It's Official Now

Time to share my news.

By appointment of the Speaker of the House, I am the new Vice Chair of the Fish & Game Committee. She phoned me last week to ask whether I would serve. It wasn't a surprise, the chair of my committee had mentioned the possibility a while back. But it all depended on getting re-elected and our party retaining the majority.

A couple of days ago a press release went out, and the current legislative calendar lists committee leadership and assignments. Meaning this is for real.

So real, in fact, that yesterday I attended an all-day training for chairs and vice chairs. Information overload! Several people who, like me, were freshmen last term, have been elevated to leadership, either as vice chairs or, in one case, as committee chair. Although there's plenty more to learn about my new responsibilities, I already know it's an incredible privilege to serve in this capacity. And to interact with the other chairs and vice chairs--experienced and new--some of whom I already know, all of whom I respect and admire so much. Everyone was so welcoming and congratulatory.

Despite the name of my committee, we deal with more than freshwater and saltwater fishing and hunting legislation. Other areas of oversight include non-game species, marine resources, wildlife management, habitat maintenance, search & rescue operations, law enforcement, and other stuff. It's possible that eventually the committee name will reflect this broader mandate.

I have mixed feelings about being in "leadership" myself. Not a mix of good and bad feelings, just a mix. When I was first elected to the House, my ruling concern was fulfilling my responsibilities to my constituents and my committee, respecting and upholding the parliamentary procedures and protocols. I truly enjoyed being an anonymous individual, an almost back-bencher, in that vast body of 400.

My workload will be greater, that much I understand, and good time management will be crucial if I want to get any writing done--which of course I do.

I wasn't--and still am not--politically ambitious nor have any desire for prominence. Undoubtedly this is in reaction to previous professions, all of which required either a little or a lot of public exposure: stage actress, film & tv, book author.

I'm an introvert who manages a credible (perhaps misleading) impression of an extrovert. I'm either living as a creative hermit, or else I'm doing collaborative work with lots and lots of people. Reconciling these conflicting impulses isn't always easy.

Here's another contradiction: my titles. I'm still the Honorable Margaret. Yet now I've got a "Vice" attached to my name!

In recognition of my new status, a few Christmas tree ornaments that relate to Fish & Game & Wildlife:













Big storm arriving in an hour or so. No ice this time, but snow--possibly as much as an inch or two an hour.

If the Christmas party scheduled for tonight isn't postponed, I'm afraid we'll miss it anyway, we aren't venturing onto snowy and probably ill-maintained back roads after dark. The one tomorrow afternoon is in the neighbourhood, at the home of a fellow legislator. We can make it there and back without endangering ourselves.

About 50,000 households have no power. At our meeting yesterday, during lunch break, we had a briefing on the emergency by one of the Governor's staff. The hardest hit areas are the slowest to get back on-line. For them--and some of the legislators present were of that number--the wait must seem endless....

No idea when I'll blog again. My present priority is Christmas cards, online shopping, and finalising my gifts to the Chap and the pups. I'm not altogether certain what day it is, but I suspect Christmas is less than a week away now, and I suppose I ought to start thinking about planning a festive meal!

Restoration

Coming back from the church on Monday--right after posting my storm report--I saw trucks working within a couple of miles of home. Yesterday when I headed out to a meeting, I meet a convoy of 7 utility vehicles on our road: 2 power company trucks with cherry pickers, a tree truck with cherry picker, and 4 white pickups with power company logos on their doors. They workers were conferring, or having lunch, or both.

I pulled over, rolled down my window, and told the men how glad I was to see them.

"We know!" said one. He described the issues in our neighbourhood, in technical terms that meant little to me. And added, "You'll have power back sometime this afternoon."

At my diocesan meeting, I learned I was not the only "power-less" person. Several were still waiting, though some had generators. The Bishop had got his electricity back the previous day. Because our business was so important, and difficult, we kept working past our usual time but took a "phone break." I rang the Lodge--the Chap had headed home early to monitor the situation.

He reported the good news I was so hoping to hear.

Reaching the Lodge, I spied the lights of our Christmas tree glowing in the darkness.

Such a strange evening! One of relief. One of sheer exhaustion: keeping 2 fires going by day and 1 all night is no easy business. The house is toasty warm again, there's no discernible damage to our water system. I finally saw with my own eyes the news footage of shoes being flung at my President, which I'd heard about on the radio.

