mainly sunny, mild, temps 24
Lovely easy drive in to Montreal. Spent the day editing - fourth draft. Got to page 37 - quit about 5:30. Too tired really to enjoy it and have any judgment left.
Had the most wonderful dinner at the cottage with Susan last night. Chicken and pork on the barbeque (just corrected a typo where I initially wrote children and pork on the bbq - oh oh). And two fabulous salads, one with watermelon, parsley, spanish onions, olives, feta cheese. Unbelievably good. the other was a yummy quinoa and cranberry salad.
In this latest book, set in June, I have Gamache eating a quinoa and mango salad. Seemed like a good combo. Must use the watermelon one too. Lovely fresh fruit salad for dessert.
have the French TV interview tomorrow. Susan was wonderful, helping me practice. Wonderful to have a quiet day here, to just concentrate on writing. Am really loving this book...at the smoothing out stage now. Love this stage. less terrifying. While we were away a few scenes and adjustments occurred to me, so the manuscript is littered with notes.
Tomorrow will write in the morning, try to get my hair done around noon, get to the TV studio for make-up at 2pm. I always feel like a cartoon character in TV make-up. Will probably sound like one too. Wilma Flintstone - or, in French - Wilma Pierrefou.
Susan told us the Champlain bridge will be down from 3 lanes going south out of the city, to one lane this weekend. Construction! Have to decide whether to drive out in rush hour after the interview or stay over anyway and get up early Saturday and risk hitting terrible traffic over the bridge. I go back and forth on the decision. Need to be in Knowlton for the SPCA adoption day by 11 am. Still, I'm leaning toward staying over...but will see.
Michael stayed in the country...his son Vic is coming for a week or so, so this gives them a few days on their own. Always nice.
Hope you're enjoying your week. Will let you know how the interview goes...light a candle!
Thursday, 19 August 2010
Tuesday, 17 August 2010
Fourth Draft
overcast, bit threatening, temps 24
Not sure what to wear today...started in sweats, moved to flannel, then to half and half. Woe is me.
Lovely quiet day, reading the manuscript. Up to page 197 of 244. Was hoping to be finished by now, but had some phone calls and an interview to do. have a French TV interview on Friday, so was chatting with the publicist about that. The general message seemed to be, 'Don't merde it up.'
'I will do my bookshelf,' I told her in French. 'And will manufacture to wallpaper leave.'
'Merde,' she said.
So, I'm pretty confident.
Read out on the screen porch, sipping cafe au lait and eating fresh peaches. More woe. Plodded around the pond with Trudy, where we looked for geese and bass, but found mosquitoes and poop instead - so all was not wasted.
tons of emails, of course. The fall tour is taking shape. looks like I'm leaving here Sept 20th and returning sometime in late November. All over Canada, the US and off to Britain. then over Canada and US again. So I really need to finish this manuscript before I leave in Sept.
But am taking Saturday off from the manuscript to volunteer at the SPCA adoption day in Knowlton. It's for the dogs at the SPCA Monteregie, the local no-kill shelter. I'll be one of the 20 dog-walkers. From 11am to 3pm. the hope, obviously, is to find homes for some of these dogs. We're sort of thinking of finding a brother or sister for Trudy...an older dog, perhaps. It's hard because we have such a great relationship with Trudy - it's very different having just one dog...we really focus on her and have a quite special relationship. But we also know that Trudy's a very social dog, who loves other animals. so we think while she's happy, she might be happier with a sibling. But it would have to be a very special dog. We'll know her/him when we see her/him.
I think I'm a little more enthusiastic about another dog than Michael is. He loves just having Trudy. So we're in no rush. Have to wear Michael down. That can take a while.
Off tomorrow morning for breakfast in Cowansville then visiting Jacques and Louise about 9am. Then home to work, then off to dinner with susan at the guest cottage.
had great fun with susan yesterday. She came for a swim, then relaxed dinner of barbequed corn on the cob and burgers...Susan (who's a great cook) showed us how to do Mexican corn....barbeque it, slather with butter, then sprinkle cheese like parmesan, and cayenne pepper...and finally squirt lime on it.
