sunny, humid, temp 27
We're in Toronto. Got up at 4am - drove to Montreal and stopped briefly at the apartment there to see if Michael's suit was there...after searching every closet at home in country for it - twice. We kept thinking - where could we have left it? When was the last time Michael wore it? Did Gary take it?
It was hanging in the Montreal apartment - feel quite badly now about locking Gary in the basement as punishment. Oh well, I'm sure he can gnaw himself loose. He did last time.
Stopped at The 5th Wheel in Cornwall for breakfast, and a change of driver. Easy drive, though we skirted some pretty impressive thunderstorms. Amazing fork lightening off to our left. But it never hit us. Then sun came out around Kingston and we rolled into Toronto about 1pm
Just had lunch and will have a nap, then off to the funeral parlor (such an old-fashioned word, isn't it?) for the visitation. Having done this for my grandparents as well as mother and father I always think there is something kind of barbaric about the funeral rites. I agree there's a sense of closure - but what torture for the family! To have a sort of somber cocktail party in the same room as the deceased. Make small talk. Or crying everytime someone new arrives. I remember being so tired at my mother's I could barely stand. And I kept thinking, 'I have to call Mom and tell her how it went.'
That feeling lasted a long time. Have to call her about the delicates cycle in the dryer, about how to make Yorkshire pudding, about the roses now in bloom, about the great deals at The Bay. All the little things no one else would ever be interested in. Mom was.
I remember the first time I laughed after she died...I felt horrible. That took a while too - to know that life indeed goes on.
Mary and her family are going through that now. Poor ones.
We have tons of fudge for the kids. If Earl Grey tea is the opiate of the Anglos, as Peter says in Still Life, then candy is the gentle drug for kids.
Speak to you tomorrow. Funeral's at 11am, so will probably be later in the day.
Thursday, 31 July 2008
Wednesday, 30 July 2008
Busy, but good, day
mainly sunny, warm, temps 27
Just took the laundry off the clothes line. Couldn't resist plunging my face into one of Michael's nightshirts. No aroma like it in the world.
Wayne came and cut the whole lawn - big job. We got caught up on village gossip over a pink lemonade. Who has opened a new vineyard, how belts are made, strange uses for septic tanks. Ask me anything now.
Had a lovely email from niece Sarah in Edmonton. Her knee won't need a big operation after all. But mostly it was about the death of Auntie Mary's father, Don. Like me, Sarah knew him as a kind and gentle man. Sarah also said how sad she was for young Brian, Rozie and Charlie. She was about their age when she lost her grandma (my mother) and it felt as though her world had shattered. And I realized this would be the kids first death in the family. So hard...and so difficult to see their mother in such pain too.
Am off in a few minutes to Vermont to tank the car up for the trip to Toronto tomorrow, visitation in the evening and Don's funeral on Friday. After getting gas I'll pick up the organic vegetables and then some fudge for Brian, Rozie and Charlie. When they come to Sutton the home-made fudge store is always a highlight.
Spent about 4 hours editing today...interspersed with 2 fun conversations. One with an aquaintance, Anna Maria Tremonti - just comparing notes. Anna Maria's a well-known journalist in Canada, and I used to be a journalist (famous for the hog market reports, thank you) and the other conversation was with a woman with the great name of Flannery. She writes for Chatelaine Magazine and was doing an interview. I had a riot...she was terrific. One of the most fun interviews I've had!
Editing went well - thank God. Am at page 202 in a 267 page manuscript (single spaced still). Word count is hovering around 117,000. Not bad, since we started at 140,000. I know there's stuff that needs to be added later in the manuscript, so I'm thinking the appropriate length is around 120,000.
Off to TO tomorrow. Pat has said she'll look after our 2 dogs - which is amazingly kind of her considering she has her infant grand-twins (4 months old), their 3 year old brother and two other children under the age of 5 visiting. I suspect Tony will come and spend the nights we're away here, and house-sit/dog-sit. I would too, if I was him!
