Holiday Treasures

Another snowy, cold day in Ottawa but feels right as we celebrate Christmas tonight with our daughter Lisa, her husband Robin and three friends since Lisa and Robin will be out of town with his family next week. Bourbon ham slow cooked on the BBQ was the request with fruit crisp for dessert. We've got the fire in the grate ready to light and the wine cooling - should be a good evening all around. And of course, Christmas next week with our other daughter Julia!

I stopped shredding papers and began writing the sixth Anna Sweet novella. I'm still at the stage of working through the crime in my head and where I want this story to go, but I find it is always helpful to just sit down and begin typing. I'm half-way through the first chapter and tinkering at this stage. I'm ahead of schedule and have time to experiment :-)

A few events are lining up for the new year. January 22, I visit the Reader Mortis book club (what a great name!) The Russell Public Library received a grant to have me in on International Book Day (April 24) for a reading and chat. I'll also be going to the Ontario Library Association annual conference in Toronto in early February and plans are in the works for me to visit a mystery book club in Cobourg that same trip. Not to mention, I have to plan an Ottawa launch of Shallow End and the audio books, so lots of fun ahead.

Well, a short entry today as I get back to chopping apples and whipping cream. I hope that you are also managing to enjoy this season, not sweating the small stuff, taking each moment as a gift with family and friends. Time passes so quickly and we need to stop and live in the moment and appreciate all the wonder in our lives.

One more week until Christmas Eve....