We slept like rocks.

Having emerged from the abyss, I am terribly concerned for those still in it--they number nearly 80,000. Whole communities are still affected, may not have power back till next week. Several districts have closed schools until January.

After 5 days of focussing on nothing but trying to stay warm enough to survive, it's quite a mind-shift, confronting Real Life again! I was so ahead in Christmas prep, now am behind in posting parcels and sending Christmas cards. I've got 3 parties in the next 4 days--my festive feelings are greatly tempered by what I've lately endured, but I do look forward to being with people after such a long period of isolation. Tomorrow there's a day-long legislative orientation. And I must sign off on the bills I'm co-sponsoring and return the paperwork to Legislative Services.

Today we've got snow, more expected later this week, with a return of extreme temperatures at the weekend.

The work crew that visited my area yesterday is somewhere else now, busily restoring light and warmth to others....

Ice in the Bathtub: Winter Storm Report

The good news:

* we have 2 fireplaces at the Lodge and when the storm hit, dry wood stored in the garage.

* we have a gas-powered range, so with the flick of the match I can whip up nourishing and tasty meals on the stovetop.

* we store many, many gallon jugs of water in case the power is out for longer than a few hours. Which, until Thurs. night, it never, ever was!

* we keep a ton of tinned goods in our cupboard. However, as long as the fridge was cool, or the ambient temperature of the house is fridge-like, we can eat "real" food, so the only time we opened a can was because we actually wanted tomato soup--as comfort food on the coldest day.

* our phone was out for 2 days but miraculousy came back on yesterday. I found out when my dear, dear British friend I saw in London recenttly, who lives in France, rang us up from Colorado (where she and her husband are skiing) to check if we were ok.

* the chest freezer in the downstairs utility room kept our frozen goods frozen through the weekend.

* the freezer here at the church in the village is completely empty, so there was room in the freezer for all our meat and seafood!

* this village that I so proudly represent in the Legislature installed free public wi-fi on Main Street a few months ago. So when I brought our freezer food to church (located on Main Street) I also brought our laptop.

* the Chap's office has a health club with showers. So he's really clean today. And his office is holding their big Christmas party (postponed from Friday).

* the 3-candle candelier I purchased at Kittery Trading Post during the pre-Y2K panic, and have hardly ever used, turns out to one of the best buys I ever made.


The not so good news:

* the Lodge is a mostly open concept home. High ceilings which permit lovely tall Christmas trees make rooms that are difficult to heat. The only rooms with doors are the bedrooms, lavatories, and utility rooms. The first day we settled in the downstairs sitting room (has a fireplace) but eventually we moved upstairs to the master bedroom (with a fireplace and doors). But even there the ceiling pitch is exactly the same as the upstairs sitting room--where the Xmas tree is--so the warmest spot of all is right beside the fireplace.

* we've lost some big hemlocks but nothing fell near the house...the birches were bent to the ground, heavy with ice...



...but with the thaw, they're springing back.

* the temperature was in single digits some of Sat. and Sat. night. To keep warm, I stayed in bed, under the covers, all day Saturday.

* I'd filled the bathtub with water on Thurs., before the storm. On Saturday the water froze. It's still frozen. The sound I hate most is slamming a saucepan through that thick ice to get water to boil for hair- and dishwashing.



* the ice-covered trees were beautiful in the sunshine, but even so I found it hard to admire them.



* Our best light sources rely on D batteries or lantern batteries. When the batteries ran down, the Chap made a run to every hardware store in a 12-mile radius, but there are none to be had!

* while the prospect of sitting or lying about for days on end sounds like a reader's/writer's dream, on dim days there's never really enough light to read by, and when the ambient temperature is cold enough to freeze the water in your bathtub, your hands can get too cold to hold a book or a pen and paper. I did manage to sit by the fire yesterday to practise the mandolin (Advent and Christmas carols) but it was sort of painful.

What I've discovered:

Where do I begin?

I now know that staring into a fireplace hours--days--on end is entertainment in and of itself. The play of the light, the shifting glow of the coals.



Having dogs might prevent you seeking refuge in a shelter (which we never seriously considered, having fireplaces and a stove), but they are damn good company in a crisis. Jewel is a terrific footwamer (she has appropriated the foot stool) and Ruth warms us with her love.



