CategoriesArchivesSeptember 2008 |
Chewing the FatFor those times that I want to blather on about whatever. What now?I’ve been so busy, too many things to do, and now I’m finally catching up, clearing things off my plate, my friend is stablized and doing well. So now what? It’s not like there’s nothing to do. I could wade through the stack of paperwork and bills that acumulated while I was away. I could prepare my little bit I’m supposed to do for Hycroft. I have two manuscripts waiting in my cupboard for me to take them out, dust them off and see if I can carve anything worth while out of them. I guess this feeling of “what now” is because first I was in that dizzying place of book readings, being public and away from home and-will-people-take-Porcupine-into-their-hearts-or-not place. And then was in 4-5 hours of sleep, emergency mode, and-by-the-way-finish-the-script place. And then a couple days of settling my friend and getting used to a care-giver. (who is quite decent, but never mind, it is still quite hard to live, include, have wandering around your house, 24/7 someone that you don’t know. Have nothing in common with.) I know it’s supposed to help. And it does. Not to have to decipher the complex medicines, times and dosages, the blood pressure machine, the blood sugar testing. These are wonderful things and a great help. But the thing is, it feels like company 24/7. I worry about the caregiver missing his wife and children. That he is from a different culture and no matter what I cook, or how tasty it is, he is used to a different diet. That my husband and I feel shy to cuddle on the sofa with a stranger sitting there. Polite stilted conversation. It’s different is all and will take some getting adjusted to. It’s different than family and friends. It really is. I guess what I have to do is remind myself of all the blessings. Yes it’s hard to have a stranger living with you, but thank god you do! Because if you didn’t, that would mean that the jaunt to LA, the ICU etc, had a very different outcome. One that would have stolen away one of your oldest and dearest friends. Loss of privacy, loss of that total unwind “ah” feeling is a small price to pay. I have to tell myself that after a few months of this, it will be old hat, and I won’t even remember how it was before. And how lucky that we are in a position that we could afford to have someone manage his health care at home. Many families are not so fortuate. I can take care of my friend and still have the freedom to dash to the store and not worry that he might slip, or need something, or a million other things. So, what now? I think I’ll dust Big Muckle off. Work on that a bit. It’s very different from my other books. Kind of light hearted. Yeah...I think that’s what I’ll do. Makes me smile just thinking about it. Posted by Meg Tilly on Tuesday, November 06, 2007 in Chewing the Fat hello blog-buddies!Thank you for all the good wishes that I have received. My friend is doing much better! Thank heavens. And I made delicious chili, with corn tortillas fried in butter, with sour cream and grated cheddar cheese for dinner and if that won’t lift one’s spirits up, nothing will. I should have measured what I put in the chili so I could post it for you, but I was in too much of a hurry with finishing the screenplay and all. Next time. You really wouldn’t believe the things I huck in there! Fresh brewed coffee, a glop of molasses, cinnamon, nutmeg, along with all the savory usual stuff. The problem with this particular dinner is my mouth is always hungrier than my stomach is. They duke it out. The mouth wins (the mouth always wins when I cook this) and then the stomach groans and is bloated for the rest of the night. Why, I bet when I wake up tomorrow, I’ll still be full! That’s how much I stuffed my face. I’m full, but when it comes to important things, I don’t let fullness stop me. I’m nibbling on a strawberry champagne truffle for dessert. (I am sorry to inform you that we have finished the orange Buck fizz and are working on the second layer of Strawberry Champagne. Alas. It’s sort of like when you are on vacation and it’s the day before you have to leave, the end is in sight.) In a couple more days, these glorious truffles will be but a fond and distant memory. The GREAT news is, I just sent off the Porcupine screenplay to Rosie, several hours before the 12:01 a.m. WGA strike deadline tonight. Phew! And I’m actually quite pleased with how it turned out. It’s always hard to adapt one’s own book into a screenplay