un-sprung

overcast, mild, temps minus 2

We're back in Sutton. Seems even uneventful days become eventful. We never know what the day will bring. Very fun.

Today we awoke in Montreal, packed the car, returned the video of 30 Rock (loved it!) - went for breakfast at Nick's on Greene Ave - then drove to Michael's son's home to deliver the Christmas gift he intentionally left at our place over the holidays - he was going into the States and was concerned about explaining it at the border coming back.

This was also a good chance for Michael to show Vic his new Mercedes. I think the thing that thrills Michael the most is the key...or the fact you don't actually need the key to get in, or start the car. Well, you need it on you somewhere, but he can keep it in his pocket and it works.

He's like a kid. Vic says the Prius he drove over the holidays does the same thing. Great car, the Prius. We seriously considered it too - but no AWD.

Then we headed home - easy highway drive - and met Kirk in Cowansville to transfer ownership of my volvo to him. We're so happy it is going to people we love. It's a fabulous car. The other thing that was terrific was how easy the whole transfer thing was. We have an SAAQ in Quebec. Stands for the Societe Assurance Automobile du Quebec. Now, in Montreal going to the SAAQ is akin to walking into a black hole. Never to be seen again. or certain, never to be seen by a clerk.

Out here it's a small office, very efficient. No crowds. We were in and out in five minutes. Phew.

And now we're home - waiting for Trudy. And Kirk. He'd dropping by because we need his designing help with blinds for the bedroom windows...and the sofa in the living room I write on seems to be sagging. No doubt the weight of my words...the huge import of what I do...the staggering intellect has finally sprung the springs. Not the croissants and gummy bears.

But, while we're away in St. Lucia we'd love Kirk to arrange to have it re-strung or sprung or whatever you do with sofas. This is one of the huge, long things made, apparently, of wrought iron. Michael's mother (did I ever tell you this?) collected wrought iron. Some people collect spoons, or plates, limoges china, antiques. Michael's mother collected wrought iron stuff. Most of it gates we have lugged from place to place. This sofa, thankfully, isn't really made of iron but it sure feels like it. Solid oak I think. We also need it re-covered.

So, Kirk Lawrence to the rescue.

Oh, he just arrived. Must run.

have a happy and safe New year's eve! Speak to you tomorrow.

Born Excitable

snow flurries, windy, bitterly cold - temps minus 17

Actually, for most of the day it was desperately cold, then late afternoon it got milder and started to snow. We're still in Montreal...having a fabulous day. Breakfast at Nick's on Greene Ave (bacon and eggs for Michael, porridge for me) - then home to do nothing..at least, I did nothing but sit on the bed and watch Entourage.

Michael wrote his book.

At about 2pm I decided to head out to the Second Cup coffee shop for a cappucino, and read the latest version of my manuscript.

Michael wrote his book.

Then I went off and got sushi for dinner...and walked home through the back alley. Not something I normally choose to do, not because it's dangerous, it is just not the most attractive of the possible routes home. But as I was almost there I looked up from my boots - and there was Michael. He'd finished writing for the day and came out looking for me.

So we turned around and went off to a local patisserie for coffee...he had a hot chocolate, and I drank the cafe au lait to go I'd got him at the other place. And he told me all about his writing.

Then home...Michael printed out what he'd written and we sat on the bed together as I read it.

It is brilliant. Not just good, not even great...it's glorious. I've read other parts of the book he's written and adored it - been blown away by his talent, but this section was even better. I'm so proud of him!!

Had a fun email from Abhijiit Dasgupta, who writes for India Today. He also does a blog on their site...on his recent blog he wrote about his experiences trying to get anyone interested in his unpublished novels. It's both hilarious and inspirational. Here's the link. I especially adore his first line in the blog...

"there's no greater fun that being born excitable."

Now, here's the link...


http://blogs.intoday.in/index.php?option=com_myblog&main_category=Double%20Column&Itemid=86&blogs=1

Hope you enjoy it. Off home tomorrow - having a quiet New Years Eve, by choice. Given a choice these days I will always choose quiet. Although I know exactly what Abhijit means - it is wonderful to get excited about things - to really celebrate. But sometimes, it is equally wonderful to be quiet.

Speak tomorrow - take care!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Where's my key, agenda, cheque, head?

snow in morning, very windy, then bright sunny skies temps minus 14

Drove in to Cowansville for breakfast this morning, then on to Montreal. Took the back roads since there was a lot of snow. But mostly the danger comes from ice, and blowing snow - which we had in abundance this morning.

Michael drove the Mercedes home - hallalujah!