Am off on my appointed rounds. We leave about 5am tomorrow. Try to get across the Champlain Bridge into Montreal early (construction on the bridge too)...the off to Toronto. About a 6 hour drive from here.
Probably won't blog tomorrow, but will try to do something from the hotel on Friday.
Just took the laundry off the clothes line. Couldn't resist plunging my face into one of Michael's nightshirts. No aroma like it in the world.
Wayne came and cut the whole lawn - big job. We got caught up on village gossip over a pink lemonade. Who has opened a new vineyard, how belts are made, strange uses for septic tanks. Ask me anything now.
Had a lovely email from niece Sarah in Edmonton. Her knee won't need a big operation after all. But mostly it was about the death of Auntie Mary's father, Don. Like me, Sarah knew him as a kind and gentle man. Sarah also said how sad she was for young Brian, Rozie and Charlie. She was about their age when she lost her grandma (my mother) and it felt as though her world had shattered. And I realized this would be the kids first death in the family. So hard...and so difficult to see their mother in such pain too.
Am off in a few minutes to Vermont to tank the car up for the trip to Toronto tomorrow, visitation in the evening and Don's funeral on Friday. After getting gas I'll pick up the organic vegetables and then some fudge for Brian, Rozie and Charlie. When they come to Sutton the home-made fudge store is always a highlight.
Spent about 4 hours editing today...interspersed with 2 fun conversations. One with an aquaintance, Anna Maria Tremonti - just comparing notes. Anna Maria's a well-known journalist in Canada, and I used to be a journalist (famous for the hog market reports, thank you) and the other conversation was with a woman with the great name of Flannery. She writes for Chatelaine Magazine and was doing an interview. I had a riot...she was terrific. One of the most fun interviews I've had!
Editing went well - thank God. Am at page 202 in a 267 page manuscript (single spaced still). Word count is hovering around 117,000. Not bad, since we started at 140,000. I know there's stuff that needs to be added later in the manuscript, so I'm thinking the appropriate length is around 120,000.
Off to TO tomorrow. Pat has said she'll look after our 2 dogs - which is amazingly kind of her considering she has her infant grand-twins (4 months old), their 3 year old brother and two other children under the age of 5 visiting. I suspect Tony will come and spend the nights we're away here, and house-sit/dog-sit. I would too, if I was him!
Am off on my appointed rounds. We leave about 5am tomorrow. Try to get across the Champlain Bridge into Montreal early (construction on the bridge too)...the off to Toronto. About a 6 hour drive from here.
Probably won't blog tomorrow, but will try to do something from the hotel on Friday.
Tuesday, 29 July 2008
Don Lingman
Sunny, cloudy, rainy. Temps 25
Pat and her dog Magic left today. Very sad. But we had a great time. After Sunday's Spa day (now look less like a lobster and more like a rose - a ruddy rose) we went to visit the abbey at Saint Benoit du lac. Benedictine abbey. Wonderful. I mention it sometimes in the books. Their vocation is to made cheese and sing Gregorian chants. Ironically, for men who chose to isolate themsevles from the world, they became world-famous for their chants and now people travel from all over to hear them. Eventually they surrendered to their success and have opened a little store, where they sell their cheese, as well as the produce from other Quebec monestaries - most notably the Trappist Brothers at Mistassini - whose vocation is....chocolate making.
Dear Lord! the best chocolate in the world. Yum, yum.
We spent 45 minutes in the shop, and 5 minutes in the chapel. Though, have to say, I really like the chapel. It's very austere and not every one likes it, but I find it restful. And when the brothers come in in their long black robes chanting, it's electrifying. But we weren't there at a service time.
Pat bought us salmon dinners from a local caterer and we had a quiet, relaxing evening at home.
This morning early, though, I had a call from our beloeved sister-in-law, Mary in Toronto with the sad news that her father had died.