because in order to fit into the time frame and screenplay structure, you have to be quite ruthless and chop out huge hunks of it. Much easier to do when it’s someone else’s child. The nicest thing about sending the screenplay off is that tomorrow I’ll be able to answer all those emails that have backed up over the last week and are chomping at my conscience. (If I forget anybody, please forgive me.) Hmmm… what else? That’s it I think. I’ll write a longer one tomorrow. Oh! I almost forgot! I got an email from a lovely English editor (who was so supportive of Gemma when nobody else would touch it with a ten foot broom. She wanted to do it, but her house wouldn’t let her.) Anyway, she’s at a new publishing house and has asked me to send her a packet with all my published books and a manuscript I’m working on. I have to remember to do that tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed for me! Posted by Meg Tilly on Sunday, November 04, 2007 in Chewing the Fat an after thought…Oh, and just in case anyone was wondering...yes, most of the fabulous truffles were still here when I got back. Nestled in their fancy little round boxes with elegant writing. Waiting for me. This shows just how much I am loved, because when it comes to yummy things, Don generally doesn’t have much restraint. He eats until things are gone...but he didn’t. Don didn’t make a big deal out of it. Didn’t even mention that he really wanted to gobble them up but decided not to, as an act of love for me. Just ate a couple. He probably doesn’t even know that I noticed. But I did. And it made me smile. Anyway, I ate 3 of them today. An Orange Buck Fuzz, a Strawberry Champagne, and a Cranberry Port. Took my time, tasted and savored every last morsel and let me tell you...they were good! Posted by Meg Tilly on Friday, November 02, 2007 in Chewing the Fat Home again, hopefully…?We were released from the hospital yesterday afternoon, list of new meds in hand, went to the pharmacy, got them filled, went to the airport and got on a plane. We arrived here at home around 8:30 pm, a full-time nurse in tow. I hugged my husband, my son, my dogs, made introductions all around. Into the kitchen. Thank God I’d made and froze that turkey soup from the Thanksgiving turkey bones. Toasted some cheese bread. Don handed me the fax that doctor from LA had sent over, going over the meds and times again. I unpacked my friend’s bag and gave C_____ (the nurse) the bag of all of the prescriptions the hospital had given us. And that’s when the shit hit the fan. The list the doctor had faxed over had a zillion more medicines than the list the hospital had filled and handed us on check out. I couldn’t get anybody on the phone. I found a pharmacy that was open 24 hours, but then found out that even if I got the LA hospital to fax them the missing prescriptions, they wouldn’t fill it because they will only accept prescriptions written by Canadian doctors. We had to go to emergency and see if they would give him the medicines he needed, because we didn’t have ANY of the 4 meds he was supposed to receive in the evening and was missing a several of the morning ones. The emergency room was hopping. Crazy busy. I’d like to think that last night was an abnormally crazy night. That normally so many people aren’t rushed to the hospitals in such dire straits, but I guess that’s naive. Just like when I used to be a waitress, evenings are busy. So, we’d just checked out of a hospital in L.A. a few hours prior, and there we were in Canada, back in one. Terrified and waiting. Scared that everything would unravel. My friend’s first day out of bed after a five day stay in the hospital, three of them in ICU. A couple hours later, we finally got to see a doctor. He didn’t believe our story. I was shaking, couldn’t stop, from weariness, fear that my friend had finally stabilized and now we didn’t have the meds. The doctor thought I was a junkie trying to trick drugs out of him. And perhaps I looked like one, pale face, shaking hands, exhausted, only a couple hours of sleep for the last five days. And then meeting the doctor, his attitude, his disbelief, like I was trying to pull one over on him rather than the concern and compassion I had expected...Well, it certainly didn’t help the shaking. Looking into his face, seeing the scepticism and censorship written there. Having to take his sarcastic, demeaning comments. Having to try to stay calm, explain. I’d already showed him the discharge papers, the prescription papers, the night nurse papers. I’d