Sleuth of Baker Street

sunny, cooler, temps 24

Another gorgeous day. Gad - how long will this torment last??

Writing went much better today. We started with breakfast out - as a treat - then back home by 9am and at work until 3pm without breaks except to walk Trudy around the pond. Unspeakably beautiful out there.

I think the new idea has worked...what a relief. got tired at the end and sort of did a short-hand end to this scene. but will read it all over tomorrow morning and see what I think. It's important at this stage that each word have a reason to be there, and if possible each scene and conversation serve several purposes, propelling both the plot and deepening the characters.

I think this new approach has worked. Wow, what a relief. Yay.

Had a very fun email from Marian Misters of Sleuth of Baker Street in Toronto. At the Arthur Ellis awards in Toronto last night, The Brutal Telling won the Sleuth award for the best selling Canadian mystery of 2009!

How wonderful that feels.

Thank you for all your supportive comments after yesterday's post. It helps!

The lap of luxury

bright sunshine, mild, temps 18

Lovely, lovely fresh day. Not hot, but warm, especially in the sun. Just beautiful.

We're at Hovey Manor! Arrived in time for breakfast....on Sunday they do their wonderful breakfasts until 2pm - which is a brilliant idea since lots of non-guests now come for it. Not expensive (at least not as expensive as other meals) - very yummy - and glorious setting.

So we determined to leave as soon as Pat and Tony arrived to house-sit and Trudy-sit.

Drove the hour and a half over here....arrived at the front desk to see our friend Marc-Andre there. He looked at us, smiled - and then a look of desolation came over him.

'Bonjour,' he said - his smile almost recovered.

'Salut,' we said. 'We've arrived early, for breakfast.'

'Bien sur,' he said. 'A little early. We have you booked in for next Sunday.'

Huh? (that seems a universal expression - as was the look on our faces)

'Next week?' I asked with a more than nervous giggle. Since I was the one who'd made the reservations I had reason to be nervous, though not much reason to giggle.

'Oui. And the hotel is fully booked.'

What could a gal do? I broke into hysterical laughter. Michael did not. When I stopped we all just stared at each other for a moment. And then I apologized. It was clearly my fault - I must have been looking at the wrong page in my calendar. And next Sunday is a spectacularly ridiculous time to reserve at Hovey since it's in the middle of the Victoria Day (yes, we celebrate Queen Victoria) long weekend and we have family staying up to the gunnels.

Marc-Andre decided to check once again. often the tiny rooms at the back aren't taken. Ironic, since in The Murder Stone something similar happens with Gamache and Reine-Marie, and they end up in the tiniest room at the Inn. perfectly happy. But as we have established beyond doubt over the years with this blog, they are far better people than me. Still, to be honest, we'd have been happy with that. Or we could have gone home. As I said to Michael, as Marc Andre checked for a broom closet we could stay in, at least we hadn't flown in from New York or Toronto for this.

'Yes,' agreed Michael, 'that is a relief.' He didn't seem convinced.

'Well, we do have something,' said Marc-Andre - now smiling. 'you've never stayed in this room.'

Was it, I wondered, one of their public bathrooms? The shed?

'The only room not booked for the next three nights this one of the Vista Suites.'

'Pardon?' I asked, my head reeling.

'A vista suite,' said Marc-Andre - pointing either up the hill overlooking the lake, or to Heaven. turns out, it was heaven.

Dear Lord - the only room available, which they gave us at the rate we'd booked for next week (much lower) is one of the best rooms at Hovey. More like a completely renovated cottage.

Remember when we arrived in St. Lucia to find they'd given us the Presidential Suite??? Well, this is the same thing. It's spectacular!!! Can you believe it? When I regained consciousness we signed for it fast, before Marc-Andre sobered up.

Then went in for breakfast (the room wasn't ready). Michael had the 'suggestion' of the day...an asparagus, brie and smoked salmon omelette, with sausages. I had eggs Benedict and sausages - with rich, strong coffee. then we walked the gardens and onto the dock. Lounged by the pool. And then the room was ready.

It's outside the main lodge, on the hill...easy walk to the main building for meals, though they'll also bring them up. I'm sitting on the big wooden verandah looking over the lake...the private hot tub calling to me.

Inside it is totally renovated with a sort of mid-century modern feel....huge bedroom with walk-in closet. Huge living room and bathroom. A kitchen! Flat screen TV's everywhere.

