Wednesday 23 June 2010

Done!!!!

sunny, brilliant, wonderful day...well, actually, it's cloudy and rainy, but you'd never know it by the mood in here!!!

Yippee! Finally finished the second draft, and I'm pleased with it. Very pleased. A huge re-write, really, more than a draft...but worth it. And my first drafts are really often not all that good. More like sketches. But vital.

But wow, does this ever feel great!!! Yippeee... worked late yesterday after getting home. Sat on the screen porch. Beautiful sunny day - and watched quite a drama unfold in front of me as I wrote.

First the wonderful Wayne showed up. He'd heard rain was in the forecast so he decided to come and cut the grass while he could. Now, we have about 70 acres, though most is forested, of course, but about 3 acres needs cutting, including trails through said woods. So we have this huge great tractor/mower. Up Wayne gets on it and off he goes. At some point I decided to walk Trudy around the pond and I could hear him in there...for a long time.

But I walked on, not really thinking anythung of it, until I look up and Wayne's standing in front of me on the grass. Without the mower.

'It's stuck,' he said. 'In the woods. A soft spot.'

I resisted the temptation to asked, 'Are you sure?'

Instead I asked, 'What should we do?'

He gave me a list of people to call, while he took the hand mower and continued around the house. I called Carl, I called Dwayne. I called Gary. I called Tony. I called Lise. Of course. Who but My Assistant Lise can come to the rescue? I really should have a special ring which I can point to the sky and yell, "Lise! Lise!'

But I used the old fashoined method and telephoned. She, of everyone, was in! And her husband Del was just getting home. By now it was about 5pm. And Tony had arrived with his pick-up truck and chains.

As I spoke to Lise I saw Wayne walking back across the field, with Tony. Like two mud covered dough boys after a battle. A losing battle.

They stopped in front of the porch.

'We're stuck.'

'Both of you?'

'got my truck stuck too,' admitted Tony.

There was a regular traffic jam in our woods.

Del, bless him, said he'd come first thing in the morning with his big truck, two guys and more chains. But Tony had one more idea. Our neighbour Guy.

Ten minutes later I heard a motor...and I think distant trumpets, but perhaps not. There was Guy riding his tractor full speed with Tony hanging on the back. Into the field, past the fruit trees, around the pond they disappeard. Riding to the rescue.

Fifteen minutes later Guy drove by - triumphant. The battle won, the vehicles freed!

All very thrilling!

Almost as thrilling as finishing this draft!!! Yay. Worked all today and just finished....Now, taking 2 weeks off to get caught up on all the other stuff - and perhaps to play! going to cut some peony and delphiniums and make a little thank you arangement for Guy and Nicole.

Lucky us to have such neighbours. And to be free - of the mud, and the muddle!!!

speak to you tomorrow...

Oh - Pat just called...there's been an earthquake...felt not here but in Ottawa and Toronto. Must hurry and check...

14 comments:

John said...

Felt here in Chicago, as well, Louise!

whalewatcher said...

Hope the earthquake did no harm to life.
Glad w/you over what you accomplished for the book.
You must feel a huge sigh leave your body and mind...and now 2 weeks for other pursuits..great!
Kathy

Jodi said...

No earthquake here in NY (that would be quite a quake)!

Hooray for getting the edit done.

Too bad you don't have pics of the merry (er, muddy) crew.

Jodi said...

I sit corrected. Other people in the city felt it. I noticed nothing!

Debbie said...

I felt it in Ottawa. My legs were still shaking for about 30 mins after the quake. My cat came up the stairs with a look of "What was that" on her face.

We had a few pictures tilted.

Nikki B said...

Yep --felt it here in Ithaca too---my first one!

Glad you had someone who cold pull everyone out; I've gotten my little John Deere stuck a few times and there is this sinking feeling of....well, you know....."Uh-oh'....LOL :)

Ann said...

There was mention earthquake felt in Brooklyn, NY on NYC Channel 1TV. Np harm done.
Ann

Beth said...

Isn't country life funny? Yesterday I raced over to our neighbor's farm, to release our friend from the feed room in her barn. It seems she was in there, "fixing breakfast", when one of the horses slid the lock on the door, locking her in. I was glad to help, but it made me laugh to think how different our life in the Oregon countryside is from our days in the Southern Cal suburbs.

Congratulations on finishing the edit! It's good news for you and for us as well, as it brings us closer to another stay at Three Pines.

Diane said...

How wonderful to finish your edit on the hoped for day. Euphoria I'm sure.

Earthquakes that move pictures - scary.

Linda said...

Congrats on reaching another milestone with book #7! So nice to know my friends live on. I'm so looking forward to Bury your dead, and so glad to be able to introduce others to the series. Everyone falls in love with Armand! Enjoy this wonderful moment.

Marjorie said...

Yippee!!!!

--Marjorie from Connecticut

lil Gluckstern said...

So great about your second draft, and it sounds like you feel really good about it! Your adventures on your property are delightful if a little messy. Did the boys have fun? Sorry about the earthquake, they do make one sit up and take notice, don't they?

Louise Penny Author said...

Hi all,

Quite an event, this earthquake! Saw some amazing video of people live on TV as it struck...quite frightening. Interesting to see some politicians, including the federal minister of the environment, live on TV during the earthquake. At first he didn't react. Then his eyes widened...and then - do you know the first thing he actually did? he looked behind him to make sure the Canadian Parliament buildings were still standing.

I was strangely moved by that.

thanks for the congratulations on this draft. Still feels wonderful!!

Thoughts of Joy said...

You are such a fabulous writer! I thoroughly enjoyed reading about your daily life of mowing the lawn (okay - acres) and finishing your draft. Simple stuff (or maybe not!), but delightfully put. Enjoy your two weeks off! :)