told him the absolute truth and still, he was looking at me, shaking his head, like I was the lowest of low, using an elderly person to get my drugs. Finally he agreed to give us some (not all) of the medicines required. Three days worth, to give me wiggle room to get the missing medicines federal-expressed. We didn’t get home and in bed until almost 2 am. Up at 6:45 am to get Will off to school, sitting at the breakfast table with my plate of french toast, tired but so glad that the last 6 days are behind me. I heaved a sigh and almost said, “Ah...It’s so good to be home.” But I caught myself, swallowed the words, because look what happened the last time I said that! Posted by Meg Tilly on Friday, November 02, 2007 in Chewing the Fat going to bedSorry, so tired. This will short. Got a call yesterday morning had to fly to LA. A dear friend in the hospital. Arrived at 6pm. Stayed the night in ICU, no room for cots. Got a couple blankets, made a makeshift pallet on the floor next to his bed. Didn’t sleep much though, 2 1/2 hours tops. The woman in the bed next to him died in the night. A lot of alarm bells and then nothing. They spent forever disinfecting the bed and space that she was in. Don’t want to even contemplate what she died of, all alone. The doctor made me leave finally tonight. Didn’t want to go. Going to sleep now. Probably won’t write for a couple days. Just didn’t want anyone to wonder, worry. xo Posted by Meg Tilly on Monday, October 29, 2007 in Chewing the Fat Home again…ahhh!I slept so well last night, in my own bed, my husband beside me. 7 1/2 hours, straight through has become an unexpected luxury. I find at forty-seven, sleep has become a little finicky. Anyway, it was a peaceful day. Catching up on my emails, opening the mammoth stack of mail that has accumulated over the last two weeks. And whoohoo! I had ordered some chocolates from my all time favorite store for champagne truffles. Now normally I only indulge in these for real special occasions, like Christmas or my birthday as they are rather costly. But as any author will tell you, when you’re having to do a lot of public appearances, one gets the need for some sort of comfort. Hence the need for Charbonnel et Walker “Pink Marc de Champagne Truffles.” To be honest, I was planning on ordering one wee little box of them...but when I got to their website (which...ahem...I have bookmarked as favorites) my fingers ran away with me. You see, what happened was, first I thought, perhaps I’d better get a large box (275 g) of them rather than the small. Just in case Don needed the comfort as well. And then I scrolled down a bit and saw their regular “Milk Marc Champagne Truffles” that are quite good and thought, ‘They aren’t as good as the Pink Marc ones...but they’re damned good...I’d better get a box of them as too.’ And so I did. Then I noticed that they had TWO NEW KINDS! “Bucks Fizz Truffles, Lightly dusted milk chocolate truffles with a Marc de Champagne and an orange centre” Well...what if they were really good. They sounded kind of weird, but I had been reluctant to try the Pink Marc ones and now look at me. Making up all kinds of occasions so I’d have an excuse to splurge. I figured to be on the safe side, I’d better buy a box of “Bucks Fizz Truffles” as well. I was just about to hit check-out when “Chocolate Truffles Port & Cranberry” popped out at me. Chocolate filled truffle ganache (not actually sure what ganache is, but I bet it’s tasty) made with port and cranberry. Now I really didn’t know about these ones, but Don likes chocolate with little bits of dried things in them, so I clicked on a box of them as well. My thinking was he would eat these and leave all the “Pink Marcs” for me! Anyway...MY TRUFFLES ARRIVED! They had come while I was in Toronto, and were waiting in a brown box on my desk, screaming “Eat me!” And I am nothing if not an obliging sort. It is lucky I am wearing stretchy drawstring pants! I have to admit though, I haven’t been very democratic. I’ve made a rather good sized dent in the Pink Marc’s and the Bucks Fizz (which are quite tasty) but I haven’t opened the other two. So I’ve had quite a wonderful day. Writing, sipping tea, and nibbling on terribly expensive but I try not to dwell on it, chocolate truffles. Then to top it all off, for dinner I made a huge feast of comfort food. Oven fried chicken, baked macaroni and cheese, and fresh sweet corn that I cut off the cob, parboiled, and added a blob of butter, salt and pepper. And for dessert...my favorite cake of