Delicious.
Susan also made this wonderful lemon custard sort of dessert, with raspberries and peaches and whipped cream.
Oh, oh - now I'm hungry again.
Speak to you tomorrow.
Not sure what to wear today...started in sweats, moved to flannel, then to half and half. Woe is me.
Lovely quiet day, reading the manuscript. Up to page 197 of 244. Was hoping to be finished by now, but had some phone calls and an interview to do. have a French TV interview on Friday, so was chatting with the publicist about that. The general message seemed to be, 'Don't merde it up.'
'I will do my bookshelf,' I told her in French. 'And will manufacture to wallpaper leave.'
'Merde,' she said.
So, I'm pretty confident.
Read out on the screen porch, sipping cafe au lait and eating fresh peaches. More woe. Plodded around the pond with Trudy, where we looked for geese and bass, but found mosquitoes and poop instead - so all was not wasted.
tons of emails, of course. The fall tour is taking shape. looks like I'm leaving here Sept 20th and returning sometime in late November. All over Canada, the US and off to Britain. then over Canada and US again. So I really need to finish this manuscript before I leave in Sept.
But am taking Saturday off from the manuscript to volunteer at the SPCA adoption day in Knowlton. It's for the dogs at the SPCA Monteregie, the local no-kill shelter. I'll be one of the 20 dog-walkers. From 11am to 3pm. the hope, obviously, is to find homes for some of these dogs. We're sort of thinking of finding a brother or sister for Trudy...an older dog, perhaps. It's hard because we have such a great relationship with Trudy - it's very different having just one dog...we really focus on her and have a quite special relationship. But we also know that Trudy's a very social dog, who loves other animals. so we think while she's happy, she might be happier with a sibling. But it would have to be a very special dog. We'll know her/him when we see her/him.
I think I'm a little more enthusiastic about another dog than Michael is. He loves just having Trudy. So we're in no rush. Have to wear Michael down. That can take a while.
Off tomorrow morning for breakfast in Cowansville then visiting Jacques and Louise about 9am. Then home to work, then off to dinner with susan at the guest cottage.
had great fun with susan yesterday. She came for a swim, then relaxed dinner of barbequed corn on the cob and burgers...Susan (who's a great cook) showed us how to do Mexican corn....barbeque it, slather with butter, then sprinkle cheese like parmesan, and cayenne pepper...and finally squirt lime on it.
Delicious.
Susan also made this wonderful lemon custard sort of dessert, with raspberries and peaches and whipped cream.
Oh, oh - now I'm hungry again.
Speak to you tomorrow.
Monday, 16 August 2010
A slice of cucumber
rainy, stormy, very humid, temps 25
ahhhh....
Wow, were we pooped! Sort of giddy. The flight was perfect...and not really all that long from Vancouver to Montreal. We were lucky the festival paid for the upgrade to - not business class - but the next best thing...the emergency exit seats. Air Canada, like many carriers, is now charging for the extra legroom seats...which is fine with me. Means we're guaranteed to get them, if we book early enough. but air Canada is so cheap I suspect if anything happened to the plane they'd charge people to use the emergency exit.
Michael slept a bit but I just relaxed, listened to music, read, watched old episodes of some forgettable sitcom. - I've forgotten which one. And just had a nice flight.
Got in, got the bags, grabbed a cab...that for me is one of the ahhhh moments in travel...sitting back in the taxi on the way home. No more worries, no wondering if this will go OK, or that will happen. What a waste of time worry is, and I'm sure getting better - but it still feels amazing to lean back in the taxi and look out the window. Phew.
I loaded the car while Michael went to the apartment and picked up whatever we'd left (mostly recycling) - then we whizzed down to the Granby Hospital - and there was Jacques, sitting up in bed eating cucumber fresh from their garden! For a man we never thought we'd see again he was looking very much alive. And laughing, and the look on his face as he ate the thin slice of cucumber. Better than a lottery win, better than 600 threat count sheets, better than any upgrade or luxury suite.