We had expected to spend the weekend at holiday parties. Instead, we spent it in survival mode. Two parties were postponed, one was cancelled outright. I expected to spend today all obssessed by an official announcement which some legislators learned about in the hours before the storm hit. The last calls I got before the phone went out were messages of congratulation. More on that later.

This was supposed to be a busy week of meetings, diocesan and legislative, an all-day orientation. Perhaps it still will be. Since 168,000 are just like us, still waiting for electrical power, and like us, still focussed on survival, I make no assumptions.

The thing I'm most happy about at the moment: no longer needing to conserve wood. Our supply was limited to what we had dry in the garage, and it certainly wasn't going to last the week. (They say some places won't get power on till then.) Our nearest neighbour, a Very Good Man, very kindly shared some of his.

Yesterday the Chap rang up a local woodman, and within a couple of hours a cord of word was delivered to the Lodge. Regular price, no price gouging or anything.

Ever since, we've been feeding our fires with abandon! Big, great, roaring, hissing, popping fires. Loud enough to drown out the sound of the neighbour's generator, and the frequent whine of power saws.

A thousand thanks for the good wishes. All is well, so far.

I like to think that now I've secured our frozen foods, I'll get home to find the power turned on in my absence. I'm not terribly optimistic. I think something rather catastrophic occurred to the lines and poles out on the hillsides or in the valleys, because the area to the south of us and the area to the north of us (where this church is located) have their power restored.

That's another thing I've discovered. Even when I can see my breath inside your house, and my bathtub water is frozen, and there's not a D battery to be had for miles and miles, and my hands and toes are chilled to the bone, I still have hope!

Finished!

The combination of enormous tree and busy schedule delayed the completion of adornment until last evening. At long last the tall ladder and ornament boxes have vanished from our upstairs sitting room! There's nothing to impede our view of this:



A side view, to show how ginormous it is:



Here are 3 royal personages all the way from London. L to R: Queen Victoria, King Charles II, Queen Mary II.



Somewhere out of frame are 2 more, Anne Boleyn and a Spanish Infanta.

Not sure what Their Majesties think about sharing space with a sock monkey. Probably beneath their dignity, but they'll just have to deal with it!



My grandmother on my father's side was a wonderful keeper of Christmas, and very gifted in handwork. When I first married she sent me many of these lovely ornaments, and when she passed away I inherited still more of them.



This one is a favourite.



Also finished, a significant chunk of holiday shopping. Like, almost all of it. I can start wrapping immediately and shipping things to my family, and certain members of the Chap's family, too.

Despite the decorated tree and the mounds of pressies, it feels nothing like Christmas. After days in the deep freeze, and the little lake covered with ice and snow, it's raining and 55 degrees today! This being NH, naturally there's another freeze headed our way.

Music by Handel

My favourite tree-decorating music is Messiah. The version I keep on hand--meticulously chosen--is by The English Concert and Trevor Pinnock.

I hadn't seen a live performance for several years, not since this one. When I appear to have had a weekend identical to this one: snow, church, tree, concert!

The Chap and I both attended the Historical Association Christmas Fete late yesterday, going in separate cars. People were surprised to see us there--because my newspaper article was published yesterday they assumed we were still in London! After an hour I drove on to Capitol city for the concert.

It's a free performance, very popular, and a long line forms outside the church. The next people in line after me were our former Rector and his wife and son, so I sat with them when we went inside.

The soloists are professionals, extremely experienced and greatly renowned and perform this concert annually. The music director changed a couple of years ago. This year he added more orchestration--and it was truly outstanding. What a privilege--and a blessing--having this high-calibre production in our remote region! I'm so glad I went, it was the best-ever Messiah, and the trumpet soloist was jaw-droppingly good.

A lot of the time I was reflecting that exactly a week prior, I was standing in the very room in London at the Handel House Museum in which the oratorio was composed. And gazing upon the original score written by Handel, as well as Mozart's own revisions of the music. However, Messiah-lovers will know that it was first performed in Dublin, not London.

I taped the "Hallelujah" chorus. The blonde in red wearing specs is the soprano solist Peggo. Her husband is our US Congressman, recently re-elected. He's a musician and singer also. And he was there last night.



My arm went wobbly towards the end from holding up the camera! Sorry about that.