all. Sponge cake! I could eat that cake until the cows come home. As a matter of fact, I think I’ll post that recipe sometime later this week. Bye for now! Love, Meg p.s. I just read this over and thought it rather sounded like an advertisement, so I hasten to add that my greedy taste buds, expanding waistline and thinner wallet is the only connection I have to their company. Posted by Meg Tilly on Friday, October 26, 2007 in Chewing the Fat TorontoToronto done. Yesterday, so full, busy. Started at 4:30 am PST. My first library visit was at the Parkdale branch. I arrived 40 minutes early. (Of course! After skidding in 7 minutes late the night before, I shall be embarrassingly early for the next little while. Paranoia in full bloom) I introduced myself so they’d know I was here and then found myself a comfy chair, tucked into a corner and tried to wake up. Pamela (Tundra publicist) arrived and it was really nice to see her. It’s funny how that happens. When I first met her, I was surprised as we’d only interacted over the email and I’d had a very different image in my head. You are thrown together, a cautious sort of formal/informal business kind of thing. Polite questions, eyes not quite catching. But at Parkdale, after sharing the evening before, it feels like there is something more, a possible friendship starting, a warmth, a letting in. I can’t remember what was said, but I remember the laugh, the happy feeling in my belly. The children arrived and watching them file in, I knew it was going to be special.
I read several pieces, they wanted me to read more. I did. When I was finished I started the usual, “Any questions?” A boy’s hand shot into the air. “Yes,” I asked.
Lunch with Kathy, Pamela, Cary and Rebbecca. We go to a restaurant that my daughter had discovered when she’s lived here. I recognized it as we walked up and was happy. It was like I was there with these people, but memories of Emily were at the table as well. I had Hungarian Goulash and ordered a raspberry soda. Another little Emily hello, because she’d ordered one when we had come and I had taken a sip. It was a happy thing, this restaurant, the raspberry soda, the past and the present mingling. The subject of brain scans came up. A close friend of someone had just gotten one with a bad result. Brain tumor. And I thought about this last month, my own health scare, going for my first colour contrast cat-scan. Trying to keep the worst case scenario at bay. The relief when the doctor told me, it came back clear. And now, sitting in the restaurant, hearing of someone else, imagining them going through what I did, with different words coming out of the doctors mouth. I felt for her. Time for the next reading. Cary navigated the subway system, I followed, relieved not to have to be vigilant and in charge. A huge library. A ton of kids. A little bit older. These teachers, not so interested, chatting among themselves. So unlike all the other teachers I’ve met in the last few weeks. It was a real mix. The conversation turned unexpectedly serious. Not like my other talks at all. But it was a good thing. And I think some of those kids will be thinking about some of the things I said for a long time. Hopefully some of them will make different choices, different lives will spiral out in front of them, good lives, not lost ones. I hope. Back on the subway. Tea with Rebbecca and Cary in Rebbecca’s garden. Peaceful. Silences and conversation. Dinner. To Type bookstore for the evening reading. A beautiful bookstore. A warm welcome. Faces I remember from reading Gemma around this time last year. Thank you to everyone involved. It was a wonderful ending to my Toronto time. No wait. The wonderful ending was the email that was waiting for me when I got home. It was from Emily. Now is that a perfect day or what? Posted by Meg Tilly on Thursday, October 25, 2007 in Chewing the Fat A series of mishapsIt had been a very busy day, a reading this afternoon, swung by Tundra (the publishing house) a zillion conversations. A quick dash back home (B&B “Your home away from home” Rog likes to say) A scramble to answer my emails, problems with the movie rights contract. Stalemate. Do we blow it off. Move on. Google map the location of the evening reading. 19 minutes away it says. I’m anal about being on time so I give myself 45 minutes to be safe. Dash back downstairs, lucked out and got a cab. Hopped in, gave him the address.... and then...every traffic snafu there was on the streets of Toronto, we found and embedded ourselves in.