We're cha-chaing in the lap of luxury!!! Forward our mail.

One tooth down

mainly sunny, warm, temps 17

Another beautiful day. Tossed and turned last night...worried about the book. Finally fell asleep and woke up to the alarm just before 6am. Michael is wonderful. Before I was writing I was always the first up - getting breakfast for everyone, walking Trudy. But since writing...indeed in the past couple years - he's started getting up first and making breakfast and walking Trudy. In the summer this is lovely, but not as heroic as in the dead of winter. Nothing quite like walking Trudy in pitch black and minus 20. At 7am.

Still, summer or winter, I appreciate that little extra time in bed - and to get up when I smell the coffee! Bliss.

Was at work before 8am... afraid to read what I did yesterday and the day before. But was surprised and relieved to see how much I liked it...until about 2/3rds of the way through...then it got rough. So I cut and added and polished - and edited. Took away about 1500 words and added about 1000. And now I'm very relieved and very tired.

We drove in to Mtl - and took Michael to his dentist, who decided to do some adjustments on a lower tooth. Tomorrow Michael's going to the specialist about the old root canal. Breakfast with an old family friend...Mary. At Nick's, of course. Then writing. Then our accountant Frank for taxes....then...Blue Met panel.

Great news, though!! NAT Grant, who was organizing the event and was trapped in London flew out today! So she'll be there. Organizing... I'll be there moderating. And Barbara Fradkin and Anthony Bidulka will be there panalist-ing.

If you come, you need to know there's a free wine and cheese after, sponsored by the Crime Writers of Canada.

Hope you're well! Speak tomorrow, I hope.

Company

Beautiful, sunny day - calm - temps minus 4

Doesn't feel nearly that cold. The sun and lack of wind make a huge difference. The long driveway is a skating rink...need to be careful walking Trudy.

Woke up and invited Michael for breakfast in Sutton...to the former chez Camil's...never remember the new name. This has a few purposes...I realized I had a package at the post office that needed fetching, we have a DVD that needed to be returned (2012 - never did see it since the blue ray wouldn't work in our blue ray machine) - and I suddenly - and happily - remembered my resolution.

Have More Fun.

I was in danger of tipping over in stress...and taking myself and what I do FAR too seriously. And becoming a stress bucket. or at least, lose perspective.

This would not be good, if for no other reason than writing would stop being fun. It's hard work - and stressful - and frightening - but it can also be fun...and I can't afford to lose that.

So - off we went for breakfast. Michael, as you might have gathered, rarely needs to be asked twice if he'd like a meal out. trudy came too and curling up in the back seat - the windows open a crack.

We had bacon and eggs - a couple cups of surprisingly good coffee (it isn't always) - then headed out. unfortunately both the post office and DVD store were still closed. But we put the disk through the slot and I'll have to call them later and tell them there might be something wrong with either 1) the disk 2) us.

Got home and went right to work on chapter 3. paul, our upholstered, came to measure the chair arms for sleeves. We remembered that cotton had given us a tin of home-made ginger cookies (a very happy moment in our day).

I just finished chapter 3. A few hesitations...I suspect some will come out in the first big edit (second draft) - but for now it does what it is meant to do. Fun to start building the house.

So - 2-thousand more words today. Up to 9,000 for the week.

What is a little disconcerting is that I don't know where the next chapter will begin. I always try to end when I know how to start the next day. But I know for sure something will present itself.

We're meeting Bal, Linda and Bethany in Knowlton for breakfast tomorrow. As you can see, breakfast is my social meal of choice.

And - speaking of which - The five writers nominated for the Best Novel Agatha have decided to meet for breakfast on the Friday of Malice Domestic in Washington. I genuinely like Rhys, Donna and hank - and while I don't know Lorna we have exchanged emails and she sounds lovely.

I would much rather have a community than an award. And yet, I'm very, very competitive. I wonder if this comes with age, and realizing I can't call a statue when I need help. I can't turn to an award for comfort or company.

Besides, I know it's possible to win awards and be a good, decent person at the same time. It's also possible to lose awards and be a good decent person.

I would - like all of them - prefer to prove the former.

