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.
Showing posts with label palliative care. Show all posts
Showing posts with label palliative care. Show all posts
Wednesday, 5 May 2010
Sunday, 7 March 2010
Instinct
sunny, mild, temps minus 2
Another beautiful day. Went out to Cafe Floral in Knowlton for breakfast with Linda and Bethany, while Bal and Michael had breakfast at another table. Bal's a fascinating man. The father of palliative care in Canada. One of those people Michael and i realized we both knew before we knew each other. Michael and Bal were friends and colleagues - both being doctors within the McGill teaching hospital network.
And I knew Bal from having interviewed him a few times on issues of terminal care, of assisted suicide and euthanasia, pain management. And then I spent a few years volunteering at his Palliative Care ward.
So when Michael and I got together Bal was a mutual friend. I remember showing up, together, at a party at Bal's home the first Christmas Michael and i dated. Bal opened the door and saw us standing on the stoop...and his eyes dropped to our hands. We were holding them. And Bal, bless his heart, started to tear up. And he hugged us both and said, 'Two of my favorite people are together. I'm so happy.' And he was. And is. He and Linda are two of those rare people who can genuinely feel, and share in, other people's happiness.
Bal also knew, first hand, what a great gift our love was. He'd been Michael's first wife's palliative care physician, and managed her care until the day she died, in his ward, Michael by her side. So he knew Michael's great grief, and he now knew Michael's great joy. And mine.
We'd sort of drifted apart for a number of years...and then caught back up a couple years ago. And now they're among our best friends. As Linda says, kindred spirits. it's fun that Linda is close to my age, and Bal is close to Michael's. Linda's a former teacher and sensible, sensitive and very, very funny.
It also helps that Bethany, their daughter, is 14 and just an amazing girl.
So it's lovely to have them in the cottage for these two weeks, but the timing is poor since I really need to concentrate on writing. I'm in 'quarantine' as Linda puts it.
But I managed to slip out of quarantine for breakfast this morning. But, as a result, it is now 5pm and I've just finished writing for the day.
Very difficult day writing. This is the price of going out to play. I get distracted and lose track of the story. Which is why I don't do it often. There's a time for everything, and this, frankly, is the time to focus and to write. But, it was worth it...
the problem was, as I think I mentioned yesterday - I ended chapter 3 not totally sure how chapter 4 should start. And when I sat back down at the laptop at 11:30 - full of scrambled eggs and muffins - I still didn't know. I tried a few sentences out.
Clara...
Chief Inspector Gamache...
'Hello, numb nuts.' you can guess who.
but none was right. Couldn't tell you why, I just knew this chapter should not start with any of those people... so I stared. I made cafe au lait. I made sandwiches. I got more firewood. But always, always, imagining. thinking. Trying to see...
Then I wrote:
Inspector jean Guy Beauvoir...
And I knew it was right. But this was four words and that left 1496 still to write today...and I had no idea what they would be. But I did know - at a level I can't explain - that those four words, and all they meant, were right. That was 5 hours ago. And now i"ve staggered to a stop. The chapter's a little (well, more than a little) ragged. But I'm too tired to think anymore. tomorrow morning I'll be fresh and be able to edit and smooth.
Some sections are just difficult...often the transitional ones....and some just fly along. this is a difficult section, for some reason. I used to think if a section was difficult it must be wrong, but now I've fine-tuned that feeling. I know can tell, more sense really, the difference between a section that is wrong, and a section that is right but just hard.
It's wonderful to know that now. I didn't with the first two, perhaps even three books. It just comes with experience. And confidence to trust that 'knowing'...the instincts. And trust that if i've made a mistake that's part of the process too, and I can always fix it in any one of the 4 or 5 edits I'll be doing on the finished manuscript.
Well, off to feed and walk Trudy. She just plopped her considerable chin on the keyboard...then ellipticate - then zone out.
Hope you've enjoyed your weekend!
Another beautiful day. Went out to Cafe Floral in Knowlton for breakfast with Linda and Bethany, while Bal and Michael had breakfast at another table. Bal's a fascinating man. The father of palliative care in Canada. One of those people Michael and i realized we both knew before we knew each other. Michael and Bal were friends and colleagues - both being doctors within the McGill teaching hospital network.
And I knew Bal from having interviewed him a few times on issues of terminal care, of assisted suicide and euthanasia, pain management. And then I spent a few years volunteering at his Palliative Care ward.
So when Michael and I got together Bal was a mutual friend. I remember showing up, together, at a party at Bal's home the first Christmas Michael and i dated. Bal opened the door and saw us standing on the stoop...and his eyes dropped to our hands. We were holding them. And Bal, bless his heart, started to tear up. And he hugged us both and said, 'Two of my favorite people are together. I'm so happy.' And he was. And is. He and Linda are two of those rare people who can genuinely feel, and share in, other people's happiness.
Bal also knew, first hand, what a great gift our love was. He'd been Michael's first wife's palliative care physician, and managed her care until the day she died, in his ward, Michael by her side. So he knew Michael's great grief, and he now knew Michael's great joy. And mine.
We'd sort of drifted apart for a number of years...and then caught back up a couple years ago. And now they're among our best friends. As Linda says, kindred spirits. it's fun that Linda is close to my age, and Bal is close to Michael's. Linda's a former teacher and sensible, sensitive and very, very funny.
It also helps that Bethany, their daughter, is 14 and just an amazing girl.
So it's lovely to have them in the cottage for these two weeks, but the timing is poor since I really need to concentrate on writing. I'm in 'quarantine' as Linda puts it.
But I managed to slip out of quarantine for breakfast this morning. But, as a result, it is now 5pm and I've just finished writing for the day.
Very difficult day writing. This is the price of going out to play. I get distracted and lose track of the story. Which is why I don't do it often. There's a time for everything, and this, frankly, is the time to focus and to write. But, it was worth it...
the problem was, as I think I mentioned yesterday - I ended chapter 3 not totally sure how chapter 4 should start. And when I sat back down at the laptop at 11:30 - full of scrambled eggs and muffins - I still didn't know. I tried a few sentences out.
Clara...
Chief Inspector Gamache...
'Hello, numb nuts.' you can guess who.
but none was right. Couldn't tell you why, I just knew this chapter should not start with any of those people... so I stared. I made cafe au lait. I made sandwiches. I got more firewood. But always, always, imagining. thinking. Trying to see...
Then I wrote:
Inspector jean Guy Beauvoir...
And I knew it was right. But this was four words and that left 1496 still to write today...and I had no idea what they would be. But I did know - at a level I can't explain - that those four words, and all they meant, were right. That was 5 hours ago. And now i"ve staggered to a stop. The chapter's a little (well, more than a little) ragged. But I'm too tired to think anymore. tomorrow morning I'll be fresh and be able to edit and smooth.
Some sections are just difficult...often the transitional ones....and some just fly along. this is a difficult section, for some reason. I used to think if a section was difficult it must be wrong, but now I've fine-tuned that feeling. I know can tell, more sense really, the difference between a section that is wrong, and a section that is right but just hard.
It's wonderful to know that now. I didn't with the first two, perhaps even three books. It just comes with experience. And confidence to trust that 'knowing'...the instincts. And trust that if i've made a mistake that's part of the process too, and I can always fix it in any one of the 4 or 5 edits I'll be doing on the finished manuscript.
Well, off to feed and walk Trudy. She just plopped her considerable chin on the keyboard...then ellipticate - then zone out.
Hope you've enjoyed your weekend!
Friday, 11 September 2009
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.
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.
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