At Long, Long, Long, Long Last

Lots going on.

Workers have been working all over the Lodge this week, finishing up (at long last) some tasks related to last year's renovations, and preparing for installation of new appliances. As usual jobs that appear to be simple turn out to be exercises in opening cans of worms, requiring unanticipated extra time and effort and $$$.

I had my usual busy Tuesday, with a long Chairs & Vice Chairs meeting attending by all the Commissioners or Department heads or their deputies. We had excellent discussion and information-sharing, a very real effort to streamline government and impose efficiencies, especially in the face of layoffs and reduced personnel. (Don't get me started on that topic.)

Yesterday I had a cookbook meeting. As we head into our 3rd printing we're still cleaning up the master document. I donated a ton of books to the library, either for the stacks or the annual book sale.

I've been appointment-setting and arranging to visit friends and booking restaurant tables in faraway places.

Oh--and at long, long, long, long last I put together my travelogue from my UK trip in November-December of last year. I suppose the 11-month delay is indicative of my priorities. I enjoyed the trip along memory lane, and included a few pics that didn't appear on the blog. Feel free to take the tour! The pages are connected so you can do the entire tour by clicking the first link, or do it individually.


London

Tower of London

Nottingham

Bestwood Lodge & Park

Windsor Castle & Town

Here's one of my fave photos from that trip. Because it has a shameful context and my expression, I think, is either guilty or unrepentent, I'm not sure which.



Dinner party tomorrow. Not here, thank goodness, but down the road at the neighbours'. Parts of the Lodge look like a disaster zone! But not for long, I hope!

Two Seasons at Once

A bright and sunny morning.

From an upstairs window:



From halfway down the stairs to the ground level:



I don't have a great deal of motivation today. And it doesn't actually matter, because there's not anything I absolutely need to accomplish. I'm thinking it might be fun to read a book. And walk the dogs. Not necessarily in that order.

Sunday Stroll: Saturday Drive

I had to leave the Lodge mighty early yesterday morning to attend a diocesan meeting/retreat. Here are some photos taken along the way, and at the event. Because it's gloomy and chilly today and I don't expect to be stepping outside at all.

The best view of our little lake.



When more leaves have come down, we'll be able to see parts of the lake from the upstairs windows of the Lodge, but not yet.

Down the road a bit is a family cemetery. I thought the frosty stubble field and gravestones were very picturesque. And I was making good enough time that I could stop for some photos.



Almost every time I pass this field I see wild turkeys. Usually I have to stop so they can cross the road. (On Tuesday I think there were a couple of dozen or more!) This morning they were eating breakfast.



I like turkeys.



The drive to Hopkinton was gorgeous. The space we were in let in a lot of the sunshine, plus it's architecturally interesting.



I could see golden trees through the front windows.



During our mid-morning break, I went outside to photograph the tree standing between the church and a friend's house.



It was a good, productive gathering.

On my way home I shopped, and though I didn't find everything I wanted, it was productive, too. Last winter's tragic saga of losing black leather gloves (in Nottingham, UK, in Concord, USA, and places in between) will not repeat itself, I hope. According to my best (and highly embarrassing) calculations, I lost a total of 4 pairs. Do the math--that's 8 gloves total! The ones the ghost of Nell Gwyn "stole" from me at Bestwood Lodge, the replacement pair I purchased at Marks & Spencer in Nottingham, the fur-lined replacement to the replacement pair (lost, then found, then lost again), and the replacement to that one. The last two were both lost somewhere in the State House complex. It's very frustrating, because I have small hands and finding the right fit is difficult enough, let alone doing it four times in one season.

Ever the optimist, today I bought a pair of (designer) black leather gloves with cute red leather bow accents. I tell myself I've turned over a new leaf. Or my luck has changed. Or something.

Grey clouds were moving in by the time I returned to the Lodge. The Chap spent today placing the order for our new appliances and was back at the cottage buttoning things up for winter.