Don Lingman - a gentle soul who'd suffered a stroke years earlier and struggled with that. Then was diagnosed with cancer. Still, his decline was so rapid it took their breaths away. mary called in torrents of tears.
So we're cancelling everything and heading to Toronto for the visitation Thursday and the funeral Friday.
So hard to lose a parent, no matter what age. And her children, Brian, Roz and Charlie (the guys who visit us) were so loving and strong. Hugging their grandfather, wiping his brow, whispering they love him. Imagine having the courage to do that at age 10, 12 and 13?
Remarkable kids - with an amazing mother. And father. And grandfather.
Am off now. Need to re-group a little. Had to cancel tea with Bal and Linda Mount on Thursday - but they're coming over briefly this afternoon with their daughter Bethany. So looking forward to seeing them.
Also needed to cancel lunch with Bernard and Pat Lemieux. Michael worked with them on the Neuroblastoma study. They invited us to lunch, then Michael was going to tour the lab again and talk to Bernard about the research...all in aid of Michael's book. So we're disappointed about missing that - but it can and will be re-scheduled. The main thing in our lives now is to get to TO.
have a phone interview with Chatelaine magazine tomorrow - but that's before we leave.
Pat and her dog Magic left today. Very sad. But we had a great time. After Sunday's Spa day (now look less like a lobster and more like a rose - a ruddy rose) we went to visit the abbey at Saint Benoit du lac. Benedictine abbey. Wonderful. I mention it sometimes in the books. Their vocation is to made cheese and sing Gregorian chants. Ironically, for men who chose to isolate themsevles from the world, they became world-famous for their chants and now people travel from all over to hear them. Eventually they surrendered to their success and have opened a little store, where they sell their cheese, as well as the produce from other Quebec monestaries - most notably the Trappist Brothers at Mistassini - whose vocation is....chocolate making.
Dear Lord! the best chocolate in the world. Yum, yum.
We spent 45 minutes in the shop, and 5 minutes in the chapel. Though, have to say, I really like the chapel. It's very austere and not every one likes it, but I find it restful. And when the brothers come in in their long black robes chanting, it's electrifying. But we weren't there at a service time.
Pat bought us salmon dinners from a local caterer and we had a quiet, relaxing evening at home.
This morning early, though, I had a call from our beloeved sister-in-law, Mary in Toronto with the sad news that her father had died.
Don Lingman - a gentle soul who'd suffered a stroke years earlier and struggled with that. Then was diagnosed with cancer. Still, his decline was so rapid it took their breaths away. mary called in torrents of tears.
So we're cancelling everything and heading to Toronto for the visitation Thursday and the funeral Friday.
So hard to lose a parent, no matter what age. And her children, Brian, Roz and Charlie (the guys who visit us) were so loving and strong. Hugging their grandfather, wiping his brow, whispering they love him. Imagine having the courage to do that at age 10, 12 and 13?
Remarkable kids - with an amazing mother. And father. And grandfather.
Am off now. Need to re-group a little. Had to cancel tea with Bal and Linda Mount on Thursday - but they're coming over briefly this afternoon with their daughter Bethany. So looking forward to seeing them.
Also needed to cancel lunch with Bernard and Pat Lemieux. Michael worked with them on the Neuroblastoma study. They invited us to lunch, then Michael was going to tour the lab again and talk to Bernard about the research...all in aid of Michael's book. So we're disappointed about missing that - but it can and will be re-scheduled. The main thing in our lives now is to get to TO.
have a phone interview with Chatelaine magazine tomorrow - but that's before we leave.
Sunday, 27 July 2008
So this is what 'stupid' looks like
sunny/stormy, temps 25
Slightly cooler today. Had a couple massive thunder storms last night and that broke the heat and humidity.
Spent yesterday with Michael and Pat in our bathing suits by the pool. Michael and Pat very sensibly put sun block on. But, since I'm invincible, I didn't. Today, they still look like human beings, and I look like a root vegetable. A cross between a carrot and a beet.
I'm almost purple.
