Sunday, November 21, 2010

a tiny bit of snow

Last night, what a treat - Marilyn took me to the ballet. "Everything/was beautiful/at the ballet," goes the song from "Chorus Line," and it couldn't have been more beautiful, this production of "Cinderella," with music by Prokofiev, put on by the National Ballet with panache and a great deal of humour. Sets, costumes, dancers and especially that glorious music. How do those people do what they do with their bodies? Legs up to there, leaps, twirls, extensions, jumps ... Utter delight. Especially, as my neighbours Jean-Marc and Richard, whom I ran into there, pointed out, the handsome Prince and all his tight-wearing friends. Delicious.

I've just had an email from dear friend Penny, in Sheffield. I'd sent her my blog book, in which she plays a significant part, and here, in the "blowing own horn" department, is what she just wrote:

I have read and reread your words and am now tracking the days with the calendar - two years behind time. 20th November 2008 - Excellence from the snow zone.

"... that first snowfall was beautiful this morning as it always is, the icing sliding along the trees and piled on the last hanging baskets outside - the cold kiss of death."

I shiver for more reasons than the chill wind of the coming winter.

You give your readers a tantalising glimpse of your life and your mind - slipping from the moment to the memory, from your reading to reflection. The everyday sits beside the events of the century, and your friends and family stroll casually through the rich story of your world.

Always nice to hear that someone besides my mother has enjoyed the book. It's cold, and the dark days are closing in; this morning, I pushed back the bedroom curtains to see the first swirls of snow. That wonderful feeling, lying warm in bed looking at the icy wind shoving at the trees outside. But the flakes vanished immediately, not like November 2008.

BUSINESS: My basement apartment is available for rent January 1. Please keep it in mind if you hear of an extremely nice person who needs an extremely nice place to live in downtown Toronto.

I hope you are warm and dry, in a very nice place of your own.

1 comment:

  1. Pretty good post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I have really enjoyed reading your blog posts.Any way Ill be subscribing to your feed and I hope you post again soon.

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