If you'd like to continue strolling, see Aisling's blog.

Back to a Semblance of Normal

A good day to curl up on the sofa and gnaw on nylabones. I took that photo earlier. At the moment both Jewel and Ruth are soundly sleeping in more or less the same locations.

Such a blustery day--bringing the very first snow flurries to our region. North of here there has been some actual snow this week. The wind has stripped lots of leaves from many of our trees. But overall, the foliage is just now at peak colour.

Had some wacky dreams in the early hours of the morning. In one, someone was trying to alter the deed to the lake cottage property. In the other dream I had a third dog, a very large black and white mixed breed with pointy husky ears. It lived in a hole in the ground in the back garden, outside the dogs' fence. I roused it from its lair and it romped in the snow. (The snow part turned out to be sort of prophetic!)

My completing-the-manuscript euphoria is still fairly intense. I permitted myself a tiny bit of ms. tinkering yesterday but mostly focussed on cleaning up my messes. My work corner, recently pictured, is unbelievably tidy now. Yesterday I organised all my research boooks and files, to ensure a smoother revision process.

I'm undergoing re-entry into normal household life. Some changes on the horizon...new appliances! Our washing machine, which went into a decline after last December's ice storm, was about to be repaired, when suddenly the heating element of the clothes dryer gave out. This is quite convenient, since we've got a stackable all-in-one unit. If one item is replaced, both must be. The Chap has been checking out the stock and the sales in all the big box stores. Next week the tiler is coming to do some finish work in our renovated master bath, and I'll consult with him about re-flooring the guest bath.

I scarcely ever turn on the telly in the daytime--normally I listen to BBC Radio 4 while working. But yesterday I wasn't slogging away at the ms. In the afternoon I tuned in to MSNBC to check the Dow, and saw the helium balloon flying over the very familiar flat fields of Eastern Colorado. So, like many others, I was following the bizarre story in real time, and was relieved by the happy ending.

Today I plan to start reading a book. I'm spoilt for choice. I've got an advance reading copy of a novel from someone seeking a blurb, and several other options both historical and contemporary.

Tomorrow I've got an almost all-day diocesan event tomorrow and I'm really looking forward to it because lots of my favourite people will be participating.

Next week on the blog I'm planning to do something I've never done before, related to the now-completed-not-yet-revised novel.

Have a lovely weekend!

Why Are These People Smiling?

You probably can't tell that they're smiling. In their typical 17th century royal and aristocratic fashion, they must preserve a dignified facade. But they're definitely smiling on the inside. These four people, the primary characters in my novel, are thrilled to announce that I, their chronicler, completed the first draft of their story this evening.

I'm rather pleased, myself.

Yes, at long (long!) last, the novel is "finished." There's a lot of latitude in that term. It's certainly not yet ready to go to my agent, or any of the editors who have asked to see it.

Now--though not immediately--I will proceed with the fun and truly creative process of revision. I'll be cutting scenes, and possibly some chapters. The manuscript is bloated, it wants analysing and tightening and smoothing. I've still got a few loose ends of historical research to tie up or cut off or something. Shaping the book will be enjoyable. And probably maddening.

But I made it to the end. It's difficult to express how significant a personal achievement it is. Finishing a book is part of my job. That's how I got published the first time, and the eleventh time.

Every project is special, but this one seems more so. I've dreamed of writing this novel for at least a decade. I've worked on it for longer than this blog has been in existence. (More than four years.) During that period I've done many other things, too, most of which impeded progress in one way or another.

I popped a cork to celebrate.

I went to the hairdresser, too. Now that I'm emerging from solitary confinement, I want to look better than I have done in these final days (weeks!)

Am I planning a victory lap? Absolutely. Passport required!

Oh, happy day! Oh, happy night!

Sunday Stroll: Changing Trees and Chatty Characters

I wish I might have gone to the Big Lake with the Chap...to see the trees, which must be at peak colour now or very nearly. Although I'm feeling rather better, it's another quiet day at the Lodge for me. He'll be doing some closing-up tasks. Columbus Day weekend is the traditional time for that, but some years we extend the season a bit. That won't be possible for a variety of reasons.