It's been a long time since I was this tanned, or that stupid. Remarkable, really, to know that while misjudgement might lie dormant, it never actually goes away.
The plan today, and so far it has gone off without a flaw, is to rise late (check), make coffee (check), laze around (check), make brunch of blueberry pancakes, bacon, Montreal bagels, cream cheese, Lise's strawberry jam, cappucino and cherries. (check)
Will do a few emails - responding to a personal appearance request, a couple readers and a book club in Oregon - then....
Pat and I are heading to the spa! Will do a half day package. Facial for me - see if they can bring the purple down to a soothing pink - and a massage. Pat'll have a massage, a manicure and a pedicure.
Michael will have a quiet day - I think he's looking forward to it even more than we are.
Steak on the BBQ tonight. Nice to be away from the editing, though of course I think about it quite a bit. Good place, really, to pause since it was a bit of a problem area...but I think I've solved the problem.
Speak to you tomorrow. Enjoy your Sunday.
Slightly cooler today. Had a couple massive thunder storms last night and that broke the heat and humidity.
Spent yesterday with Michael and Pat in our bathing suits by the pool. Michael and Pat very sensibly put sun block on. But, since I'm invincible, I didn't. Today, they still look like human beings, and I look like a root vegetable. A cross between a carrot and a beet.
I'm almost purple.
It's been a long time since I was this tanned, or that stupid. Remarkable, really, to know that while misjudgement might lie dormant, it never actually goes away.
The plan today, and so far it has gone off without a flaw, is to rise late (check), make coffee (check), laze around (check), make brunch of blueberry pancakes, bacon, Montreal bagels, cream cheese, Lise's strawberry jam, cappucino and cherries. (check)
Will do a few emails - responding to a personal appearance request, a couple readers and a book club in Oregon - then....
Pat and I are heading to the spa! Will do a half day package. Facial for me - see if they can bring the purple down to a soothing pink - and a massage. Pat'll have a massage, a manicure and a pedicure.
Michael will have a quiet day - I think he's looking forward to it even more than we are.
Steak on the BBQ tonight. Nice to be away from the editing, though of course I think about it quite a bit. Good place, really, to pause since it was a bit of a problem area...but I think I've solved the problem.
Speak to you tomorrow. Enjoy your Sunday.
Saturday, 26 July 2008
Opps
sunny, gorgeous day, temps 30
Spectacular day. Such a gift...especially with Pat visiting. And especially since the forecast was for rain.
Spent the day in our bathing suits, reading and swimming. Had Dom's quiche for lunch and Michael made a salad and it was heaven.
Oh, and that "killer" German Shepherd of Pat's? It's a poodle.
All's well.
Spectacular day. Such a gift...especially with Pat visiting. And especially since the forecast was for rain.
Spent the day in our bathing suits, reading and swimming. Had Dom's quiche for lunch and Michael made a salad and it was heaven.
Oh, and that "killer" German Shepherd of Pat's? It's a poodle.
All's well.
Friday, 25 July 2008
Fore!
mainly sunny, warm, temps 27
Finally! A gorgeous day. Went for beakfast in Knowlton. Took Danny in the bookstore a raspberry muffin. Headed home in time to bother Gary and John doing the renovations. We've decided to go with Michael's suggestion and put in an electric heater in that guest bedroom upstairs. We hardly use it anyway - prefering to put our guests in a separate cottage. Sometimes we prefer it they were in a separate country.
We keep meaning to ask Gary about solar panels. We think it's time to seriously investigate that. I can't imagine why we aren't all doing it, given the environment and the economy. Thought I might find out soon. They probably cost a fortune.
We've watched oil go up and up in cost - as everyone has. My big concern about that is, quite naturally, what it'll mean for the price of gummy bears, which are after all, an edible oil product. As am I, by now.
In fact, Michael and I now have a nice little Plan B, in case our home should ever run out of oil, or the car run dry...just hook up my thighs. I'm good for days. Of course, once I die I'll be considered a toxic hazard. Non-biodegradable. On the plus side, I guess that means I'll live forever.
