Three weeks until Christmas. Note to self. Be more organized next year. (I write this same note every December 1st.) And yet, I'm getting to a point in my life when rolling with whatever comes seems the best path forward. So here is a sweet gift...
Good Saturday morning. It promises to be a lovely day here in Ottawa. Sun is out and we'll be hitting five degrees C. This is most unusual for the end of November. It sure is nice to see the sun though - this has been...
A snowy weekend ahead, although nothing like the snowy weather they're getting in Buffalo and in areas around Lake Ontario and other big bodies of water. I plan to stay indoors for the most part, turn on the gas fireplace, light a few candles, read...
This apparently is the last above-temperature day for the foreseeable future. I'm kind of sad about that, but it is time for winter weather to start gracing our region. Also time to pull out the weighted blanket and parkas ...
This has been a plodding-away week. I have lots of work to get through and have decided the only way to accomplish anything is to take off little bites and make small gains every day. I haven't progressed with manuscript number three this week. I've decided...
The last weekend in October with my birthday coincidentally falling on Sunday. Ted decided to celebrate the occasion by taking me to a cheap motel in Westport last night to partake of dinner and a show at The Cove, which has a series of singers...
And we've got a gorgeous end-of-autumn weekend happening in the Ottawa Valley. I've already put my garden to sleep for the winter so nothing to do but enjoy the outdoors for the next few days. A couple of things this week. I spent quite a bit...
Good Saturday morning. Ann Shea, owner of Mill Street Books, sent a couple of pics to me from my talk at the Almonte Library last week. Ann bought Mill Street Books a year and a half ago, smack in the middle (or maybe beginning) of the...
This is one of the best weekends of the year in Canada! Autumn colours are peaking and Thanksgiving means families and friends getting together. We're blessed this year to have both girls coming for dinner on Sunday while Ted and I also celebrate our anniversary...
"Man, I miss summer. It's my favourite season," I said to Ted as we sat in the fading sunlight on the back steps, sipping a glass of wine before supper. "You say that every change of seasons. Every season is your favourite season." Do I really say...
Fall has arrived and our lovely summer is officially in the rear view. My first in-person event is coming up next Saturday at the public library in Almonte, and I'm looking forward to seeing some real live people! Here are the details if you'd like...
We're half-way through September, and I'm sad to say goodbye to summer. However, I don't know if I'd like to live in a place without the changing of the seasons. Just embrace the moment, I say! Hampton Park woods, not far from my house last autumn So...
Another gorgeous September morning - it's been sun and warm temperatures in Ottawa all week and difficult to be indoors. Of great note this week, Queen Elizabeth II died two days ago, ending an era that has stretched my lifetime. I remember singing "God Save the...
This means the kids are back in school and autumn is right around the corner! I hope you've had a good summer, done some socializing and travelling now that Covid restrictions have lifted, and enjoyed reading some good books in your lawn chair. I've managed to...
Good Saturday morning. It's another chilly April day and my last post for this season. I'll be back in September! Blind Date received this lovely review in the Glebe Report, so a good entry in this final post. Here are a couple of quotes: "Chapman has spent...
Good Saturday morning, everyone. It's been a quiet week and I've gotten in quite a bit of time at the keyboard, achieving 76,000 words on this latest manuscript. The Blind Date audiobook is also near completion and will be ready to upload to book sites...
Men's world curling on tv and Tiger Woods back at the Masters -- for a rainy week in April, lots to keep us entertained. I managed to get in some writing, approaching 73,000 words. I'm aiming for 80,000 as I always add when the editing and...
This was a good week. A book club in Orleans hosted a virtual meeting with me as guest author on Tuesday afternoon. About fifteen attended and they had some great questions, having chosen Cold Mourning to read although some had read the entire series. It was...
Isn't March zipping along? On Tuesday, I presented a webinar on writing a mystery short story to the Active Jewish Adults 50+ organization, and it appeared to go very well. It's the first time I ever prepared and gave a virtual Powerpoint presentation and took me...
It's a springy weekend in Ottawa although a rainy one. No matter. The snow is melting and the crocuses can't be long from blooming. Okay, a bit early, but tulips are in our near future! Top thing to note is that I'll be at Perfect Books on...