A few quick, unspectacular shots from the Lodge, where we aren't yet at peak colour, after a feeble foray into the outdoors on this chilly morning.





The last rose of the year, which I brought inside for appropriate cherishing.



I was awake nearly the whole night because my characters kept me up with their chatter. They were endlessly dictacting several of the final scenes and I desperately tried to carve these crucial conversations into my memory so they wouldn't be lost.

Sometime around 4 a.m., right after the Chap fed the dogs, I actually got up and went into the kitchen with a flashlight and scribbled the last paragraphs of the book, and a few prior sections of narrative and dialogue, just to get as much of it down as possible. Then I fell asleep.

Around 8:30, as the Chap was preparing to leave for church, my eyes flew open and I climbed out of bed, ready for a busy day at the keyboard.

I'm now chugging coffee but hardly need the caffeine. I'm buzzing just from the joy of wrapping up this story. I can't predict exactly when I'll finish, I only know it will be fairly "soon" and that's an ever-moving target. You'll be among the first to know, I promise.

As the book waxes ever long, I consider what must be trimmed. I've identified some earlier scenes that will go, except that I always save them somewhere. I made a document to preserve the text that I remove and planned to title it Scene Dump, my rubbish heaps of unused words. Instead I'm calling it Scenic Transfer Station, a concession to local terminology. Round here, what is colloquially known as a dump is officially referred to as a transfer station.

As seen here, the final days of creation are...



teribly messy. And that's only a partial view of what's accumulated in my work area.

I'm afraid that stack of reference material will look worse in about fifteen minutes, when I dig into to do some fact-checking!

Thanks for stopping by. If you'd like to keep strolling, head over to Aisling's blog.

Anniversary Aftermath

In a demonstration of what a perfect match we are, my spouse and I gave one another the very same London-themed anniversary card. The envelopes were different colours, and we purchased them at different stores in different parts of the city. But still....We can't stop laughing about it.



The cards feature London's famous costermongers in their pearly attire. A few years ago I happened to be photographing their festival and got some wonderful shots of the Pearly Kings and Queens. I must review my archive to see if I captured this very couple.

Our celebratory dinner was all we could have hoped. The restaurant is a real find. It was an old reliable of ours, but now under entirely new management. They now feature half-portions, which is so perfect for me. I had my new camera and tried out some of the non-flash settings in the romantic, low-light environment. So I'm able to share all three courses with you.

Half-portion Caesar Salad. (with anchovies!)



Half-portion filet mignon, cooked to melt-in-your mouth perfection, on a bed of brie mashed potatoes and locally sourced vegetables, topped with Portabella mushrooms.



Dulce de leche creme brulee. It didn't come in a half portion, but we shared it.



Did you spot the Chap's 25 year-old wedding band?

When we returned to the Lodge we exchanged more gifts. I had picked up the oil paintings from the artist's studio in the afternoon, and placed them so he'd seem them as soon as he walked in the door. The painting on the left is a local scene in our town, the one in the middle is a location nearby. I chose them for him because they signify October, the month in which we married, and the landscape as it was during our honeymoon here in New Hampshire. (I never imagined, back then, that I'd ever be fortunate enough to live here year round.) The small picture of lupines is significant because I grow both the purple and the mauve ones, which bloom in July--the Chap's birthday month.



On Wednesday I woke with a terrible sore throat and headache, but managed to participate in a Chairs & Vice Chairs meeting at the Legislative Office Building. My malady was not as fleeting as I hope. Yesterday I had to cancel and/or postpone all my appointments to stay in bed. Perversely, the bug felled me on the very day I was scheduled to get my flu shot!