We tried not to stay too long and tire him out, but it's hard because we love his company, and he's very gracious. We went with Louise to the family lounge and had a wonderful talk. She told me in the evenings, in their quiet time, she reads The Brutal Telling to him until he's too tired, and he falls asleep.
I can't tell you what that means to me, and does to me, to hear that. Better than any upgrade, or luxury suite, or 600 threat count sheets. But perhaps not quite as splendid as a single slice of cucumber.
Susan's arriving in an hour or so to stay at the cottage. The young couple who are there will leave in a couple of hours. She's Kelley - the daughter of our friend Wilder, and her husband is Brent. They have a 2 year old daughter, Freya. Brent is a doctor and has been deployed to Afghanistan. He's been there 6 months. This is his leave, so we gave them the cottage so that the family could be alone. Their thin slice of cucumber. But we did drop by briefly yesterday afternoon to say hi. We'd never met Brent. They're very brave. As are thousands and thousands of families - as you know.
We had a nap, then had dinner, and went to bed again. Fell asleep knowing how lucky we are - deep dreams of peace.
ahhhh....
Wow, were we pooped! Sort of giddy. The flight was perfect...and not really all that long from Vancouver to Montreal. We were lucky the festival paid for the upgrade to - not business class - but the next best thing...the emergency exit seats. Air Canada, like many carriers, is now charging for the extra legroom seats...which is fine with me. Means we're guaranteed to get them, if we book early enough. but air Canada is so cheap I suspect if anything happened to the plane they'd charge people to use the emergency exit.
Michael slept a bit but I just relaxed, listened to music, read, watched old episodes of some forgettable sitcom. - I've forgotten which one. And just had a nice flight.
Got in, got the bags, grabbed a cab...that for me is one of the ahhhh moments in travel...sitting back in the taxi on the way home. No more worries, no wondering if this will go OK, or that will happen. What a waste of time worry is, and I'm sure getting better - but it still feels amazing to lean back in the taxi and look out the window. Phew.
I loaded the car while Michael went to the apartment and picked up whatever we'd left (mostly recycling) - then we whizzed down to the Granby Hospital - and there was Jacques, sitting up in bed eating cucumber fresh from their garden! For a man we never thought we'd see again he was looking very much alive. And laughing, and the look on his face as he ate the thin slice of cucumber. Better than a lottery win, better than 600 threat count sheets, better than any upgrade or luxury suite.
We tried not to stay too long and tire him out, but it's hard because we love his company, and he's very gracious. We went with Louise to the family lounge and had a wonderful talk. She told me in the evenings, in their quiet time, she reads The Brutal Telling to him until he's too tired, and he falls asleep.
I can't tell you what that means to me, and does to me, to hear that. Better than any upgrade, or luxury suite, or 600 threat count sheets. But perhaps not quite as splendid as a single slice of cucumber.
Susan's arriving in an hour or so to stay at the cottage. The young couple who are there will leave in a couple of hours. She's Kelley - the daughter of our friend Wilder, and her husband is Brent. They have a 2 year old daughter, Freya. Brent is a doctor and has been deployed to Afghanistan. He's been there 6 months. This is his leave, so we gave them the cottage so that the family could be alone. Their thin slice of cucumber. But we did drop by briefly yesterday afternoon to say hi. We'd never met Brent. They're very brave. As are thousands and thousands of families - as you know.
We had a nap, then had dinner, and went to bed again. Fell asleep knowing how lucky we are - deep dreams of peace.
Saturday, 14 August 2010
Dolphins!
sunny, hot, temps 30
Very hot, by Vancouver standards. Gorgeous day. Woke up to very loud sounds coming from outside our window. Since there's not much there except water we were a little baffled until we noticed...fins! A dorsal fin...two, three...and arched backs. A pod of dolphins was playing right outside our window! We didn't realize it at the time, but learned later that this is an extremely rare sighting. It was just after 6am. We threw on some clothes and ran out onto the balcony...by then they'd moved on, but not too far. Though too far for a photo - sadly. But we were astonished, and thrilled and amazed.
We went for a walk, then, along the shore, and spoke to the people there - including two people sitting on their verandah's, and both had seen the dolphins too. And told us they'd never seen them there before. And were enraptured too.