Though it took a while to get here to the Montreal apartment. It was, in many ways, a day of remebrance - following a day of forgetfulness. Our DOF happened last visit to Montreal. Michael forgot to bring the cheque for Volvo, Steve at Mercedes forgot to give us the second key, and I forgot my agenda at Lemeac Restaurant. All in a matter of hours.

So today we retraced our steps...took the cheque to Volvo for the final payment before selling the car...picked up the second key for our new Mercedes (adore it!!!) from the dealer...and met Michel at Lemeac for lunch and picked up my agenda at the same time.

Lunch was great. Michel will be the person translating my books into French. Over a lunch of calamari, fish soup, cuisse de canard, baguette we discussed all sorts of things, including translation options and turns of phrases. Can you believe this is work??? Hope to convince Revenue Canada it's work, but it sure didn't feel like that. Michael and Michel laughed about the role of a hematologist in designing murder mysteries. We had a blast.

And speaking of blasts - that's what met us (after we forgot the key to the car in the restuarant) as we walked to the car. A bitterly cold wind right in our faces. Feels like the skin is peeling away. Poor noses. And ear lobes.

The new car is fabulous...a real dream. As you know we agonized over what to get. We needed an all wheel drive, we wanted something comfortable for the highway, and something environmentally responsible. We got two out of three. Situational ethics, c'est moi. However, to right the imbalance - and because they're cool - we're also going to get a used Smart Car for tooling from home to the villages, and only use the Mercedes for trips to Montreal or further afield.

I've quite lost my heart to the Smart Car - but I wouldn't want to drive them around our mountain home in winter...nor would I want to drive them on the highway in any weather. people do, I know...but not these people. We first saw a Smart Car in Paris about five years ago. I remember standing stock-still and staring...mesmerized by the tiny car. Adoring it right away. So it will be such fun to have one.

Rob - Barbara Peter's husband (she of Poisoned Pen books) in Phoenix - has a Smart Car and we got to see it. Course, it might make a little more sense in Phoenix than in two feet of snow. But I'm sure I can justify it. Oh, wait...I don't need to. What a relief.

So now we're home in the Montreal apartment...no plans for tomorrow, except to maybe lose a few more things.

Fruit salad for dinner...craving healthy food - finally.

Hope you're well...talk to you tomorrow.

'Splainin'

snowing, temps minus 2

Picture perfect winter day...snow gently falling and clinging to the pine and spruce trees and the giant honeysuckle in the front garden, the one with the bird feeders. We're expecting about 10 centimenters today - not huge, but nice after the rain yesterday. We need to remember there is ice under all this nice fluffy snow.

Having a great day. Sending the edit for The Hangman off to the editor. Spoke to my brother Doug - just back from India, and his kids. Did a load of laundry. Got back on the elliptical torture device (a clothes hanger of late).

Had breakfast this morning with Cheryl. Michael came too (I think because I can't stand being more than 10 feet away from his new car). We stood on the snow main street of Sutton, listening to what sounded like Turkish-Dervish-ish music piped through the loud speakers. I guess now that Christmas is over the town feels it can't really keep playing Christmas music, but it is still the festive season so in a monumental act of decision making they opted for Turkish music. To be frank, it sounded fabulous. Cheryl, Michael and I did a little dance. Then stopped.

Michael told me the funniest story from his past. Before i knew him. He was staying at this apartment and doing laundry when one of the other residents said they'd dropped something between the machines and asked Michael's help to get it back. Well, Michael didn't have anything - except...an idea. He went back to the apartment and got the biggest knife he could find...a honkin' great carving knife. Then got back on the elevator...only to realize, too late (as is so often the case) that this might look just a little suspicious. Instead of saying anything he decided to hum, and watch the numbers go down. Not surprisingly, everyone else got off at the next floor. And five minutes later security guards showed up at the laundry room.

Michael had some 'splainin' to do.

Wow, looking out the window...is it ever beautiful.

Off to Montreal tomorrow...having lunch at Lemeac with the new translator of the Gamache books. We finally have a French publisher! He apparently already has some questions. This is understandable. Indeed, when Still Life first came out we had to also do some translating, from Canadian into US and British English. I kept getting questions like...'What's a tuque?' 'What's a Double Double?' 'What's a 2-4?'

Be well, will blog from Montreal tomorrow.

Goals, and getting there...

rain, snow mix - temps freezing

Poured with rain this morning - went out to feed the birds and came back drenched. but it's snowing now - huge, soft flakes. Very pretty.

Loved some of your suggestions about multi-tasking while walking Trudy. Espcailly the suggestion that I attach a kindle to her bottom, since that is where many people think it belongs. But have decided to simply pause while I walk, and even if just for a moment, look around.