But in the meantime, we will meet for breakfast and get caught up - and enjoy each other's company.

batty after all

overcast, dull gray, mild temps freezing

I'm not sure what's worse...brilliant blue skies but minus 25, or dull, dreary skies and mild temperatures? What I do know for sure is we don't have a choice. Actually, the truth is, I'm not overly affected by the weather. I don't much care. For the most part I like it all...but I also realize I'm very lucky. Michael and I don't have to function in it, and that makes a huge difference.

Had breakfast with Cheryl and Gary, at Chez Camil in Sutton. They're just back from a week at an all-inclusive in Cuba. Sounds like they had a fun time, except...it rained and was cloudy most of the time. One day it was even cold! No surprise, I suppose, to those of you in Florida. But not much fun when this is your one big week on vacation. Gary says he checked the weather for this week and its sunny and hot! Best not to know. But I'll sometimes do that. Buy something, then compare prices at other stores, just to torture myself. passes the time.

When we got back from Montreal yesterday I laid a fire in the grate, lit it and a log rolled off to the side, so I reached for the leather gauntlets on the hearth. We use them all the time to move burning logs around in the grate. I put the gloves on, but noticed something brown, like a small glove, still lying on the hearth. I leaned close. Then quickly leaned away.

It was a bat.

Stunned...sleepy...but apparently waking up. It had fallen asleep under the big leather gloves. Thank God it hadn't fallen asleep inside the big leather gloves! I stared at it for a stunned moment, then scooped the poor thing up in the gloves, creating a small pocket between my hands for it to breath. I could feel it stirring inside. Not exactly the wake-up it was expecting, I suppose. But then, it wasn't what I was expecting either.

So there I stood in the middle of the living room wearing two massive gauntlets and holding a bat.

Michael walked into the room. Stopped. And stared.

'It's a bat,' I said.

This didn't seem to enlighten him.

'In my hands. I found him under the gloves.'

Then he understood. Now the two of us stood in the middle of the living room. One with a bat, the other without.

'We have to do something,' I finally said, walking toward the kitchen. 'Should I put him outside?'

Michael, while now in motion, still said nothing. I had, it seems, mistaken him for a bat expert.

'I'll open the door,' he finally offered. And that was helpful since without him I would still be holding the poor bat. He opened the back door and I was about to let the bat go when I realized it wouldn't last long outside. He should be hibernating now.

So we put on our boots and took the bat to our shed. It was now quite active in the palm of my hands. Michael opened the shed door a sliver and I tossed the bat in. It disappeared into the darkness as Michael slammed the door closed.

We then called Pat and Tony, then the vet, then I contacted a friend who is a biologist with a local zoo. Thankfully they all thought the shed was a great idea.

However, they aren't the ones who now have to go in there. With luck he'll hibernate again and wake up in the spring...and then...

but how'd he come to be sleeping beside the fireplace? We figure he came in on one of the logs this autumn, and woke up with the warmth when his 'home' as brought up from the basement.

This made me quite alert today when I went down to get more wood. Do we now have a bat cave downstairs?

Bats in the shed. Bats in the wood. Bats in the basement. Suspicions confirmed!

We're still, with Danny and Lucy, pursuing the possibility of a radiothon to raise money for Haiti. My God, it's almost unbearable to watch...and yet it seems too facile to look away.

A summer's day

sunny, hot, temps 31

Beautiful summer day. Classic Quebec July day - in mid-august! Had a quiet day yesterday - spent most of it waiting for a delivery from the publisher's in New York that I needed to work on - but UPS messed up and it didn't come. We're thinking we should switch to FedEx since we do so much courier-ing and we need a service that's reliable. The thing will now come Monday, which means I need to work on it all monday afternoon, evening and Tuesday morning - in order to get it back to NYC in time.

but, such is work. And the frustrations of living in the country. I suspect in the city these logistical issues don't apply. Still, doesn't seem enough of a reason to move back to a city!

Bal and Linda came over for a swim yesterday afternoon.

Had breakfast today with Cheryl in sutton. Love our breakfasts. It's wonderful to have a friend who is going through the same sort of life issues...menopause, feeling emotional - trying to decide how much is hormones and how much is 'real'...would I have reacted the same way three years ago - or three years from now? Trying to sort through things. And to talk about issues of faith and God and prayer and anger, and joy and gratitude. And husbands!

Phew. I feel so much more human after I've been with a good friend. And had a good breakfast!