Being a glass half-full sort of person, I'm quick to point out the benefits of enforced seclusion. I've been writing like a demon. I'm not sure that my feverish (in every sense of the word) output is my very best work, but it's moving me ever closer to the conclusion of this novel. And I can always improve it in revisions.

Our 25th

Today the Chap and I are celebrating our Silver Wedding Anniversary: twenty-five years of marital bliss. Gifts are being exchanged...there are more surprises in store. We've got reservations at the finest restaurant in town. We've got more long-range reservations of all sorts. We're looking back upon our wedding day with much joy and amusement, thinking of loved ones and friends who were present to help us begin this wonderful journey. A few of whom are no longer with us.

Perhaps at dinner tonight we'll re-create the scene below. (Not in the same clothing!)



I shall never cease to be thankful that I met my person when and where I did. So many inexplicable factors and coincidences and sheer luck brought us together. Truly miraculous.

Sunday Stroll: Grey Skies, Bright Trees

Celebration Month started out nicely for me. On Friday the Chap gave me this pretty yellow kalanchoe.



At the moment he's in the garage working on some other gift.

Downpours all day yesterday as predicted. The diocesan meeting was fantastic. And I was able to shoot this non-traditional side view of the Capitol dome with the eagle in profile, from a special vantage I know.



After the meeting we went to the Currier Art Gallery in Manchester to see the new exhibit, a collection of drawings and prints. All centuries and styles, from Durer, Rembrandt, Piranesi, Roualt, Daumier, Hopper, Kuhn, and so on, to our fave Aponovich, our state's artist laureate. All the engravings and mezzotints got me thinking about black & white photography, which used to be a speciality of mine. And then last night seeing Ansel Adams's work on NH guy Ken Burns's National Parks documentary was even more inspiring.

I'm sort of advance-planning to create a series of b&w pictures while we're in London and Antwerp.

But today I'm all about the colours. Because they're everywhere I look.

Ornamental cherry at the church door.



Reflection in the river.



A dirt road in our neighbourhood.



On the town line.



Lots going on and lots of writing getting done, too, and lots more celebrating to come. The sun is out, and I have an excursion this afternoon, so maybe I'll capture some "sunny day" views of pretty trees.

Thanks for stopping by to stroll. If you want to see other people's local colours, head for Aisling's blog.

Writing Style

Several weeks ago at the NH Antiquarian Bookfair I purchased the tiny tome pictured above, which fits in the palm of my hand. It's a book of verses by an early 19th century British poet. Not a household name.

Here's Emo Poet's description of a thunderstorm:

O'er the sick and sultry plains,
Through the dim, delirious air,
Agonizing silence reigns,
And the wanness of despair;
Nature faints with fervent heat,
Ah! her pulse has ceased to beat!

Now in deep and dreadful gloom,
Clouds on clouds portentious spread,
Black as if the day of doom
Hung o'er Nature's shrinking head;
Lo! the lightning breaks from high,
--God is coming! --God is nigh!

I'll stop there. I've always been a poetry reader, starting as a wee thing with the Psalms and the Child's Garden of Verses. I'm perfectly familiar with Emo Poet's style and idiom: as an undergraduate I spent the better part of a year studying the Romantics and their ilk, and dearly loved some of them. Others, not so much, although I admit to being amused by this guy's style.

I'm a bit emotional myself, as I forge through the last section of my novel. Today I'm writing several scenes of action and conflict. I've been planning for them ever since I first started this project, years ago. Last night I made a rough outline. Even so, I'm suffering performance anxiety. Or maybe it's not that, maybe I'm just reluctant to put my characters through the wringer this way. Even though their sufferings are based on fact.

Busy weekend ahead. Tomorrow it's supposed to rain constantly. Since it will be a day of "deep and dreadful gloom" I won't mind spending a big chunk of it attending a diocesan-wide forum. The information and experience shared will be useful and fascinating. And then the Chap's taking me to our fave Mexican joint in Manchester.

As of yesterday, we entered October, the Celebration Month. Our reasons for celebrating will become apparent next week. And the festivities will really ramp up later in the month...and continue into the next month.

