Squirrels in the attic

Partly cloudy, cool, temps minus 4

...and squirrels in the walls. And the basement. Actually, it isn't quite the invasion it seems. We think it's the same squirrel, running around. Inside. This is not the best thing that can happen. But when we called (who else) Tony he came by, looked at the evidence and said -

'I think it's a beaver.'

'Huh?'

Then he laughed. Damn. We fall for it every time. But it does seem to be a squirrel, so now we have a live trap in the basement (don't tell the squirrel). We check it all the time, and when/if the squirrel wanders in we'll call (who else) Tony and tell him we caught a bear cub.

He'll come by and drive it far enough from the house that it won't find its way back. But the key is to try to figure out how it got in, and plug the hole.

Went to exercise class today. Then errands around town. And heard from the Quebec publisher that Le Telejournal - which is the biggest TV show in Quebec, is interested in doing an interview with me next week. Dear Lord. Now I really do have to become bilingual, by next Wednesday. It's like cramming for an exam - trying to guess what questions they might ask, then boning up on possible answers in beautiful french. Now, unless they want to know the menu of the local bistro, I have a lot of work ahead.

I was just beginning to really relax too. Takes a while to realize there 's nothing to worry about - I've been so used to worry. And stress. When it comes off it takes some time to creak back to place. But now with Le Telejournal the worry is back. Like a squirrel in my head.

You don't think...

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!!!!

Thank you

sunny, warm, temps plus 4

I want to thank each and every one of you who wrote to comfort us in our grief over Maggie. Thank you! I cannot tell you how much that has helped. Most of the messages reduced us to tears - of sorrow - but also gratitude. For your kindness, and for Maggie's company. As one neighbour wrote us, she was a brave girl.

I won't say more about how we're feeling about Maggie. I think you know. But I want to make sure you know how deeply grateful Michael and I both are for your words, your thoughts, your support and comfort.

Great syrup waeather today. Tony's going to boil down his sap tomorrow afternoon. Our friends at the guest cottage, Linda, Bal and their daughter Bethany will be invited to watch - and maybe help. Then they're coming over tomorrow night for a simple dinner. Barbeque steaks. Tony set up the BBQ for us today. What a help he is.

Wrote this morning, and spent some time this afternoon on the permissions again! Who'd have thought it would be more challenging that writing the actual book. Certainly more stressful.

spent 20 min. on the torture device. Gary dropped by yesterday and suggested using the ipod while exercising...great idea. Did that and it helps...but am torn about what music to listen to. Like eating favorite food when ill...then never being able to eat it again!

Am off...bath time.

Thank you, again.

Maggie's great! Yay!

snow, blowing snow, temps minus 9

Just heard from the Vet...Maggie sailed through the operation and is doing really well!! Oh, what a relief.

Thank you for all your thoughts.

And, we get to pick her up in a couple of hours and bring her (or, as my brother says, most of her) home! We're both thrilled and leery. We know for sure she'll be far more comfortable and happy at home. But will we kill her? This will clearly demand good sense and judgement - from the woman who just recently tried to flush a whole pot roast down the toilet.

Doug, my brother, wrote this morning wishing us luck and saying he and his dog Buttercup said prayers for Maggie before breakfast - though he wasn't sure if BC's prayers weren't for him to friggin hurry up and put down the food bowl.

Can't quite believe that they amputate a leg in the morning and she'll be home in time for dinner. But more than anything, we're relieved.

We set the alarm for 6:30 this morning. It was still dark, but Trudy was all excited. I looked outside and could see a dark figure outside, against the snow. It was Tony. He'd come up to dig us out from all the snow that fell overnight, so we could get Maggie to the vet for her 8am appointment.

Imagine doing that? He was out of bed before we were on a blizzardy morning, shoveling.

I'll tell you, even by country standards Pat and Tony are remarkable. Angels, really. We try to keep up with them in terms of kindnesses, but we're so far behind even Tony couldn't dig us out.

We got to the vets in time, going very slowly along the snow-clogged, white-out roads. Michael took a picture of Maggie outside the vets, just in case. And we were fine until we had to say goodbye and they led her away. As soon as the door closed I started to cry. Happily it wasn't my normal slobber - but neither could I pretend I had something in my eye. Except a bit of grief.

Anyway, now we all get to heal.

Did loads of wrapping today, and will make hard sauce and cranberry sauce tomorrow, then the sweet potato casserole the next day.

This is a celebration. Be well, and will report in tomorrow.

Peonies and people

Mainly sunny, cool, temps 18

We're home. And the blessed peonies waited for us (how's that for ego?) They're up and out. We arrived home about 5:30 yesterday afternoon and the first thing we did after unpacking was take the dogs for a walk around the pond, with clippers in hand. Out at the pond the lupins are in full flight - a bank of purple and blue thrusting flowers climbing up from the water and into the trees and field. We scattered the lupin seeds 9 years ago, and now they're really growing and spreading.

