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!

A maid needs a man...

mainly sunny, cool, temps 15

Doug left this morning at 7 for the quite long drive back to Toronto - had such a fun visit with him. Great dinner last night - very simple - of pasta with pesto - and baguette.

Went to the village for breakfast with Joan...decided to go a little early to mail some books. Got all the way up the post office steps when I remembered...it's labour day. so back down - then decided to add air to my tires...the front driver's side was getting flat. Need to have Denis check it out tomorrow - but in the meantime I figured I should put air in.

I've never done that before.

I stood in front of the air machine...realizing I needed to put 50 cents in. that I could figure out. And I knew tires have a valve. And the nozzle fits into it. And the car door told me the tires should be 33 something or other. so - put the money in. A roar started. So I got the nozzle and tried to fit it over the valve. Only then realizing there was a plastic cap that needed to be unscrewed. I unscrewed it - glancing around to make sure no one was watching. Then put the nozzle in and tried to figure out if the tire was inflating.

And then I called Tony. God bless him - he jumped in his truck and came right over. The good news is, I did manage to inflate the tires. The bad news it I'd made the volkswagen beetle into a Monster Truck - with huge cartoon wheels. Tony deflated them and we started again.

Seems a pressure gauge is a good thing to have. Who knew? Tony, apparently.

Then breakfast with Joan - got to listen to three of her new and brilliant poems. then home. doing bits and pieces. Need to write a new home page for the website, for when we re-launch it for BURY YOUR DEAD. All these things that don't get done when I'm writing. Hope to get everything done, and then spend most of the next two weeks doing...nothing!!!!

Spare tires - the rubber kind

flurries, cold, windy, temps -3

chilly day but dressed warmly and at least made it around the pond twice today! Gary came, poor guy - to fix a leak in our roof (it's always something) and was press-ganged into helping me load the winter tires into the car. Have an appointment in Cowansville at 8am to have them put on.

Breakfast in Cowie while that's being done, then off to do some errands. And in the afternoon we've made a vets appointment for Maggie. Her leg is badly swollen again, so want it checked out before we head out.

Fingers crossed.

Polishing going very well...now at page 503...less than 30 pages to go. Hope to have it finished by tomorrow night. That would leave Wednesday for washing clothes for the trip. Pulled out the Time Out Paris and drooled. Michael ordered our Museum Passes so we're just going to go Museum Mad. Yum.

Will write again tomorrow...hope you're well. Hope all your animals are healthy too!