Is that a bird? A plane?

snow, mild, temps freezing

Lovely day, min-blizzard this morning that has now settled into simply a gray day. But very mild. Again, a good day for gathering maple sap. We considered having our maple trees tapped, but then forgot. Might ask Michael about that. We have a small shed that we could perhaps convert into a sugar shack. You don't want to boil the stuff down to syrup in your home because you get a fine coat of sitcky, evaporated sap on everything.

Did the words for today, and my 20 gruesome minutes on the torture device. I have the delusion while ellipticating that if I go faster the 20 minutes will go by quicker. Breaking the Speed of Light seems the goal. I'm a little off that now. The Speed of Snail is the immediate target.

CBC Radio has asked me to host a national summer replacement show, this summer. A half hour weekly broadcast. I thought about it quite hard. The real problem, and only problem, was one of time, since I'll be writing the 6th book through the Spring and into the Summer. And once in the village it's terrible to leave and concentrate on something else. But the idea for the radio show is actually brilliant and I really like the woman who will be the Executive Producer. So I said yes to at least doing the pilot, and we'll see. The CBC might hate it. I'll keep you posted. We need to record the pilot before the end of this month. Though I suppose if I decide it was a mistake to agree by then I'll have broken the speed of light and can go back in time to reverse my decision.

Always comforting to have a Plan B.

The Globe and Mail has asked me to be their Ask An Author author for this week. If you have any questions just go to the Globe's website, find the feature and ask a question. My answers will appear in next Saturday's Globe.

Off to Cowansville for breakfast, then a bunch of running around, and a meeting with my wonderful assistant Lise, who has hurt her back. So we'll go to her place...force her to work from her sickbed. Yes, I'm that sort of employer. Dreadful. then a meeting in Knowlton with the restaurant that will be hosting Michael's 75th birthday party - choosing the menu. Stand back!

And now? I'm hopping in the bath, then Dom and Fabian (staying in the guest cottage) will be coming over. Seems our days get filled up.

Be well.