The crystal palace

brilliant sunshine, brutally cold. Minus 18

Another stunning day, but totally different than yesterday. We had another 4-6 inches overnight so there's about a foot of fluffy new snow. So white and undisturbed. And with the sun bouncing off it its like a field of diamonds.

We have a glass solarium attached to our country kitchen - I think I've described this before. When we're sitting in it it feels as though we're outside. Particularly spectacular during storms. But this morning it was even more magical. The snow on top had partially melted and encased half the glass in ice. That alone is beautiful. But when the sun strikes it it becomes like a prism. And through that prism of light and colour we can see the yard...the birdfeeders piles high with snow, the pine boughs and white fences and stone walls all coverred. And in the background sky. Perfect blue sky.

I could stare at it all day.

Lise dropped in around 9am...she had tea and we had our coffees. She brought gummi bears and home-made date squares. Does it get better than that? We chatted and I told her how much people are loving the Christmas ornaments she made. Showed her the emails and told her about the other reactions. I know how much she appreciates what you say.

Thank you, from her and me.

Hoping to decorate the tree and the house today. Going out for dinner tonight with a couple of friends - David and Lili. Then back in to some more polishing on book 5. It never actually ends!

Hope you're well...and don't forget to enter the draw for the signed copies of A FATAL GRACE! This contest ends Monday - but then a new one begins...for signed copies of THE CRUELEST MONTH. But you need to sign up for the newsletter. You can find the info on the website homepage.

Enjoy the day.

re-booting

cool, overcast, highs minus 5

Well, all the melting snow from the last few days has now frozen, so the sidewalks and roads are ice again. This is disconcerting when walking, of course. Not only perhaps falling and breaking a wrist or leg or hip - but falling into traffic. Still, when a cafe au lait calls from the bistro, I must answer. My duty as a Quebecoise.

Yesterday was extremely frustrating. On paper it was a 'day off' - which meant a day when all I had to do was write. LOVE those days. When I'm writing I hate distractions. Sadly, that comes to mean social events, phone conversations, grocery shopping. Anything. I become extremely focussed and absorbed and solitary. Enter my own little world. So days when no one is coming over, there are no breakfasts, lunches or dinners, no meetings or events are just heaven.

Yesterday was supposed to be one of those days. But, as you can gather, it didn't quite work out. Nothing big, just a series of small irritations that normally wouldn't be irritations at all. Even great things become slightly annoying when I'm trying to write. I have no idea how people with children write books!

Though there was one quite large irritation - the laptop froze. In the middle of a sentence. I have no idea why, or what I touched to bring this one, but it was something. I could move the cursor with the mouse, but nothing on the keyboard worked. So I re-booted (happily I could still save). And still nothing, which was surprising. Re-booting normally works. I find it works when I'm having a bad day too. Sit quietly, turn off for a few minutes, then re-boot.

But this time nothing. Michael, dear man, tried to fix it (after I'd hit every key many times and even did the kiddie thing of whacking the keys with my hands. Strangely, that didn't work either)

God bless Michael. He gave me his desk-top. I think he was afraid I was going to re-boot him.

So the book continues. Little dramas to keep things interesting. Laptop still frozen, but then lots of things are in Quebec right now.

Heard from Sharon Sutherland yesterday - a great friend upon whom Clara is party based. Clara is actually a kind of prism of lots of friends, male and female, and myself. But mostly, of course, Clara has found a life of her own, independent of me, it often seems. But a large part of the inspiration came from Sharon - a really wonderful artist. I suddenly realized she has a website and thought I should link to it, so you can all see her works. So I asked and she said yes. Will take a few days to organize this, but I'll let you know when it's up.

You know, one thing (besides Michael and the puppies) that sustains me as I write is hearing from readers. Sort of helps give me purpose and reminds me that there are people who feel the same way I do about Three Pines and the characters. So I don't want you to think your emails aren't welcome or are an intrusion in this time of focus. In fact, just the opposite.

I just felt like a shy little girl telling someone they were my best friend. Funny how vulnerable I can suddenly feel. Perhaps that's all part of writing too.

Take care, be warm and I'll try to write tomorrow.