There's also a grey whale out there, but we didn't see it.
Lonnie and Susan picked us up at 8:30 - we'd packed and checked out - and drove us to the literary festival grounds. We went up to the building...now I have to say, I was a little worried that at 9am on Saturday there'd be four of us there....and 400 empty seats. So I was relieved when there was already a line-up. And by the time Lonnie introduced me the place was packed.
Lonnie was hilarious - telling everyone how our reaction to everything we saw was, "oh wow' or 'oh my God'. Not particularly creative or descriptive. He had them howling with laughter! And it was quite true. Even coming back on the ferry tonight Michael and I kept repeating, Oh Wow...Oh my god, look at that.
It is so beautiful.
The event went very well - always a relief...and great questions from the audience. Lots of books to sign - which is also a relief. Then Michael and I had a coffee with Lawrence Hill and his wife Miranda. Such incredibly kind people. So supportive of other writers. Warm and funny and generous.
Then Pat picked us up to take us to a gathering of three book clubs, who'd invited us to this wonderful pot luck lunch down the coast. Such nice people - fascinating to listen to their lives and experiences. And it was sure a treat to have a healthy, home-made meal.
Then back to the festival...chatted with a few people - then changed into travel chothes, and Lonnie and Susan took us to the ferry. An airport limo met us at the other side, and now we're at the airport...at the gate...with three hours until the flight!
Long day. We arrive about 7am (or might be 8) in Montreal. Will grab a cab to the apartment, pack our stuff, hop in the car and get to the Granby hospital to see Jacques and Louise. How wonderful that will be!
And then, home to Sutton. Long day. But a good day. I'm thinking we might call Pat and ask if she can pick up some groceries for us - milk and fruit...just something for breakfast Monday. I think we'll be way too tired to do shopping.
Looking forward to our own beds.
But, as you've probably gathered, the Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts is one spectacular literary festival. I think it's the best we've ever been at. To get more than 400 people at each event, at give each author a full hour to talk, read, take questions...it's bliss.
I'll blog again Monday. Our friend Susan's arriving Monday for a couple of weeks stay in the cottage...coming for dinner Monday night. I hope she doesn't mind milk and fruit. And a photo of a pie for dessert.
Speak to you then.
Very hot, by Vancouver standards. Gorgeous day. Woke up to very loud sounds coming from outside our window. Since there's not much there except water we were a little baffled until we noticed...fins! A dorsal fin...two, three...and arched backs. A pod of dolphins was playing right outside our window! We didn't realize it at the time, but learned later that this is an extremely rare sighting. It was just after 6am. We threw on some clothes and ran out onto the balcony...by then they'd moved on, but not too far. Though too far for a photo - sadly. But we were astonished, and thrilled and amazed.
We went for a walk, then, along the shore, and spoke to the people there - including two people sitting on their verandah's, and both had seen the dolphins too. And told us they'd never seen them there before. And were enraptured too.
There's also a grey whale out there, but we didn't see it.
Lonnie and Susan picked us up at 8:30 - we'd packed and checked out - and drove us to the literary festival grounds. We went up to the building...now I have to say, I was a little worried that at 9am on Saturday there'd be four of us there....and 400 empty seats. So I was relieved when there was already a line-up. And by the time Lonnie introduced me the place was packed.
Lonnie was hilarious - telling everyone how our reaction to everything we saw was, "oh wow' or 'oh my God'. Not particularly creative or descriptive. He had them howling with laughter! And it was quite true. Even coming back on the ferry tonight Michael and I kept repeating, Oh Wow...Oh my god, look at that.
It is so beautiful.
The event went very well - always a relief...and great questions from the audience. Lots of books to sign - which is also a relief. Then Michael and I had a coffee with Lawrence Hill and his wife Miranda. Such incredibly kind people. So supportive of other writers. Warm and funny and generous.
Then Pat picked us up to take us to a gathering of three book clubs, who'd invited us to this wonderful pot luck lunch down the coast. Such nice people - fascinating to listen to their lives and experiences. And it was sure a treat to have a healthy, home-made meal.