The Unit

Yesterday my home was invaded by 3 and sometimes 4 installers. After a busy few hours and significant expense, a propane-powered generator was added to the Lodge's many amenites. It's basically a win-win. Either the money spent ensures that never again will we have a power outage of any kind. Or, in the event of ice storm, tornado, fallen trees, or transformer blow-out, most of our house will be amply supplied with electricity. No more ice in the bathtub!

Ruth and Jewel were excellent hostesses and enjoyed having the workmen around.

Word from the computer repair shop in Concord: my trusty and well-travelled laptop will live on, there's nothing catastrophic wrong with it. The tech removed a big fuzzball the internal fan unit and now it's working perfectly. Cost of repair, a mere $22.50. I'll pick it up tomorrow.

I've made good my longstanding promise to Ruth to put her in a book. My late dogs Lola and Shadow were immortalised in that fashion. I was going to put Ruth in a kid's book or a nonfiction book (Jon Katz is a pretty big influence on me.) But she's now included in my work-in-progress. She's not quite as tiny as so many 17th century lap dogs, but she's a good fit nonethless. Jewel's turn will come someday.

The trees on our property are growing more colourful by the day. Still some colour in the gardens, too.

Early in the summer the deer made it past the barrier round the front garden and hard-pruned my false sunflowers. And yet--they're blooming!



At this time of year, the mild or cool temperatures convince the forsythia it's April. So they throw out a few blossoms--while their leaves are changing colour!



The tall garden phlox.



Turtlehead.



Alba rugosa.



Maybe my last perennial sweetpeas.



I've been looking over the LSR's (Legislative Service Requests) that have been posted, aka embryonic bills for the next session. Major deja vu.

Musical Monday Morning on the Big Lake

I did come here yesterday after church, on my own. It rained all day and into the night. Did plenty of writng and finished up in time to watch the double-episode debut of The Amazing Race followed by Mad Men. I used to have a retro summer floral print dress (I think it was Lanz) that looked very much like the one Betty wore when she met Henry at the bakery. I want another one! Even though the season for wearing it appears to be past.

I took the photo at 7 o'clock or earlier, when the sun is rising behind our hillside and casting a glow on the mountains across the Bay.

I'll be working here today and heading back to the Lodge later.

I'm using the Chap's laptop. Mine is at the repair shop for what I hope is a minor issue. A plague of electronic mishaps has broken out. Yesterday when I arrived here I dropped my camera on the hardwood floor and messed up the hinge of the little compartment that holds the SD card. Camera won't power up if the door doesn't close property, which it doesn't always do now. The pop-up flash stopped working properly a month ago. After adding up all these signs of wear and tear, I ordered a new camera. I'll have a few weeks to break it in (not literally!) before my next trip.

After I finish the two scenes before me today I mean to review and polish the ones I completed last week. When writing historical events I had the advantage of many eyewitness accounts. For the funeral scene, I can also listen to the real-life "soundtrack."

I've got Purcell's full funeral score on cd but it's at the other house.

When I listen to the dirge-like funeral march I can easily picture the scene--the trumpeters and drummers preceding the members of Parliament and all the aristocracy as well as the royal household as they wended their way from Whitehall to Westminster. And my female protagonist walking slowly behind the cortege, the train of her gown trailing in the snow.

Not a very cheeful piece of music, but it's very majestic.

Seeing, Selling, Buying

Quite a busy and pleasant Saturday, and wonderfully sunny.

Spent the first part of the day on travel planning followed by indoor plant preparation for the new season. I re-potted my stephanotis and one of my camellias, pruned my citrus bonsai and my lavender bonsai and another potted lavender. Harvested a lot of rosemary and sage to be dried for winter use. Placed tender potted plants that live outdoors in spring/summer in their autumn/winter quarters.

I then followed the Chap in my car to his office, where we met the fellow who has purchased my Saab. It's going to a good home in a neighbouring state. Now we need a similarly good home for the snow tires and rims.