The temperature was in the single digits this morning and much of the day. Seems way to early for that sort of thing.

Sunday Stroll (Includes Saturday)

In terms of actual strolling, I did more of it yesterday when we got our Christmas tree.

When we woke Saturday--verrrrry late--I had no idea we were even getting a tree. But sometime at mid-afternoon, the Chap and I both had the same brain wave. It wasn't terribly cold. The snow hadn't yet come. The ground was dry, and the trees would be also. We had the time, and that won't always be the case. So off we went, to our favourite tree farm. After a year's hiatus, it's back in business for the season.



We made our choice in record time. Tim-berrrrrr!



The tree farmer attached it to the back of his 4-wheeler and drove it to the car park.



We only had to snip a bit at the top to provide ceiling clearance. Every year I say, "It's the tallest tree ever!" The angel isn't quite hitting her head on the ceiling, but almost. The tree must be 13 feet, and very prettily shaped. It took me all afternoon to decorate only half...still a work in progress!

This morning: snow! The first snow. Because although it snowed a little while the Chap and I were in England, we weren't here to see so for us it doesn't count.

"Wow, look at this! Jewel enthuses when we step outside to get the newspaper.



"It's really winter now," thinks Ruth, somewhat anxiously. "And this is only the beginning....Will the drifts be taller than me, like last year?"



I open the paper to find my London article, and my Queen of England photo--very large!



We went to church, had a delicious and festive Advent/Christmas Brunch. It was still snowing when we left and is still.



But it's not supposed to last. We're only getting a preview.

Another party--Historical Association--later this afternoon. A concert--The Messiah--this evening. I'm feeling so Christmas-y already I could burst with seasonal spirit!

For other strolls, hop over here!

Return now to the place....

The title comes from a Celtic prayer, a benediction we hear in our parish nearly every Sunday morning. "Return now to the place where God has given you responsibility."

And that's exactly what I've done.

On Tuesday morning I woke to sunny skies in London, a splendid travel day.

By evening, I was curled up on the big sofa with my beloved responsibilities Ruth and Jewel, surrounded by a mountain of accumulated mail--mostly mail-order catalogs and magazines. When we collected Ruth and Jewel at their kennel, Ruth was beside herself with joy and Jewel delighted. This is the longest separation I've ever had from them. (And if I add in the days I was with my family and not in NH, the dogs and I were apart for most of November!) Their "other mother," the kennel manager, reported that they were "wonderful, as always."

And yesterday--another brilliant bright day--I faced another responsibility. It was Organisation Day for the Legislature.



Jet-lagged me would've preferred to lie abed late instead of rising, dressing, and preparing for a very busy and important day. I attended a majority party caucus, followed by a House session at 10 a.m. With my veteran and newly-elected colleagues, I raised my hand and swore the Oath of Office. And then endured a lengthy session of voting for House Speaker, House Clerk, Sergeant-at-Arms, State Treasurer, Secretary of State. Oh, and we had House Resolutions to debate (at length) and pass or kill.

We didn't even get a lunch break, and didn't adjourn until 3 p.m. and I didn't get away till 3:30. I hope we didn't frighten the freshmen! I told the ones sitting near me that Session Days usually aren't like that, adding that we normally break for lunch. And we have electronic voting. (We couldn't use the electronic system because people were in temporary seats, the permanent ones haven't been assigned yet.) So we had voice votes, and when there was a division we had to do a standing vote and wait till heads were counted.) Didn't have the heart to explain that the floor debates are often that tedious!

One more responsibility remained--a 4 p.m. meeting at the town library.

I arrived home at 6, not having eaten a bite since breakfast. My body, still on London time, was convinced it had not only missed lunch but supper, too!

Today, thank goodness, is a bit less eventful. I'm scrambling to design and order our Christmas cards. I've got a mandolin lesson (and after a month of no lessons and little time for practise, it ought to be interesting!) Then I must run some errands--replace the ear muffs I lost somewhere in Shepherd Market. (Not to self: do not wrap them round a wrist!)

Didn't know what to expect when able to step on a scale for the first time in over a fortnight. Before the trip, I took off an extra 3 pounds as a cushion so I could comfortably eat my way round London. I returned home to find I'd gained not an ounce, and in fact had lost a further 3 pounds. I suppose it was because I was eating so sensibly, and walking so constantly--most days I averaged 3 miles per day, with a personal best of 4 miles, only using the tube for lengthy cross-city journeys.