Then back to the festival...chatted with a few people - then changed into travel chothes, and Lonnie and Susan took us to the ferry. An airport limo met us at the other side, and now we're at the airport...at the gate...with three hours until the flight!
Long day. We arrive about 7am (or might be 8) in Montreal. Will grab a cab to the apartment, pack our stuff, hop in the car and get to the Granby hospital to see Jacques and Louise. How wonderful that will be!
And then, home to Sutton. Long day. But a good day. I'm thinking we might call Pat and ask if she can pick up some groceries for us - milk and fruit...just something for breakfast Monday. I think we'll be way too tired to do shopping.
Looking forward to our own beds.
But, as you've probably gathered, the Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts is one spectacular literary festival. I think it's the best we've ever been at. To get more than 400 people at each event, at give each author a full hour to talk, read, take questions...it's bliss.
I'll blog again Monday. Our friend Susan's arriving Monday for a couple of weeks stay in the cottage...coming for dinner Monday night. I hope she doesn't mind milk and fruit. And a photo of a pie for dessert.
Speak to you then.
Friday, 13 August 2010
All red in the face
Brilliant sunshine, hot, temps 28
Gorgeous day!!! Yesterday was hectic and tiring, but let me tell you a little about it. Started with our last breakfast at the fabulous A Place by the Sea. then frenzied packing - and Nancy came and got us for the cruise - which was captained by her husband Shay (pronounced Shy). He was wonderful...very funny, passionate, knowledgable, and we had great confidence in him. He's from Israel - was 6 years in the army - now has 2 grown sons and wanted to get them out before they had to serve. He speaks his mind and has a wonderful sense of humour. He's alos a real estate agent. I think HGTV should send a crew and build a show around Shay and Nancy - their luxury B and B on a rugged coast of BC, their cruises, and his real estate escapades. I'd watch.
We went down the bay and up Salmon Arm and it was exquisite, as you can see by the wind-blown photo. It really is a blessing I have no sense of personal aesthetics. Good hair, bad hair, flat hair, facial hair, no hair - I don't care.
Talk about rugged...fortests right to the shore. And every now and then an isolated cabin. And, like the hermit's cabin in The Brutal Telling - a big part of me yearned to ask Shay to drop us off and we'll just live there. Quietly. Peacefully.
I suspect Michael would have something to say about that! And I suspect that while I dream of such a thing, the reality might be quite different. But for a week? Ahhh.
As you might be able to see, too, I didn't put a hat on fast enough, nor did I think to do the sunscreen....so now I'm beet red - an unbecoming blush. I arrived back at the dock with hair both flattened and standing up in areas, and a face as red as a glorious sunset. And a smile to shame the Buddha.
Both Michael and I had just the best time. Nancy had made this wonderful, endless, lunch which we ate on the upper deck. Smoke salmon spread, cheese, vegetables, an assortment of gourmet crackers, deviled eggs (which I adore) - then smoked salmon sandwiches, with mango of all things...an inspired combination - and a gorgeous plate of fresh fruit - cherries, strawberries, peaches, oranges. Yum.
Honestly - what an astonishing life. Because of you. Yes, I mean you. Because you're supporting the books. It's only because of that that we're invited to wonderful festivals in divine places, Like the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia.
Nancy drove us to the Driftwood - and the good luck continued! Our room is actually very nice...newly renovated, clean, and right on the ocean...we went to sleep with the sound of the waves on the shore 20 feet away.
So, I owe the driftwood an apology for my last past. This isn't a dump. And besides, the staff here is wonderful - very friendly despite it being fully booked and very active.
Had the cocktail last night - the terriific Lonnie and Susan picked us up for that, and Susan brought some homemade banana bread - which didn't last long, I'll tell you!!! Then, I'm embarrassed to admit, Michael and I were just too tired to do Lawrence Hill last night - so we came home, crawled into bed with a diet coke and some peanuts - and read. Lights out by 10pm.