Have More Fun. Being very task oriented I often forget to simply enjoy the 'doing' not just the goal. And keep forgetting my new mantra. have More Fun.

Finished the editing on The Hangman - will send it off tomorrow morning. Want to write the January newsletter today. And will also register for Malice Domestic. It's a fabulous mystery readers/writers conference in Washington every year...focussing on traditional mysteries. people like Julia Spencer Fleming, Jacqueline Winspear, Ann Perry, Rhys Bowen, Margaret Maron and loads of others are there.

Also need to sit in a bubble bath and watch Relocation, Relocation.

So much to do!

Had two bowls of cafe au laits and a bowl of pretzels today. Diet on track to drop dead in about 2 years. Not a great goal, but the journey sure is fun. So it also fits with my new mantra. Very spiritual.

Dinner at the Beau Lieu restaurant in sutton with friends tonight and breakfast with Cheryl tomorrow. Funny, I have the impression that I work a lot, but reading over this blog it appears not so much.

Ooops, ten to three. Kirsty and Phil are calling. Speak to you tomorrow. Hope you're well.

New Best Friend

overcast, mild, windy

Freezing rain in the forecast, but for now it's quite nice. Just came back from breakfast with Joan, then took Trudy around the pond...a trudge through the now. head down into the blowing wind and drifting snow. it occured to me I definitely see more of my boots than anything else in winter. Beautiful vistas are lost on me...all I see are the tips of my boots as they sink into the snow. Boots should be more interesting. Perhaps build a video monitor into them, or a book. When I do look up all I see, through the swirling snow, is Trudy's backside.

Ahh, a Canadian winter.

And, I have a new best friend. Her name is Long Underwear. It's quite an intimate relationship, and God help Michael is he tries to steal her away. He has his own best friend.

However, I am leaving Miss Long Underwear behind in a few weeks when we take off for our first winter vacation ever!!! To St. Lucia. Yippee.

Have a fairly quiet day. got the notes a few days ago on suggested adjustments to the novella for literacy I wrote. It features Chief Inspector Gamache et al in a murder in Three Pines. It's called The Hangman. Hope to get the notes finished by the end of the weekend. Also want to write the January newsletter. How times slips away! It's almost January.

Off to a birthday party tonight. Indeed, am hoping to have all the editing etc done by the beginning of January...and then, for the most part, take two months off! I cannot begin to tell you how excited I am, though I imagine you know.

Things always appear - an event here or there, an interview, some more unexpected editing. (Just got, on Christmas Eve, the line edits for the paperback edition of THE BRUTAL TELLING - they need to be read by the end of the week, and any corrections sent to England). But what I hope not to do is do any writing in two months. Spend the time relaxing, playing...and thinking about the next book, which I will begin writing the first of March. It needs thought, and some planning. Mostly what I need to do is give it some time to just start hearing conversations, seeing scenes, fleshing out characters until they can walk and talk on their own. Quiet time. Preferably on a beach.

Be well - will talk to you tomorrow. If I figure out how to attach a book to the toes of my boots, or, to Trudy's behind, I'll let you know.

Merry Christmas!! Joyeux Noel!!

misty, mild, moon, temps just at freezing

Merry Christmas!

I've been quiet for a while - taking time to myself - doing some work, doing some lounging.

But I missed you. I blog, you know, because I like it. I like you. I'd stop if it became a huge chore. It was nice, though, to take some time away.

But it's Christmas and I wanted to make sure to say, Joyeux Noel. Snow on the ground, a mild day, perfect for walking, skiing, snowshoeing - or in our case, sitting by the fire listening to King's College Cambridge and Bing Crosby, and slowly opening gifts. The aroma of stuffed turkey filling the home.

Our friend Wilder dropped by at 2pm - with a huge, lovely bouquet of Christmas flowers - and we ate around 3. Leisurely meal of turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, mashed potates, peas. Michael did a fabulous gravy. Then coffee and an assortment of desserts friends had been kind enough to bring over in the past week. Yum.

And now the dishes are done, the leftovers sorted - Wilder has left with a turkey casserole thanks to Michael. And now it's a quiet evening - back to the fireplace, and bing and the boys.

Last weekend I wrote a piece for the Globe and Mail about our first Christmas in the country. If you're interested here's the link...

www.theglobeandmail.com/life/holiday/a-quebec-country-christmas/article1405481/

Hope it works! and I hope.your day is filled with joy, and peace and contentment...and wonderment. And light.

Michael joins me in saying Merry Christmas. And thank you, for the gift of your company this past year.