Paging Dr. Nancy! Stat!

sunny, mild, temps 18

lovely day - great for walking.

We're back in the country - arrived back yesterday. Nice to be here...we have a huge maple tree outside our bedroom window that's turning reds and oranges...stunning! Best when there's still lots of green, for contrast.

Had lots of fun at the McGill medical party. It was to celebrate the passing of the Eric M Flanders Chair in Palliative Medicine from our friend Balfour Mount to Dr. Bernard LaPointe...so a sort of duel celebration. Of Bal's amazing career in creating Palliative care (and even coining the term) for end-of-life care - and a celebration of passing the torch to Bernard.

In his speech Bernard quoted someone (I didn't actually catch who) - who said, 'That pain in terminal illness cannot be controled is a tragedy. That it can be controlled and isn't is a scandal.'

And we live in scandalous times. The knowledge is there, in certain disciplines, to control pain, but how many of us know people who have died in agony...because that highly skilled palliative care wasn't there?

It was wonderful to be able to celebrate Bal - and see a whole bunch of people Michael and I hadn't seen in years. And fun for him to be there as a newly-minted Professor Emeritus. And I was the bit of fluff for his arm.

Oh, had a wonderful Kirkus Review for THE BRUTAL TELLING:

Penny is a world-class storyteller. If you don’t want to move to Montreal with Gamache as your neighbor—or better yet, relocate to Three Pines and be welcomed into its community of eccentrics—you have sawdust in your veins, which must be very uncomfortable.


Spent most of the day writing the novella. Am over 8,000 words. A little worried it will end up being 100,000 words - which is a few more than they want! About two hour in, just as I was on a roll, the laptop kakked out!!! Keyboard wouldn't work. Froze. Now, this had happened once before a couple of years ago...I apparently hit a few keys by mistake and it triggered the locking mechanism for the keyboard. But how to unlock?

We called Nancy...our superhero! She came immediately and after a couple of hours managed to un-install, then re-install the keyboard.

Very frustrating!!!

Oh, by the way, the wonderful Larry in Quebec City wrote to suggest holding off buying a netbook because Microsoft is coming out with a new system in late October. so that's what I'll do... Thanks Larry!

also spend a lot of the day juggling appearance requests. Said yes to a couple of book club conference calls...and also agreed to an appearance at a literary festival next August in British Columbia, and to do an author reading at the Stratford Festival, also next summer.

But need to make sure I don't agree to too much traveling. It always seems such a good idea when it's a year away! But have to say, both of these sound wonderful.

Must head off to make dinner...another barbeque. Do it while we can!

Be well.

Nearing The End

heavy rains, mild, temps 20

torrential rains today. Loads of leaves fell so that our lawn now looks like amber. Quite stunning in itself.

The October newsletter went out. Just spent some time responding to the kind people who wrote me after recieving the newsletter. Not actually sure how much longer I can keep that up, since the numbers are increasing as is the time it takes - b ut I feel it's rude not to. And I know the only reason I have the life I have is because of the readers.

Made dinner tonight - a pork paprikash (sp?)...Hungarian dish...wonderful.

Nearing the end of the editing. the re-write for the new facts took quite a while this morning, but it made the section even stronger, and I'm thrilled about that. I adore this stage in a book. More problem-solving than creation. Less frightening.

Am off...quite tired after a very long day at the computer. But a very good day. Hope yours was too.