Breakfast and a walk along the shore this morning...the top photo was taken then by a very nice passerby. Then off to the festival. We are really having just the best time here. We arrived to hear Adam Schroeder read from several of his works. he was brilliant! Even sang a song. Loved it. Then met Gwen Southin and her husband Vic for lunch - did a sound check, then it was our turn. Or really, her turn. I was just asking the questions.
Now, in my experience of quite a few literary festivals, the Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts is unique in several ways. It has only one author 'performing' at a time. Often festivals have what they call 'streams' and there are two or three of them, so you need to choose and it can be frustrating when you have competing desires. Here there is only on stream.
And the venue is magnificent. Made of wood, with great tree trunks holding it up, built in the forest with two sides open. It holds 450 people, and is always full. As a writer, when you do an event you often consider yourself luck if 100 people show. Often it's empty!!! But the idea that 450 people will be there is amazing. And perhaps just a little frightening. But everyone is just so friendly.
Gwen is 83. She has 4 books out, beginning with Dead in a Family Way, published when she was 73. And the latest, Dead as a Last Resort just out. She's also the co-author of the Great Canadian Literary Cookbook....and a co-founder of this festival 27 years ago. Like the other women who founded it, she spent most of the first years in the kitchen! And described sweeping up long after everyone else had gone home.
It was such a privilege to be asked to interview her on stage this afternoon - and to look out and see 450 beaming faces - people there to celebrate what this woman had achieved....creating the festival, and then going on to be one of the featured authors! Deeply moving.
Then, as though that wasn't enough, at the end of the event, Jane Davidson, the fabulous director of the festival, came on stage with a glorious bouquet of flowers....from Gwen's husband of 65 years, Vic. Well, we were all in tears. As she said, no one achieves what she has without a husband who is a true partner.
There's a photo at the top of Gwen and me at the cocktail last night. She's standing straight, and I'm bending down...doing our imitation of a totem pole!
How lucky, lucky, lucky I am.
Doing my event at 9am tomorrow - then a local book club has generously offered to host a pot luck for Michael and me, then Lonnie and Susan will pick us up and take us to the ferry. 45 minutes boat ride back to Vancouver...then airport limo to the airport and the red-eye home. Hurrying home to see Jacques and Louise!!!
Speak to you tomorrow, perhaps...not actually sure when I'll get a chance...but will try.
Wednesday, 11 August 2010
peaceful day
mainly sunny, mild, temps 25
Clearing up and getting warmer. Great sleep last night after the barbeque. As it turned out, in the past they've had a salmon BBQ but have now decided the logistics are just too great - so it was terrific burgers, and salads and fruit, and cake.
Lonnie and Susan - our guardians - came and picked us up, looked after us, and dropped us off. Funny how close you get to people who had been perfect strangers, when thrust together in an event. A shared, unusual, experience. Like a life boat, or fox hole. or literary festival. There're no atheists at lit fests. Actually, I imagine there're quite a few.
Had a lovely day today spent mostly reading.
Oh, about the shouting kids from yesterday afternoon...I spent this morning waiting for them to wake up and shatter the peace. But it didn't come and didn't come. Then when Nancy served our scrumptious breakfast of a sort of bread pudding with cinnamon apples - but first a warm orange and cranberry homemade scone and fresh fruit salad - I asked about the kids. Seems they weren't checking in, but belonged to a couple coming next week...and leaving the kids at home. This is a kids-free Bed and Breakfast. Phew.
I honestly don't mind children...but when I've been longing for peace and quiet, and in this tranquil setting, it just would have been a disappointment to have had someone else's children shrieking around.
But - didn't happen!
Tomorrow's a big day...a six hour private cruise on the b and b's yacht, around the coast, including stopping at a beach accessible only by small boat, and a swim, lunch in the cove, then more yachting. And more suffering!
Then back by 4pm - and checking out of A Place by the Sea B and B (the best B and B we've ever stayed in!!! - as nancy, one of the owners told us when she served breakfast in our 700 square foot suite - if you have a B and B you need to get two things right. The bed, and the breakfast. Seems obvious, ludicrous to even mention, but so few B and B's really get both right. Nancy was made for the hospitality business.)