Worked for a few hours today, editing book 5. Hit an awkward section. One of those horrible places, where I love the theme of the chapter - but I suspect it's not necessary. Am struggling toward the inevitable decision to cut it. Oh well. I can always use this idea in a later book. It really does become clearer what the themes are that belong, and those that are just dressing...and as the book goes on I want/need less dressing. I want it to become more and more streamline - like a sword. I want the book to race, in the final third, toward the pointy end.
My friend Pat called from ottawa at 1:30 - planning to leave there about 2:30. That means she'll arrive here about 6:30 or 7.
she has a German Shepherd named Magic, who she said is 'less aggressive' with other dogs if the other dogs aren't on a leash. My plan was to introduce Maggie and Trudy (on leashes)one and at time to Magic - so there's some control.
Oh oh. I think what I find most disconcerting is her use of the word, 'less'.
So now we have collars on the dogs at least, and will let Maggie meet Magic first. Give Michael a golf club, in case.
Wish us luck.
Barbecued confit du canard for dinner, with grilled portobello mushrooms and wildrice salad. Tarte Tatin and Coaticook ice cream for dessert. With fresh baguette (bought warm this afternoon) and cheeses.
Be well, and I'll try to report in tomorrow.
Finally! A gorgeous day. Went for beakfast in Knowlton. Took Danny in the bookstore a raspberry muffin. Headed home in time to bother Gary and John doing the renovations. We've decided to go with Michael's suggestion and put in an electric heater in that guest bedroom upstairs. We hardly use it anyway - prefering to put our guests in a separate cottage. Sometimes we prefer it they were in a separate country.
We keep meaning to ask Gary about solar panels. We think it's time to seriously investigate that. I can't imagine why we aren't all doing it, given the environment and the economy. Thought I might find out soon. They probably cost a fortune.
We've watched oil go up and up in cost - as everyone has. My big concern about that is, quite naturally, what it'll mean for the price of gummy bears, which are after all, an edible oil product. As am I, by now.
In fact, Michael and I now have a nice little Plan B, in case our home should ever run out of oil, or the car run dry...just hook up my thighs. I'm good for days. Of course, once I die I'll be considered a toxic hazard. Non-biodegradable. On the plus side, I guess that means I'll live forever.
Worked for a few hours today, editing book 5. Hit an awkward section. One of those horrible places, where I love the theme of the chapter - but I suspect it's not necessary. Am struggling toward the inevitable decision to cut it. Oh well. I can always use this idea in a later book. It really does become clearer what the themes are that belong, and those that are just dressing...and as the book goes on I want/need less dressing. I want it to become more and more streamline - like a sword. I want the book to race, in the final third, toward the pointy end.
My friend Pat called from ottawa at 1:30 - planning to leave there about 2:30. That means she'll arrive here about 6:30 or 7.
she has a German Shepherd named Magic, who she said is 'less aggressive' with other dogs if the other dogs aren't on a leash. My plan was to introduce Maggie and Trudy (on leashes)one and at time to Magic - so there's some control.
Oh oh. I think what I find most disconcerting is her use of the word, 'less'.
So now we have collars on the dogs at least, and will let Maggie meet Magic first. Give Michael a golf club, in case.
Wish us luck.
Barbecued confit du canard for dinner, with grilled portobello mushrooms and wildrice salad. Tarte Tatin and Coaticook ice cream for dessert. With fresh baguette (bought warm this afternoon) and cheeses.
Be well, and I'll try to report in tomorrow.
Thursday, 24 July 2008
Duct off!
rain and more rain!!! temps 19
Apparently we've had 50 percent more rain this July than normal. Not surprised, and I know I'd rather have too much than too little. But still...
yesterday's posting was a shambles. Sometimes this Blogger thing drives me nuts. I'd written the whole thing, then suddenly it refused to save. Then when it posted you got what you see below. It was as though I'd been struck dead in the middle of a sentence. happily that wasn't the case, so I suppose things could have been far worse.