Michael and Bal also had breakfast, a couple of tables over. then the firefighter's parade through town was about to start...so we skiddadled out of there before we were stuck for 2 hours. Fun to see all the floats, and costumes, and vintage cars. We love parades in Sutton...and we love our volunteer firefighters.

Off to Kirk and Walter's garden party this afternoon - the annual fundraiser for the SPCA Monteregie. We're bringing sandwiches - and a set of hardcover books for the auction.

Then off to our regular Saturday night meeting.

Tomorrow we have a vernissage in North Hatley, but we might not make it. Michael needs to edit his book proposal and I need not to do anything, except watch Tiger Woods et al in the PGA tournament. And swim!

Gotta run. Linda and I need to run into the village for groceries.

Lovely to have the sun shine on us again! Hope you're well. Hope those California wildfires get under control soon...I was remmembering those terrible ones you had in Australia this past February.

Speak tomorrow

Champlain's dream - if not his body

flurries, milder, temps minus 8

We had such fun yesterday. spent a few hours at the marvelous Literary and Historical Society on St Stanislas. It's the oldest museum in North America and is actually, now this terrific library. Not very big, but with a balcony lined with old books, and books below, and a leather sofa and chairs and a wooden table (when I arrived there were fine china cups from a previous meeting). Toured and talked with Patrick Donovan.

Then Michael took me to the Saint Amour restaurant on Sainte-Ursule for lunch. It's considered by many the best restaurant in Quebec City, which is saying something. We celebrated making the 'list'. We were clearly English, though speaking French to the servers and maitre d' - but English to each other. And the people, where possible, spoke English to us. As a courtesy. The English was often halting, but it was like being offered something small but precious...tiny sweet bits of our own language, and their respect for it. How lovely.

Then we wandered through the narrow, snow clogged streets, slipping and sliding, since we were either climbing up a steep hill or skidding down. The city has soddered hand rails to the sides of buildings so we can steady ourselves.

When I got home there were tons of messages from friends and former colleages and Jacquie Czernin, who hosts the local CBC afternoon show, invited me on to talk about the New York Times bestseller list! Such kindness and support.

And now it's Friday. We're off for breakfast with Peter Black. He's a producer and journalist at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation...he knows everyone and everything. Except plumbing. We were supposed to meet yesterday but in the storm somehow a pipe burst at his home...and he (poor delusional man) thought that was more important.

But we're meeting in 10 minutes for breakfast and a catch-up, and I get to run some murderous thoughts by him. Then at noon there's a lecture by the author of Champlain's Dream - he's from Brandeis University and won the Pulitzer with his last book. Really looking forward to that!

then home and a weekend of relaxing.

Be well - and thank you.

Look up, look way up

clear, blue skies, windy, bitter cold - temps minus 25

Went out for breakfast this morning - stepped outside (wearing long underwear!) and the sidewalk had disappeared. the homes are built right to the narrow sidewalks, and overnight there was enough snow and wind that the sidewalks have become unpassable. We had to walk in the streets.

On rue St Jean - one block up there are bistro's, cafes, bookstores, clothing stores. Fabulous. But again, we had to walk on the road not because the sidewalks had disappeared under snow but because snow was being shoveled off the metal roofs - onto the sidewalks. We looked up and tied to ropes were men, hacking away at the ice and snow...and every now and then we heard a great, muffled thud as it came down.

God this city is splendid.

We chose not a great place for breakfast - but we wandered a bit after and found a wonderful bakery that also serves breakfasts, so we thought we'd go there in future for a simple cafe and croissant.

Now we're home - I'm still pretty tired, and it's so cold, that we've decided to light the fireplace, have a shower, get into PJ's and curl up on the sofa reading all day. Tomorrow we hope to find the big outdoor skating rink, a bigger grocery store - but mostly we want to walk over to the Plains of Abraham - or Champs-de-Bataille (battlefield) - where the English defeated the French in 1759. It has never been forgiven or forgotten. A strange, haunting place. The English scaled the cliffs from the St Lawrence river (a tactic the French never expected) and they fought a terrible, bloody battle...both generals dying in the process.

It has remained more or less unchanged ever since...though many years ago permission was granted for the lovely Musee des Beaux Arts du Quebec to the built there.

I can see Gamache and his Shepherd, Henri (who will be with him on this visit) walking the quiet, snowy paths through the battleground.