I call the library. Let them know not to worry, that although I won’t be there with the twenty minutes to spare that I usually do for readings, I will definitely be there before 7.
I sprint in through the door, realizing as I run past a surprised library goer that I accidentally ran in through the out door.
So here I am, I was already tired. Now I’m tired and agitated, because there are unexpected cameras in my face, and I have that hunted feeling that I used to get, that remove that people aiming cameras at you can make you feel. “The reading is taking place in there.” Someone points, I run over to the door, the cameras doing that thing they do, running backwards and with you, big black boxes in your face. I turn the corner, into the room… And the room is practically empty. Okay, well it wasn’t empty. There were rows and rows of orange plastic chairs lined up nicely and seriously, maybe 7 people, in their overcoats clutching their bags. Other than that time in the blizzard, this small a crowd has never, ever happened. “Nobodies here,” I hear my voice say. I’m really surprised, not only because there really is almost nobody there, but even more by the fact that I thought I just thought it… but I didn’t. I said it out loud. And here’s the gift. This lovely gentleman with white hair and a tanned weathered, angelic sort of face, turned in his chair and said with a half smile, “The important people are.” And there was something about it. What he said, the way he said it, that made so much sense, and I thought to myself, damn straight and I took off my coat and my scarf and stood at the podium with this tiny handful of people, and I thought I’m going to do the very best reading I possibly can.’ And I did. It was like magic happened, and we had so much fun, and we laughed and talked. I was telling them about my ballet days, and guess I gestured a little too wildly, and the Styrofoam glass of sparkling mineral water, (Yes they actually had refreshments set out, fresh fruit, coffee, tea, mineral water with lemon ) went careening wildly in the air. I squawked like a chicken, levitated around a foot, as the cup tumbled down and doused all of my books. (Yes, me and Audrey Hepburn with our queenly elegance and dignity.) And then to make matters worse (or better, depending on who you ask) I was keeping a firm grip on that cup and the tablespoon of water left in it, but then I got excited about something else that someone had asked and I forgot I was holding the cup, so when I waved my arm in the air, that last bit of liquid went flying up in the air, nearly landing on my head! Oh my, what a glamorous impression I made indeed. Anyway, I had a wonderful time! I’m still excited by it. Hence the blog at 11:37 at night. I love when what would be considered an embarrassing disaster turns out to be one of the most fun evenings I’ve had in ages. Much love to all you “important ones” who showed up. We should make it a tradition. Do it again next year! Posted by Meg Tilly on Tuesday, October 23, 2007 in Chewing the Fat TorontoHere I am in Toronto again. Seems odd to be here and not see Emily. Funny how much I associate this place with her. Flying down to see her, walking her dog Bella, eating, shopping. Her forcing all and sundry to attend my book readings for Gemma. Helping me pull together an outfit. I remember once a friend called up all excited and said that “Wasn’t it great! Even the University students were talking about Gemma! That’s how you knew a book had caught on.” He forwarded me the link and I saw that it was a University of Toronto student, and then I looked closer and I don’t remember what the give-away was, but it was clear that the person who did the posting was my daughter. And I have to say, I was excited by an anonymous student supporter, but as a mother, to find out your daughter has been doing her own guerrilla publicity machine, for your book. Well, all you mothers out there can imagine how big that would make your heart feel. So here I am in Toronto, missing Emily. Even more than usual. The streets seem to be incomplete somehow. It’s like they know she’s not here anymore and have lost some of their zip and energy. Holding their breath for her return. I wonder if she will? Where will my children finally settle? And with whom? (Cary, by the way, gave me two of