On the way I paused in the shopping mall parking lot to shoot this tree, which I missed the other day.



We're now down to "only" 3 vehicles.

I had the tour of the C's new personal office which he's now moved into. It's really a nice space and looks larger than I expected even after all the furniture is in place.

We purchased some provisions for ourselves and some dog food. At PetSmart we bought a few other necessities for the girls. A nice new water bowl to go in our renovated master bath (only a year late!) A couple of larger sized nylabones "for powerful chewers." The bowl and the bones have all be used and judged satisfactory. Ruth is gnawing on a nylabone at this very moment.

Tonight, after pizza, we're watching a film, The Namesake which I've wanted to see ever since viewing the preview at the cinema.

I'm dithering over my plans with regard to the Big Lake. Go for the day? Stay overnight?

Colourful Prelude

Reasons I love New Hampshire? Let me count them.

1. The clergy of our diocese. (The laity, too, but I spent most of today with clergy.) A big chunk of our General Convention deputation (remember Anaheim in July?) attended the monthly Clergy Day meeting to give a presentation on our experiences and the outcomes of convention. We didn't prepare in advance, it was all basically ad lib, but I think our listeners got a good sense of our common and individual perceptions. Saw so many friends, some of whom I hadn't seen for yonks, or rarely see. One of the Bishop's canons provided a delicious soup and scrummy bread and a variety of cheeses, with dried fruit and nuts.

2. Medical offices. "What is she, crazy?" you're thinking. I know health care is a big topic right now and no way I'm getting into that, because I don't like to get political or even that topical on my blog. But this is my Medical Season, when every annual sort of examination or test takes place.

I had one such appointment last week and 3 this week and 2 more next week. Each time I show up at the designated time, and before I even have a chance to sit down in the waiting room, I'm taken to the exam room. There's virtually no wait for the personnel--nurse or doctor. I have to say that I'm incredibly impressed--and appreciative--of this efficiency and good time management. I'm also one of the blessed 80% of Americans happy with her health insurance, so that part goes smoothly as well, and I don't take it for granted.

3. Summer in September. It has been so incredibly warm for much of this week. Even at night. Colder weather will return, but it was fun wearing sandal-type shoes again today!

3. Foliage, foliage, foliage. We're really only in the prelude to autumn colour, but so far it's absolutely lovely.

4. The terrain.

For my eye doctor appointment I was at the big shopping area for Concord. Total retail sprawl, identical to Any City, USA. And literally from the mall parking lot I shot this photo:



Not bad for a mall parking lot. Rather picturesque, in fact. Trees and water: God's landscaping.

This heron was catching fish.



Nice yellow-green combo.



5. The bishops of our diocese. I was standing at the Lancome counter writing a check when a I heard a gentleman call out my name, quite loudly--our retired bishop. Our current one presided at Clergy Day, but unexpectedly I got to see the other one, which is always a treat. Even--and especially--in unexpected places.

6. Weird stuff. I was at a stoplight when I checked my rear view mirror and saw this spectacle, for which I have no explanation whatsoever.



Believe me, my car was not in motion when I took that rear window picture.

7. Did I mention the foliage and landscape? Here's a boggy spot quite near the Lodge.



That's only 7 reasons I love New Hampshire. There are so many more.

One of my great accmplishments of today was purchasing a pair of jeans. Since losing 30 pounds, my old ones don't exactly fit well. I wasn't all that happy with them before losing the weight. It's so hard to find the Perfect Pair, and I have a lamentaable tendency to settle for something not exactly perfect.

At the department store they were having a mondo sale, plus by donating 4 items of clothing to Goodwill at the store I received 8 20% off coupons. I noticed that Calvin Klein jeans were on sale. It's been forever since I wore that brand so I picked 3 likely sizes. The first one fit perfectly. Not too tight, not too baggy, not too long, not too anything else. And with the sale discount and the coupon discount, it was a super price.