I'm not the most patient person, but I sure am learning it be. And the funniest thing is, I'm learning how much more amazing everything is when you have to wait for it.

I cut a few lupins, then we came back and strolled through the garden close to home, and cut some peonies and alliums and gas plant and made an arrangement that sits in a tall vase on the wooden kitchen island. I swear to God sometimes I wonder whether we weren't in a fatal crash on the highway and this is Heaven.

Happily it seems we've arrived in heaven without that particular mess.

Came down this morning to a kitchen perfumed by peony. Ate breakfast on the screen porch. Then Michael and I spent the day returning calls, making calls, doing email, doing snail-mail, doing laundry.

The clothes line is now sagging under the weight of 3 weeks worth of clothing.

Our Volvo won't work. It's always something, isn't it? Starts just fine, but won't move forward or back. We took Michael's car to the store, and when we returned Tony was repairing a rip in the screen porch and we asked him about it. He had me rock the car back and forth and diagnosed that break pad at the right rear wheel has seized up. Clever man.

He's off home now to get his tools to fix it.

This really is what makes this place Heaven. yes, the peony. But ultimately it's the people.

Had a very nice invitation today from Edmonton to go out next year and speak at a couple of libraries. This co-incides with an invitation from the Alberta Library Conference to speak at their annual gathering in Jasper next year in late April. We can almost certainly combine the two events.

The only problem is that I already have an event in late April, as well as committments in January, February and March. And I need to write the next book. Sound familiar? If you've been reading this blog for a while now you'll recognize the dilema. In fact, you've lived it with me for a while. Perhaps I should make it like the game show, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and poll the readership of the blog.

Perhaps I should just make up my own mind, and try to be thoughtful about it. Hmm.

What I will do is something I'm trying to do in all aspects of my life and that's say, 'Thank you. I'll get back to you on that.'

And then think, instead of react.

I laid out on the grass by the pond this afternoon and watched the clouds overhead. Trudy came and lay beside me, after jumping first with both feet on my stomach. Maggie ran around the pond looking for frogs.

It was very peaceful.

Will speak to you tomorrow. Am starting the first edit on book 5, The Brutal Telling. This is The Brutal Editing. Afraid to see what the wordcount is.

Busy Bees

Sunny, warm, highs 21

Wow - a beautiful day! Sat outside having a cafe au lait with Cheryl in the village. We sat under a cherry tree just about to bloom. Splendid. She showed me the watercolours for her latest children's book. She's a remarkable artist and she has a series of picture books for children - Dragon Dreams is out now, the second Mother's Dreams is at the publisher and she's working on Mermaid's Dreams. One illustration was so amazing it almost made me cry.

Went across the border for gas again - and to Cowansville for breakfast with Michael. Left the Volvo at the station to have its winter tires taken off (we feel it's safe now) and the all season's put on.

Came back to find Tony had put the barbeque and garden furniture out, and the Adirondack chairs around the pond. And the bench I gave Michael last year for his birthday is out. We immediately walked the dogs and sat there, chatting, in the sun.

After having coffee with Cheryl I did some grocery shopping, (including steaks for the BBQ!) and picked some stuff up at the new hardware store, then noticed the ice cream 'cabin' was open on Main Street for the first time - so went over and got Michael and softie chocolate cone. He was at work. By the time he'd finished it there was chocolate all over his gray beard. He looked like the happiest kid in town.

Received quite a funny email from Lise a couple of days ago under the heading "pear" - which of course I took personally. Actually, what she and Delmar meant was that our pear trees were about to flower and the bees cycle had been disrupted by the warmth, then a killing frost...so when the trees bloomed the bees might not be there to pollinate them. So, Lise asked, could we?

How?

She suggested finding a feather from one of the geese and rubbing it on all the flowers, thereby spreading the pollen. I asked if we had to be naked, and apparently not.

So yesterday afternoon I checked and the buds had popped. I found a feather and made like a bee. Happily as I was busy pollenating I noticed 'another' bee buzzing around. A real one! But I kept at it anyway, just in case. So we should have a great crop of pears this fall.

With our very first advance cheque for STILL LIFE Michael and I wanted to do something special. We thought about it and decided to give 25 percent away - and spend the rest on planting an orchard. So every year now we walk through the STILL LIFE orchard, and see the changes. And marvel. And each autumn we harvest our good fortune, and eat it!

Can't find the propane tank for the BBQ - must call Tony. Poor guy must think we're morons. Actually...

Speak to you tomorrow. Be well.