his children’s books! I read them, and now I have them tucked away. No pressure for my kids, because I didn’t buy them for my someday-possible-grandchildren. I was given them. And I love Cary’s writing so I didn’t want to donate them to the library, hence my someday stash. ) I get to see Rog & Jim (of the rotted fruit muffins) though. I’m staying with them. So cozy. They met me on the street, big bear hugs, then ushered me into the lobby, the elevator and down the hall to their new condo. Beautiful, elegant with homey touches. Out came the fabulous cheese tray, dripping with cheese, crackers, fresh fruit, olives, and a tray of sushi to boot. They tried to ply me with their deadly lemon drop martinis which once in a great while I will throw caution to the wind and sip on one, discreetly working my way around the martini glass until I have nibbled all of the delicious rock sugar coating off. I tell myself no one knows what I’m doing, but they probably do. It’s my favorite part. The bitter of the alcohol, the sour of the lemon tempered by the sweet of the chunky sugar bits. But tonight I said no. First off, I’m pretty tired and would just have to smell a lemon drop martini to be flat on my back. And second, I had an interview for Toronto paper and reeling in clutching a sugarless martini glass would definitely not be the thing to do. When you have to do an interview, you never know who your going to be sitting opposite. No worries though. The minute I saw Judy, I felt good inside. First of all, I liked the way she dressed. A very superficial thing for me to say, especially since I’m Miss-throw-whatever-together. But the thing is, I might not be good at it, but I can still admire the talent in someone else. Besides, it wasn’t that kind of high-fashion-don’t-talk-to-me type of dress. It was more warm and cozy. Sort of like the feeling of Autumn leaves and fireplaces and a good book by the fire kind of thing. That’s how she looked. And beautiful eyes. I found that I had to keep reminding myself that it was an interview, not a chat between two friends. That’s how it felt though. Tomorrow I have two library readings. The evening one? I don’t know if anybody is going to show up or not, but for the afternoon? Big smile. It’s one of the ones where they are bringing children from schools in. I have bookmarks for the ones who don’t have books. That way whoever wants will have something to bring home. Hmm. I just thought, why did I do bookmarks? I should have CANDY! That’s what I would have liked when I was a kid. I remember as a kid, sitting on hot pavement, suffering through hours of badly thrown batons and kids riding decorated bikes just on the off chance that I would catch the eye of one of the clowns in the parade and he’d toss me a piece of sticky candy. But I guess giving out a piece of candy is not very bookish thing to do. And kids aren’t supposed to accept candy from a stranger, and I am a stranger. So I guess I better not. On Thursday I did a reading at the Strawberry Hill Chapters in Surrey along with a few other authors from the conference. (Jack Wyte was very gracious and inclusive. Such a charming man) And one of the staff pointed out that Porcupine was on the (oh dear...I can’t remember the name) but it’s this table that where they have the recommendations from the kids that Chapters/Indigo have reading and recommending books. I was quite surprised and happy to see it there, but to tell the truth, I thought it was just a staff member who ran and placed it there because they knew I was going to be in the store and were being kind. BUT...I just talked to Don (a.k.a. wonderful, loving husband) and he was driving by Chapters on Robson street and thought, ‘I’m just going to check’ (See he had come with me to the other reading and heard my explanation as to why Porcupine was on the fancy table) So he braved the rain and dashed into Chapters...and lo and behold...Porcupine was on their fancy table as well! Very exciting! So maybe it’s on that special table in the other Chapters stores as well! Maybe lots of them! Eeee! Posted by Meg Tilly on Monday, October 22, 2007 in Chewing the Fat drawing to a closeToday is the last day of the SIWC. I have one more panel to be on, and then I go home to my boys. I am so ready. I’m used to having enormous chunks of solitude, alone