Before departing the UK I filed a newspaper article about the trip, accompanied by the Queen's photograph. For many, many years I've periodically provided a "Letter from London"..."Letter from Dublin"..."Letter from Bratislava"...or photographs for the travel section. The managing editor loved it, means to publish it in either this Sunday's edition or next. Biggest circulation day!

My brain is bursting with inspiration, I keep scribbling notes for new scenes and additions to existing scenes in the book. Because we do a quiet Christmas at home, I can often accomplish quite a lot of writing in this month, and I really hope I can. And yet since returning less than 48 hours ago, the blank calendar page that used to be December is rapidly filling up--not a few meetings but mostly holiday parties!

There might be some follow-up blogging about the trip when I get a chance. If the phone stops ringing--constituents, lobbyists, interns.

Here in my place of responsibility.

Tower of London

Backtracking to last week, and the day at the Tower.

Near the Tower stands a remnant of the city wall built by the Romans.



The Tower isn't only one tower, but many of them.



Never let it be said that the Historic Royal Palaces organisation hasn't a sense of humour.



Tower Hill, the site for many a beheading, as it looks today.



Tower Hill, looking in the other direction, on the occasion of the Duke of Monmouth's beheading, with the White Tower in the background.



This grisly scene appears in my novel. It's the most gruesome execution in English history. Jack Ketch struck five blows and still couldn't decapitate the poor duke, and had to finish him off with a knife.

There's an ice skating rink in the moat. Here's the zamboni preparing the surface.



One of the famous Tower ravens.



Is the legend of the ravens really true?

Traitors Gate, from inside the Tower walls.



A character in my novel was twice incarcerated in the Tower, accused of plotting against Cromwell. It's part of his backstory. He might have stayed in a room similar to this, occupied by Sir Walter Raleigh.



The White Tower.



Tower Green, where the well-connected traitors were executed. Only nine persons died in this spot.



This, I imagine, was their final view before being blindfolded.



Traitors Drinking Fountain.



When I visited the Jewel House, I was viewing it through the eyes of a novelist who must describe various coronations in the course of her book. I was delighted to see the Sword of State and its scabbard, carried in coronation ceremonies by the aforementioned incarcerated noblemen, and the crowns worn by Queens Mary of Modena and Mary II, and their regalia. I'm grateful to HRP for the large colour postcards of same, available in the Jewel House shop!

In the Armoury, many weapons and war-like items are on display.

Here's the armour worn by William III.



Testing the weight of a 17th century musket.



Wonder if his gun is as heavy?



Tower Bridge.



After crossing it on foot, we encountered the Queen.

Sunday Stroll: London

Around midday we headed for Manchester Square and the Wallace Collection. Though the closure (for renovation) of some of our faovurite rooms was disappointing, the highly entertaiing Osbert Lancaster exhibition nearly made up for it!

Oh, my a crocodile in Duke Street!




The theme of Selfridges's holiday windows is Father Christmas, he's featured in a succession of them. We especially enjoyed the one with all the knickers!



Selfridges happens to be my favourite London department store, but going there today was absolute madness! Shoppers were out in droves all along Oxford Street. Inside the store crowds were thick and noisy and it was nearly impossible to get near a till (I got lucky in the Christmas Shop.)

I can never resist the Food Hall.





Leaving Selfridges, we crossed over Oxford Street. The roast chestnut seller was there, in his usual place. Lunch!



Heading down Brook Street, we admired the decorations at Claridge's Hotel.



The passage leading to Handel's House was nicely decorated, too.



We toured Handel's house, in which he composed most of his operas and oratorios. It has the squeakiest wooden floors I've ever come across. It also has the distinction of being Jimmy Hendrix's London residence.

There was a dressing-up area in an upstairs exhibition room (part of the former Hendrix flat). Probably intended for folk younger than me, but that didn't stop me having fun as an 18th century lady.



The South Molton Street pedestrian area was beautifully lit.



On the way back to our digs we strolled through the nearest Waitrose and bought tomorrow's breakfast and some beverages.

Like all good strolls, mine ended with a drink. For me, vintage perry:



To stroll along with other strollers, go here!