Birds, boots and breakfast

Snow storm, temps minus 5


We skiddadled out of Manoir Hovey before breakfast - a catastrophe really since the day before we'd had (besides their buffet of fruit, home-made granola, cheeses and warm croissants) the 'inspiration' of the day - an omelette with guyere, honey, wild mushrooms and cooked apples. Dear Lord.

But we awoke to snow, and lots more forecast, and we knew while we needn't be on the highway long it is a particularly treacherous stretch. So we packed, paid and zipped out. As it was, one lane was already snow-clogged. But we crawled along, reached Sutton, did some shopping and went into Chez Camil for breakfast. A friend came in shortly after that and joined us. Wonderful to sit inside with coffee and scrambled eggs and see the snow intensify. And know we're safe.

A foot expected. (of snow).

As soon as we got home and unloaded the car I went to feed the birds, again. Good God, it's amazing they can fly, with all the food they eat. We must have the fattest birds in Canada. We can open a theme park. Waddle World.

Of course, in my enthusiasm to feed them I forgot I didn't have my big winter boots on...just the 'driving' winter boots. I learned that lesson the hard way...never drive in the huge gallumpin' boots. I ended up parked in the lobby of the local Knowlton bank that way. Interestingly it was a few years ago, also returning from Hovey in a huge snowstorm. This was even more nerve-wracking. White-knuckling it on the highway through the blizzard...literally praying to see the turn off and dreaming of the moment we arrive back. Well we did, and had to stop at the bank, so I pulled in and put on the brake. But my boots were so huge my foot actually came to rest on both the gas and the brake at the same time. The car, aided by the slippery snow, zoomed side-ways, jumped the curb, went up the handicapped ramp and hit the bank. As Michael told it later to the insurance people, 'We knocked over the bank'. Michael, by-the-way could hardly wait to spill the beans on me. Even before they'd really answered the phone at the insurance agency he was saying, 'My wife did it.'

Sadly, that was actually true.

So now I have my 'walking in the snow' big boots. And my 'driving and staying on the road' smaller boots.

But now the big friggin birds are fed and I have snow inside my jeans up to my knees.

Still, we're home, and safe, and satisfied. Nowhere to go for 2 days.

Hope you're safe and sound, healthy and happy. Talk tomorrow.

Things that count

cloudy, very light flurries, chilly. temps 3

Nice quiet day. Had breakfast with Jim and Sharon at Chez Cora's and now home. Still replying to emails and doing Christmas cards. Started to wrap gifts for people too. We have Mike and Dom coming to the country this weekend and Susan the following weekend...then Jim and Sharon for Christmas. It's a wonderful time to be with good friends.

Tomorrow we need to return the Paris apartment key to our friends. Then Michael has a dentist appointment, then hop in the car and head to the country. I have an interview with the local radio at 2:30 tomorrow afternoon.

I'm very happy to say there isn't much to report. Except, the heat's off in the apartment here. Good excuse to get back into pajamas, do up a hot sack, make a tea and crawl back under trhe covers and watch season one of Entourage. I think I'm hooked! Watched Get Smart Monday (didn't like the movie) and Hellboy 2 yesterday (by Jane Austin I believe). Funny with an odd sort of charm. Tonight I have Tropic Thunder on the playlist.

Talk tomorrow. Hope you're well. We're all getting quite antsy about the economy, but we keep reminding ourselves that we've been through it before - these things are cyclical...and we need not panic. Cut down on spending, yes. Be sensible (my strong suit, as you may have gathered) - but don't panic. Breathe through your nose, as my friend Sharon says.

So we breathe, and count our blessings.

Hello, we must be going

sunny, mild, temps 21

lovely day - and we're leaving. a quick post just to say, in the words of Groucho Marx, 'Hello, I must be going - I'm here to say, I cannot stay, I must be going.'

Just had breakfast. Wonderful to walk in to the magnificent dining room and see all sorts of people we know. Wander from talbe to table just saying hello (I must be going). But we kept being seated at someone else's table. The hostess showed us to a table, we sat down and 1 minute later a befuddled man appeared with his plate from the buffet looking around. The waiter very quickly gave us coffee we hadn't yet ordered and orange juice, we hadn't yet ordered. We took it, then I caught the look which had gone from befuddled to a glare.