So - check out of here, and move to the Literary Festival official hotel - the Driftwood Inn, in downtown Sechelt. has the advantage of being walking distance to the fest - which offically beings tomrrow night with a cocktail, followed by Lawrence Hill's event - but the Driftwood hotel, by all accounts, has one major disadvantage.
It's a dump.
So we're lapping up as much luxury as we can get, until we move.
Hope you're enjoying the trip so far! We're having a blast.
Clearing up and getting warmer. Great sleep last night after the barbeque. As it turned out, in the past they've had a salmon BBQ but have now decided the logistics are just too great - so it was terrific burgers, and salads and fruit, and cake.
Lonnie and Susan - our guardians - came and picked us up, looked after us, and dropped us off. Funny how close you get to people who had been perfect strangers, when thrust together in an event. A shared, unusual, experience. Like a life boat, or fox hole. or literary festival. There're no atheists at lit fests. Actually, I imagine there're quite a few.
Had a lovely day today spent mostly reading.
Oh, about the shouting kids from yesterday afternoon...I spent this morning waiting for them to wake up and shatter the peace. But it didn't come and didn't come. Then when Nancy served our scrumptious breakfast of a sort of bread pudding with cinnamon apples - but first a warm orange and cranberry homemade scone and fresh fruit salad - I asked about the kids. Seems they weren't checking in, but belonged to a couple coming next week...and leaving the kids at home. This is a kids-free Bed and Breakfast. Phew.
I honestly don't mind children...but when I've been longing for peace and quiet, and in this tranquil setting, it just would have been a disappointment to have had someone else's children shrieking around.
But - didn't happen!
Tomorrow's a big day...a six hour private cruise on the b and b's yacht, around the coast, including stopping at a beach accessible only by small boat, and a swim, lunch in the cove, then more yachting. And more suffering!
Then back by 4pm - and checking out of A Place by the Sea B and B (the best B and B we've ever stayed in!!! - as nancy, one of the owners told us when she served breakfast in our 700 square foot suite - if you have a B and B you need to get two things right. The bed, and the breakfast. Seems obvious, ludicrous to even mention, but so few B and B's really get both right. Nancy was made for the hospitality business.)
So - check out of here, and move to the Literary Festival official hotel - the Driftwood Inn, in downtown Sechelt. has the advantage of being walking distance to the fest - which offically beings tomrrow night with a cocktail, followed by Lawrence Hill's event - but the Driftwood hotel, by all accounts, has one major disadvantage.
It's a dump.
So we're lapping up as much luxury as we can get, until we move.
Hope you're enjoying the trip so far! We're having a blast.
Tuesday, 10 August 2010
Going with the flow
mainly sunny, mild, temps 23
As you can see, the sun has come out. This was my office this morning. Michael and I sat on the dock of our Bed and Breakfast here in Sechelt, sipping coffee and each reading our manuscripts. And glancing out at this view. A heron came and sat on the swimming dock beside us.
Very peaceful, gentle day.
Had a short nap this afternoon. Read 50 pages of the third draft. Reads well, so far. Making lots of notes, but nothing major. So far no structural or profound changes. Thank God.
Had a lovely 2 hour massage yesterday. It was delayed by about half an hour because the masseuse lives on an island and she had to wait for high tide to get out. Imagine setting your watch by the tides? How wonderful is that?
As I write a float plane is taking off and banking around the island you see in the photo.
Lonnie and Susan are picking us up and taking us to the salmon barbeque tonight. So kind to include us. It's meant as a celebration and thank you for all the volunteers at the Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts, which doesn't really start until the cocktail Thursday evening.
We have an empty day tomorrow, thank heaven. Nothing but more sitting on the dock, more reading. Heaven.
Michael spoke to Jacques today, as he does every day. Briefly now. Jacques' strength is going rapidly. Louise sent me an email last night, and we write back and forth. She says she sometimes feels her heart could just explode it's so full of sadness.
We wish we were there. But the fact is, the time is short, and it's for Louise and Jacques. And if we can't be there, we're so glad to be here. Looking out on this extraordinary scene of peace.
Speak to you tomorrow.
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