Not very young...

brilliant sunshine, glorious day, temps 23

We're back in Sutton. How wonderful this feels. The windows are wide open, doors to the screen porch wide open. Sat outside looking at the garden and pool and pond for half an hour. Just decompressing, and saying my quiet thanks, and letting all the great good fortune sink in. And eat fig newtons.

Had fun last night. Michael and I went to a lecture put on by the Council on Palliative Care at McGill - organized by our friend Kappy Flanders. The speaker was Dr. Kathleen Foley, who specializes in the care of the dying. The issue was fascinating - something that's being hotly debated in Quebec right now, and that's physician assisted suicide. Very emotional, of course.

Then, after the lecture Kappy held a private buffet dinner at a local club. Very fun - but the most wonderful, and humorous part was when a young a capella group from the McGill music faculty. The student introduced them by saying how much they enjoying singing for people 'Not very young.' There was a long pause and then the place cracked up. She was right, we weren't very young. But we were mighty happy. As were they - the group. Fabulous.

Oddly, one of the songs I've been listening to a lot as I write this book is Alicia Keys, 'Falling'. The a capella group sang three songs and one was 'Falling'. They did a great job too.

Then home. Past crowds of disappointed Montreal Canadiens fans...we lost 2 to 0 against Pittsburgh. The city is Habs mad. People driving around with flags attached to their cars. Even Kappy - who at the lecture was wearing a lovely dress, changed into a Mtl Canadian captains jersey! At our apartment building on the notice board there is only one notice - a large sign that says, Go Habs Go.

Up early today...Michael had an 8am dentist appointment. I packed up, loaded the car then drove to the dentist to pick him up. off to Nicks for breakfast - then to the UPS office to mail a box to the US publisher. Then home (stopping for Trudy's food on the way).

Got home by 11:30. Annick, from the Quebec magazine Vita, was coming at noon for lunch and to do an interview. Michael hopped off to the store, while I unpacked. The tulips are up in the cutting garden and divine, so I cut a few vases full. How gorgeous they are. All different varieties and colours.

Michael cooked burgers on the barbeque and we ate burgers, salad and sugar pie on the porch. Such a beautiful day. And thrilling to do my first interview for a french magazine, in anticipation of the books coming out in french this summer.

After Annick left I had a 4pm interview with Chateleine. They're putting together an article on great summer reads. They wanted to know which mystery I'd recommend. I don't want to ruin the surprise so I'll only say this - my recommendation is Josephine Tey's The Franchise Affair.

Have to set the alarm early tomorrow - up by 6am and writing by 8. Then off to Knowlton to Nancy's place. doing a book club in texas by skype at 1pm and Nancy's going to help set us up. Then lunch with Cotton at 1:30.

And Friday??? Ahhh - empty. Nothing. Just us, quiet. Writing. And fig newtons.

Proof

beautiful sunny day, cool - temps 6

heavy frost on the ground this morning. temp minus 1 when we left for birthday breakfast with Cheryl. Such a fun time. She just turned 50...and I'm turning 52. Wonderful to have a friend going through exactly the same things, same issues, as I am. Feeling in many ways stronger, more confident - but also questioning alot of things in our lives. And in ourselves. And how to become better people. And still be true to who we are. When to bend and when to stand firm.

A life-long learning, at least for me.

so it's always wonderful to speak to Cheryl, who is funny, kind, thoughtful - and honest about how she's feeling.

Dropped by the guest cottage later in the afternoon - the new balcony is looking spectacular. Had to climb a ladder to get up. then walked out onto the dock and almost fell through. Gary...are you listening? (or even reading??) the dock needs replacing!!!

I'll tell you, this guest cottage - if anything can go wrong, it will. do you remember last autumn when suddenly the septic tank needed replacing and michael fell into it? Between Michael and Trudy it's no wonder guests prefer their own separate home.

Busy day. had a conference call about the US cover for Bury Your DEad. VERY exciting. Can hardly wait for you to see it.

And the Advance Readers Copies (ARCs) of Bury Your Dead will be ready soon! I'm going to give two away with the May newsletter and every subsequent newsletter until publication in September. Good luck.

Between calls and emails (trying to set-up Canadian tours as well and have just been invited to the International Festival of Authors in Toronto) I managed about 12-hundred words today.

And then Michael said he had a tooth ache. So we called the dentist in Montreal and tried to book in for today, but could only get tomorrow at 4:30. In Montreal. But I have a big interview with VITA magazine (the French equivalent of MORE Magazine) tomorrow at 2pm. here.

I wrote Annick, the lovely woman writing the article and asked if she could come earlier, and explained why. She very kindly wrote back to say she can make it another day. So we've re-scheduled for April 28th - just before we head to Washington for Malice domestic.

Finished the page proofs last night - and today I sent off an email with all the corrections. SO theilled to have that done. Always a huge job.

So - will write tomorrow morning, we'll hop in the car (Pat and Tony will come and sit Trudy) - and head to the Mtl apartment. We've decided since we'll be going to Burlington, VT for dinner Saturday to celebrate our friend Susan's birthday (and staying the night) we might as well stay in MTL and drive directly down on Saturday.

Logistics.

Didn't worry about the bear yesterday. By the way, that 'Someone's been sleeping in my bed...' line from yesterday's blog came from Gary who guffawed when I told him my fear that Smokey would get into the house, and come gunning for us.

Be well - might not blog tomorrow, but will try to get back to you on Friday.