We'd not only taken his table, we were drinking his coffee and orange juice. Like the three bears. We apologised, offered to leave, but by then it was really too late.

20 minutes later we got up to go to the buffet ourselves and ran into Dolores who'd just arrived and we decided to put two tables together and sit together, which we did. Suspiciously soon after more coffee, orange juice and toast arrived, which we began to eat. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a sight that had become familiar. Someone hovering with a heaping plate of buffet food, staring at us.

I smiled and tried to imply in my sympathetic look that it wasn't my idea to sit there - Dolores was at fault.

They left and found another table.

We're wondering if the same technique might work on British Airways. If we wander into First Class, take a seat, start eating the pre-flight canapes, will someone just sneer but let us stay? Perhaps not.

One of the great benefits of our around the world flight last year with BA was that we earned enough points to get us their platinum card, which gets use into the first class lounge (from there we have to cover our heads and skulk into the economy seats). What a lounge! Food, drink, leather chairs and sofas - showers even. We now try to arrive almost a day ahead since it's so much nicer than home.

Must be off. Taxi ordered for 10:15 - train at 11am to London, then express train to Heathrow from Paddington (switch for Terminal 4) - then check in - and the lounge.

For those of you in Canada, our wonderful friend Susan McKenzie has a special report tomorrow (Monday) in the second half of Anna Maria Tremonti's CBC Radio programme, The Current. You might want to check it out. We're hoping to take Susan for lunch tomorrow in Mtl.

Take care, be well - speak to you tomorrow

Our last day in London

cloudy, mild, temps 13

Seems an unsettled day here in London - go figure. Not at all sure what to wear. Probably way overdressed...perhaps I'll leave the tiara at home. Made out of flannel anyway.

We're off for breakfast at Tom's Kitchen, just off Chelsea Green. About a 15 minute walk. Then we might go to the Natural History Museum. We were there in our first week but it was school break and insane with kids. There's a show on about the Antarctic Michael's dying to see so we thought that would be fun.

Then Michael's having lunch with his sister Carol at a place called Papillion on Draycott Terrace/Place/Avenue/Court/Street/Mews/Road. I'll tell you, that's the most difficult thing about London - there are only about 10 'first' names for streets, but their 'last' names go on forever. You can't just say, 'It's on Draycott' - because it will take the person the rest of their lives to go through all the possibilities.

In Quebec we have something similar, but it's for restaurants. If you want to call for a reservation and need to look up the number, well, you'll starve to death. It might just be Papillion. Or it could be Le Papillion, or Restaurant Papillion, or Bistro Papillion or Resto-Bar Papillion or some other creative option.

All this to say Michael's chances of finding his sister for lunch are pretty small. I'll get him to pack a lunch.

I'm meeting my editor Sherise and agent Teresa for lunch. Teresa's choosing the place after my disasterous choice for dinner the other night.

Then this afternoon we pack up. God knows how we'll get the stuff in. Had a funny email from Susan asking us to find and bring home Marks and Spencer's Shrimp Crisps. Which we're happy to do but I think our socks will be crushed can't begin to image what shape the shrimp poptato chips will be in. Dust.

Must be off - Michael just appeared. Very handsome in his new spring outfit. But I'm in cashmere turtleneck and blazer. We're going to the same place but in different seasons. I think I might change.

Not sure if I'll have time to blog tomorrow either from here or Washington, but will try. If not I want to thank you for being such great traveling companions!

Bacon, eggs, coffee and friends - no mystery here

Sunny, cold, highs minus 10



A little 'bloggette' today - must run. Michael clearing snow off the car and starting it, and I'm supposedly up here putting dry cleaning in the suitcase. Pre-packing. Like a fish in a container ship.

Off to Sutton for breakfast with Cheryl at 8am, then coffee with Joan at 9:30. Feel odd 'scheduling' friends like that, but these days that's what it comes down to. Hope their patience extends further!

Then meeting Lise at work (she's my assistant) to go over last minute things, then doing the 'bookchatcentral' on-line talk at noon.

Then off tonight for a 5:15 meeting.

Received the revisions for the reading from the book based on the Redpath Murders that I'll be doing at the launch of the Canadian History Project on Monday in Montreal. Read and revised last night.

Must run - speak soon. Breakfast and coffee with friends...phew...feels like a huge exhale.

Speak to you tomorrow and hope this finds you well.