time, and am feeling a little emptied out from so much interaction. A woman I met in Calgary, while I was still fully me, told me about a Jewish term that she felt applied. “Wide,” she’d said. And I knew what she meant. I do feel, in most of my life, full, wide, grateful of all the blessings, am able to sit and hear what my heart and belly tell me are true. But I don’t feel wide now. It like everything is tucked up inside me as far as it can go. It’s not a sadness or anything, it’s just a been-public-for-too-many-days and I need to go home sort of feeling. I long for my normal day-to-day. Tomorrow I go to Toronto. I’m tired, but the thing about Toronto is I am going to be reading in the libraries and I am really quite excited about that. When I was a girl, every weekend, we’d take the ferry over to the main land to get our groceries, then we’d swing by Buckerfield to get the chicken feed, and the grain for the cow, and finally when all the chores were done...we’d go to the library! We would always check out the maximum books allowed and when we’d go home, we’d read all our chosen books and then swap and read all our brothers and sisters books as well. And the books that we read. The places we travel. The things that we experienced through the books that we borrowed, really helped shape me and my vision of the world. So, although there is a part of me, that longs for home, there is another part, the little girl inside that is dancing around, because these next few events I will be talking and reaching and sharing myself, my stories, my writing with children who are bused in. Children who, like me, use the libraries to grow and stretch and understand the world beyond the walls of their own lives and homes and that is a wonderful thing. Ahh… writing about it just now, has lifted my heart already. Posted by Meg Tilly on Sunday, October 21, 2007 in Chewing the Fat SIWCWell, I wasn’t stunned and amazed. The portion of Surrey I’ve seen looks pretty much how I imagined. A little bit more upscale I imagine from the Surrey of old. With a ton of condos and new looking malls. I was stunned and amazed however at yesterday mornings announcement that the city of Surrey was (okay, I’m going to mash this up a little, I’m not quite sure of the phrasing, ) voted the arts capital of Canada (or something like that, I wish I’d been paying more attention) What I do remember was the person saying that Surrey was awarded $2,000,000 dollars! That is sort of a hard figure to forget. So looks can be deceiving! And when you think about it. The Surrey International Writers Conference, with over 800 attendees, was started 15 years ago by one person (name and gender is not coming up) in one room and now it’s this huge thing with over 70 workshops and blue pencil cafes (I’m doing that. Sort of odd holding people’s precious scrap of writing in my hand and I’m supposed to tell them how to fix it. Humbling actually. And I sit there praying that I don’t steer them wrong. Tell them to take everything I say with a fistful of salt as I am no expert)
Yikes! They stop serving breakfast in 10 minutes. Have to get dressed and skaddooodle. Bye. Posted by Meg Tilly on Saturday, October 20, 2007 in Chewing the Fat Whoa Nellie!I just clicked on Futuresource.com metals...November gold is up $7.60 today! Spot price for November gold is $766.30. Now I know what gold prices do during the day doesn’t mean anything, what matters is how it closes, because there are a lot of speculators out there. But...my goodness, gold has been on a tear lately. I’m really surprised that you don’t hear more about it, read more about it. That the general population is unaware of the metoric rise in the price of an ounce of gold of the last few years. Inflation anyone? Not to mention that yesterday or the day before (when you get to my age the days start blurring together, sort of like ones eyesight) oil hit $88 a barrel! Lets just pray for the people who live on the East Coast that it’s a mild winter. For those of you in the States, if you think you are going to have difficulties managing to heat your house this winter, I was reading about this program called “The Low Income Home Energy Program.” LIHEAP that help lower income families pay their heating bills. Look it up. Maybe you qualify. Check into it. It doesn’t hurt to ask.
