Sunday, August 8, 2010

Sunday and I'm packing my bags...again

Hello dear readers,

Yes, that's right - tomorrow I'm leaving on a jet train for Montreal. Oh, all right, it is an ordinary train but still. I'm off to the International Transactional Analysis Assoc. Conference. I'm travelling with my writing pal, Gwen and we plan to use the long overnight trip to write. I'm taking the last 75 pages of my novel - the murky bits - and seeing what I can do. Then I'll put on my therapist/teaching hat and have fun at the conference. I'll be seeing friends old and new - catching up on new techniques and revisiting the tried and true ones. I'll also be in glorious glorious Montreal where chocolate croisant and gorgeous people abound! I'll go to the Musee des Beaux Artes to check out what they have to offer and do a little window shopping too. And I'll head down to 'old town' to eat the best food on the continent. Yes.

Hoagy in the salt chuck

The last two days have been a positive flurry of getting the room ready for the child we are expecting. Oh, don't doubt that we are excited to receive dear Felix into our home! His bed is moved into his room and made and comfy as all get out. I bought him a bedside table at a yard sale yesterday and put a lamp on it. I've emptied the two bookshelves in the room and moved most of the books and one bookshelf downstairs where I now sit at my newly placed desk. I like it here - I can see the crazed mad tomatoes growing as high as an elephant's eye and keep an eye on my strawberries. Also, when the birds are let out, they like to take dust baths right in front of me! How brazen!
I still have about fifty trips to make up and down stairs with more books and junk but if I got back next Monday (16th) and Sweet Patootie (who's birthday is that day) met me saying that Felix was arriving the next day - it would be workable.
Also, we got a surprise murder mystery gig - a one nighter up at the Keltic in Cape Breton on the 31st so we have a plot to get ready and suspects to round up. Ah.
Another nice thing this morning is that I went over to the Burrowers where I found I'd won the drabble dare! I'm totally chuffed at this because I love drabbles. If you don't know what the heck I'm talking about go on over and see for yourself! You might want to enter this contest - it is lots of fun.
I won't post for ten days or so - have fun and behave when I'm not here, eh?

17 comments:

Cruella Collett said...

I have been away and thus I'm way out of the loop, but who is Felix? (I'm sure all will be clear once I read back a few posts, which I will do once I've posted this)

Anyway, just wanted to wish you a happy journey, have fun at the conference and in enjoying Montreal. Sounds like you have an exciting time ahead :)

Jan Morrison said...

Oh - CC - Felix is our international student! He is coming from Berlin and will be going to high school with my step-kids. He will turn 16 in September and we think he'll be a great addition to the family. We want to learn German! I know that a bag-pipe is a doodle-sac which I love...

Hart Johnson said...

Mari-Felix is an exchange student, though I don't know if that is an all year gig, or shorter. I want to go on exchange to Jan's house too.

Jan-have a FABULOUS trip, and good luck on those last 75 pages! I hope you get them whipped into shape.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Safe travels!

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Sounds like a great trip, Jan! Hope you make some good progress on your revisions, too!

Love the picture of Hoagy! I'm not real sure what a salt chuck is, though.

I know Felix is going to love staying with you!

Unknown said...

Oh, thank you for answering who Felix is because I was wondering that myself. I hope you have a lovely trip to Montreal. It's beautiful there, isn't it.

CD

Jemi Fraser said...

Enjoy Montreal!

Congrats on the drabble win too :)

Jan Morrison said...

Oh my, turn your head for a second and people come to visit!
tartlette - any time you want to come up and bunk in the true north strong and free I'm here for ya!
And all your naked men friends.
Alex - thank you - I'll try to stay safe while still letting my inner wild-chickens free!
Elizabeth - thanks and the salt-chuck is just a name for the ocean. Don't know where it comes from though it is used out west more than I've heard it here...
Jemi - you betcha! And thanks, I'm right some proud...

niamh said...

Lucky Felix! Enjoy the conference! Will miss your writing challanges!

Mason Canyon said...

Congratulations on your drabble, loved it. Have a safe journey and lots of fun while you're there. You'll be missed, but I'm hoping you'll have lots to share when you return.

Mason
Thoughts in Progress

Karen Jones Gowen said...

It sounds like a wonderful trip, and you get to write too? Heaven!

Unknown said...

Have fun in Montreal. I plan to go there one day with my husband and the kids.

Congrats on the drabble challenge. It was a truly worthy drabble of the image.

Take care,
Chary

Patricia Stoltey said...

Have a wonderful trip, Jane. Sounds like you have so many adventures going on at the same time. Busy days.

Jan Morrison said...

Niamh - thanks and I'll post two challenges next week! Just kidding...
Mason - I'm so glad you liked it - it sure was fun to do. I'm sure I'll come home full up - I love Montreal - it is a people watcher's dream.
Karen - oh yah, baby - gotta write - I'm so close to finishing THE BIG REVISION - the one where finally everything makes sense - the whew! (wipes sweaty brow) and the train has always been kind to me in the writing department. There's very little to do unless you like reading good fat trashy novels and drinking g&t's surreptiously out of your thermos and watching the scenery whizz by and oh - talking to people and playing with the kids and walking to the dining car. Why, a person would have to be craaaazy not to write on the train!
Chary -take the husband and leave the kids with their funny aunt - this is the city of love or the closest we get to it on this continent. And I keep going there without my sweet patootie - darn! Really - it is such a wonderful place. Sigh.
Patricia - yes, that about covers it - everything happening at once - or as my great friend Kerol says "Here comes everybody!"
Ah well, no time to hang out in pool halls as my dad would say.

Ann said...

Well it sounds like you have everything under control for the new arrival. Have a wonderful time at the conference and congratulations on your Drabble win.

Helen Ginger said...

Have a wonderful trip, Jan. It was so much fun to read your post - everything's going wonderfully with you and your excitement bubbled over onto the page.

Helen

Talli Roland said...

Have fun! I love Montreal - I lived there for two years and it's such a fantastic city.