Can't remember what I was going to say, except the good news that St Martin's Minotaur is so pumped about A RULE AGAINST MURDER they're making it the cover of their catalogue! Yay.
Gary and John arrived around noon to start work on the new TV room and immediately ran into a problem. What else? They have to move a door and when they opened the wall they found....a vent. (thought I'd add a bit of tension. But not too much) Damn vent for heating goes all the way up to the bedroom above. Anyway, they called in Dwayne the plumber, who confirmed that...but Michael, clever boy, provided the answer. Close off the upstairs vent, take out the duct work, and we'll put an electric baseboard heater in the guest bedroom. Freeze out the guests. Works on so many levels.
Odd, but I quite like working in chaos. I hardly notice. All those years in the newsroom at the CBC - you get good at focussing. Alarms could, and often did, go off and I wouldn't notice.
Wrote all day...fun to be at the stage where revelations are happening. Always a bit of a guess about what the reveal when and how. But again, that's what editing is for. It really is quite clear as I read it over what works and what doesn't.
Off to make hotel and flight arrangements - Toronto, Baltimore, Muncie.
We have a friend arriving tomorrow. Pat. She used to produce the show in Winnipeg I hosted on CBC Radio. The Afternoon Edition. Then I left and she got promoted to Executive Producer of the whole thing. Then she left Mother Corp.
Now she's driving across from Winnipeg, stopping along the way, and ending up here with her dog, Magic. Hope Magic gets along with Maggie and Trudy. I'm sure they will. After all, almost nothing ever goes wrong in this house.
Pat's staying for 5 days - but she's very self-sufficent. And I'll take a few days off to show her around. All part of my realization that friends and social events are at least as important as work.
Balance.
Apparently we've had 50 percent more rain this July than normal. Not surprised, and I know I'd rather have too much than too little. But still...
yesterday's posting was a shambles. Sometimes this Blogger thing drives me nuts. I'd written the whole thing, then suddenly it refused to save. Then when it posted you got what you see below. It was as though I'd been struck dead in the middle of a sentence. happily that wasn't the case, so I suppose things could have been far worse.
Can't remember what I was going to say, except the good news that St Martin's Minotaur is so pumped about A RULE AGAINST MURDER they're making it the cover of their catalogue! Yay.
Gary and John arrived around noon to start work on the new TV room and immediately ran into a problem. What else? They have to move a door and when they opened the wall they found....a vent. (thought I'd add a bit of tension. But not too much) Damn vent for heating goes all the way up to the bedroom above. Anyway, they called in Dwayne the plumber, who confirmed that...but Michael, clever boy, provided the answer. Close off the upstairs vent, take out the duct work, and we'll put an electric baseboard heater in the guest bedroom. Freeze out the guests. Works on so many levels.
Odd, but I quite like working in chaos. I hardly notice. All those years in the newsroom at the CBC - you get good at focussing. Alarms could, and often did, go off and I wouldn't notice.
Wrote all day...fun to be at the stage where revelations are happening. Always a bit of a guess about what the reveal when and how. But again, that's what editing is for. It really is quite clear as I read it over what works and what doesn't.
Off to make hotel and flight arrangements - Toronto, Baltimore, Muncie.
We have a friend arriving tomorrow. Pat. She used to produce the show in Winnipeg I hosted on CBC Radio. The Afternoon Edition. Then I left and she got promoted to Executive Producer of the whole thing. Then she left Mother Corp.
Now she's driving across from Winnipeg, stopping along the way, and ending up here with her dog, Magic. Hope Magic gets along with Maggie and Trudy. I'm sure they will. After all, almost nothing ever goes wrong in this house.
Pat's staying for 5 days - but she's very self-sufficent. And I'll take a few days off to show her around. All part of my realization that friends and social events are at least as important as work.
Balance.
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