According to this report I read
Plan ahead. It sucks being cold in those freezing winter months. I should know. Yikes! Be right back. Well, that was close. I almost forgot the butter drop cookies I had baking in the oven. Got to them in the nick of time! Nice and golden brown soft and spongy with crisp crunchy edges. Yum! I made them for Will to have when he gets home from school...but I think I’d better go taste a few...just to make sure…
Bye for now. Next time I blog, I’ll be slooshing around in the rain enjoying the beautiful metropolis of Surrey. (Actually, as far as I know, Surrey is not considered one of Canada’s more beautiful cities. Just don’t want to mislead anyone into taking their honeymoon here. I’m not dissing Surrey, I’m sure it’s quite nice and the people who have chosen to live there like it well enough. It’s just when one says Surrey, I guess it’s the way it rolls out of the tongue, well it just doesn’t conjour up the most picturesque images.) I am hoping to go there and to be suprised and amazed.
Posted by Meg Tilly on Thursday, October 18, 2007 in Chewing the Fat helloHi Everybody.
I’m trying to get my sister Becky to do a guest blog! I think it would be fun. Hey, Becky if you don’t want to do a chatty blog, you could post a poem. That would be good. (Psst...I don’t know if I’m going to be successful in convincing her to do it. But I’m nothing if not persistent! Hee..hee!) Love you Becky.
Posted by Meg Tilly on Wednesday, October 17, 2007 in Chewing the Fat An Open Letter to Woodstown FarmsI am writing this blog with the hopes that someone reads this who either works at Woodstown Farms or knows somebody who does. I tried finding them on the Internet. I did find a Woodstown Farms somewhere in mid-west America. I called them, but they were a different Woodstown Farms (handled grains and fodder) The Woodstown Farms I want to get a hold of are the Woodstown Farms that make the delicious “Thick Sliced Seasoned Side of Pork Smoked.” They are a product of U.S.A. and sell this truly sinful bacon at the over-priced, albeit fabulous Whole Foods, for all the organic product they carry. This bacon is truly my favorite bacon in the world. Not only that there are no nitrates added. The ingredients are just: pork, sea salt, raw sugar and white pepper. And a couple of slices of this bacon are a meal in itself.
HOWEVER, there is a matter of great concern with regards to this product! On the package they have:
This has worried me greatly! It is fine for someone like me to pick up this package of bacon. I’ve been cooking all my life and KNOW bacon needs to cook longer than that. But for the novice cooker. Someone just married, or a child attempting to surprise a parent with a breakfast in bed...DISASTER! They might not know that the Woodstown people meant if you are microwaving it. (Not that I would ever, ever use a microwave. I just don’t trust them.) But they don’t mention the word “microwave” anywhere on the package. Just tells you to place in a cold frying pan! When I read that I envisioned droves of people being raced to the hospital with gastronomical ailments. So WOODSTOWN FARMS you have wonderful bacon. PLEASE change the cooking instructions on the package so I can get a peaceful nights sleep! Thank you. (I’m saying thank you like it’s already been done, that way the Universe will know I’m expecting it.) Posted by Meg Tilly on Monday, October 15, 2007 in Chewing the Fat home againI’m home from Calgary. Happy and tired. Porcupine sold out which was nice, but I felt bad for the people who wanted to buy it at my last two events. Felt sorry for the bookstore too though. Must be hard to know how much to order of any one book. Especially when you’re dealing with 80 authors! My boy and husband are at the Canucks game and it’s the end of the first period and the Canucks are ahead. They called me in the break and sounded really happy. The dogs did a crazy celebration dance when I walked in the door. You’d think I’d been gone for way longer than five days! Funny dogs. Sure make you feel appreciated. They are still dancing about, squeaking their finest toys all around my writing room even though I’ve been home for 45 minutes. Oh, now Molly’s collapsed on the floor by my desk and is pretending she’s a rug. It’s funny how they do that sometimes. Flatten out, seem to lose all their bones. Well, I suppose I ought to unpack, take a nice hot bath and climb into my bed. I really am happy to be home. Posted by Meg Tilly on Saturday, October 13, 2007 in Chewing the Fat |
RSSCopyright 2008 Meg Tilly