So, yet again I own a pair size 8 Calvins, just like I had when I was, like, 16. I find this rather funny. In a good way!

Dinner party tomorrow night. Back to the Lake this weekend, probably without man or beasts, for another writing marathon.

Musical Monday: The Last (Full) Day of Summer.

The Chap visited us cottagers yesterday, bringing the Sunday paper (and lots of others I hadn't yet seen), and some provisions. The 48-hour gale was over.



Our plan was to dine out for a late lunch/early dinner. So we loaded the girls in the car.



Ruth forgot her shades.



Swamp maples on the road to Wolfeboro.



We went to El Centenario, and the food was excellent as always. The guacamole made at tableside is a real treat.

Last night I watched The Emmys. Some surprises. The husband of film/tv series actress I knew in a former life went home with a statue. I was happy whenever Mad Men won, or 30 Rock but wish The Office and House could've won also.

Then I watched the 2nd broadcast of Mad Men. Good grief! In my opinion it actually lived up to the critical hype as the "best MM episode to date."

Past 2 days were rather light in terms of writing productivity. I'm not surprised after the marathon of writing about a royal death and funeral. But I seem to be back on track now.

Here's The Cure performing The Last Day of Summer. Because as far as I'm concerned is--the last full one. The Autumnal Equinox occurs tomorrow at 5:18 p.m.



And n a similar vein, here's Cousteau:

Dispatch from the Wind Tunnel

Dock flags on this very windy day, the second in a row. The one in the foreground is ours.

All day yesterday, last night, and all today a gale has roared here in the Bay. The day temperature has been cool but not too cold, although the constant sound of blowing wind makes me feel chilly. I keep indoors except when the dogs and I take our walks, buffeted by the breezes. Sitting on the porch is no longer comfortable. Maybe it's time to install the glass windows over the screens, but usually we don't do that till closing-up for winter. Because there's always the hope of Indian Summer!

This morning the girls woke me up at 7:15 for their breakfast and brief outdoor foray. As usual, we all returned to bed, and on the way I turned on the radio. Fell asleep sometime after 8 o'clock, after Scott Simon and Weekend Edition Saturday started. I woke again at 9:15. (Sounds lazy, I know, but I was up very late last night writing, then reading in bed.)

Scott had gone silent. I realised the radio was off. Glanced over at the electric blanket control--indicator light was out. From this I deduced that the power was off, probably caused by the high winds. Wasn't sure when it went out...the bottom bit of the electric blanket, covering my feet, was still sort of warm.

I lay there, and decided I had two options: a) pack up and return to the Lodge, or b) climb out of bed and phone the electric co-op to report the outage and get back in bed and wait for the power to be restored.

The last time I chose b was during last December's ice storm, when I spent five damn days shivering under blankets.

I used the bedroom phone so I could stay covered up in bed while on hold. After about 10 minutes a nice man picked up and I told him my problem and location.

"Yes, we've already sent a crew," he told me.

"So other people in my area have called in?" (Duh, it was after 9:30 a.m. and most people were already well into their Saturday.)

"About eight hundred of them."

Wow--so more than our secluded, private, tree-lined road was affected. "Well, thanks, and good luck to the crew." Not a pleasant day for the linemen, who had to be out in the wind.

Back to sleep I went. Woke up at 10:40 feeling warm and cosy--my electric blanket was working again. Problem solved--thanks, linemen!

By that time I was hungry but after sleeping most of the morning (and the night) the girls wanted their exercise. So we headed into the gale for our first walk of the day. It's really a lovely day--if you don't mind strong wind.

After a late start, we're back to our usual routine of me on the sofa, writing on the laptop, a sleeping Jewel pressed against me, my own personal canine heating pad, and Ruth at the other end of the sofa curled on her favourite cushion.

I'll be writing happier scenes today. Lately I've been mired in gloom, handling a death scene and funeral stuff and a sad scene that took place here: