in my killing. It must be organic and grainfed, but not wild. Because wild would be unethical.

My hypocrisies were showing.

We ended up compromising and I ordered a 15 pound grain fed, non-wild, turkey.

Really looking forward to Thanksgiving. Ours here in Canada is about a month earlier than in the States. Not at all sure why there's the difference, but there is. It's a wonderful time for walks in the country, or horseback riding, or football games by the pond. Or watching Buttercup poop the missing football.

We also plan to bake some apple pies - told Pat we'd bake one for her. She called back yesterday and offered to bake it herself. Hmmmm.

We're in Montreal - Michael has his operation tomorrow. Need to be at the hospital by 9am...operation at 12:30 - home by mid afternoon we hope. Then we have a 6:15 am appointment with the doctor for a checkup on Friday.

I took the call and kept repeating...6:15am??? That's 6:15 in the MORNING????

Yup.

Will report to you tomorrow - without fail. I cannot express to you how much your support has meant, and does mean.

Thank you. Bless you.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Overcast, cool, temps 13 - this is exactly the weekend when STILL LIFE is set!

Back home! Does it ever feel great. But what a wonderful time I had at Bouchercon in Baltimore. Everyone seemed to have a fabulous time - Congratulations to Ruth and Judy for their amazing organization.

The flight back yesterday was smooth, easy. Stunning countryside...brilliant, clear skies. As we flew north we could see the colours changing below. Until it was a mat of reds and oranges, up and down mountains and into valleys and thick, flat forests. Broken only by lakes.

Hoped into the car and did the 2 hours home. Got to Canada Customs a milli-second ahead of the rush. Behind me there must have been 20 cars. Sutton was packed...never seen it so crowded. Fun, though. It was sunny and warm and everyone was walking, and talking, and buying breads and cheese and going into shops.

Turned into the driveway and felt my spirits lift even further. What a beautiful home we have. And - even better - as I walked in I could smell turkey! And Michael had set the table with such creativity.

The UK publishers, Headline, had sent a beatuful bouqet of autumn flowers, and they looked fabulous in the kitchen. We have a large country kitchen (not unlike Clara and Peter's in the books) and we mostly entertain there.

Michael and I hugged and kisses and hugged again, then got softdrinks and sat and yakked away at each other, with news. Then Bal, Linda and Bethany Mount arrived for Thanksgiving dinner, with their 3 dogs, Tara, Trevi and Ivy. It was a mad house - perfect. Linda, wonderful woman, had made a salad and the dessert - of fruit and chocolate to melt for a fondue.

What could be better?

We know them so well, and love them - it was like family. Everyone helping out, and helping thmselves, and doing the dishes and cutting fruit. Bethany, who's 13, is brilliant. A writer. We tried to take the 5 dogs around the pond, but they kept playing, and running away we ended up just talking. And she told me all about the stories she's writing. For fun! Had I known it was possible to have a child like her I'd have order three of them.

After dinner we all divided the left-overs, chatted some more, then the Mounts returned to the guest house and we went up to bed, to laugh and talk and read. It feels so great to be home.

Spent today doing the smoothing out of the book - making the changes Michael found necessary when he read The Brutal Telling. Mostly grammatical and spelling mistakes...and a few names that changed suddenly and needed to be consistant. My brother Doug is also reading the manuscript. Doug - if you're reading this - hurry up!!! Doug reads about as quickly as I* do - which is about 2 pages a day. I write faster than I read. don't tell my editors.

Must be off...a ton of emails to respond to, and mailings to prepare. But life is good. Must take the dogs out - Trudy is clawing at me. Be well - talk tomorrow.