en route encore

Limboland - Toronto International Airport, Gate 71, a scattering of mostly silent people in this vast echoey canyon, reading, sitting at their laptops, preparing for this exciting journey. I've made it this far. Finally finished the endless lists at home - I think - said goodbye to the Belgians and Mewmew, and took everything in my fridge to Anna's, to have some dinner, kiss her belly more times, and depart. Ah, I hear Parisian French going by. Quelle vie.

Had a last talk with Barbara, my editor, this afternoon - and as much as I could take in, she wasn't saying rewrite from the beginning, she was saying, take what's there and make it bigger and better. Oui madame, I said. Pas de probleme. Just get me out of here so I can regain my brain.

The nice lady in the ticketing line at the airport pointed out that my bag weighs 60 pounds. Yes. And most of it, I hasten to assure you, is gifts, or things I am carrying for others - the woman who's lending me her apartment for 2 nights in Lyon gave me at least 10 pounds of books to carry for her. I will unload a great deal in Montpellier, too, stuff for my friends there. I just have to get the 60 pound bag, plus my backpack with computer and 9 "New Yorkers" and a "Creative Non-Fiction" magazine - a very heavy magazine, I now note - from Charles de Gaulle onto the metro into Paris, down the Boulevard Port Royal to the little hotel for the night, then to the Gare de Lyon and onto the train and from the train in Montpellier through the streets to Lynn's house, and then up her stairs.

Pas de probleme, Madame. This is what I go to the Y for. Still, pray for my biceps. The nice lady didn't charge me for the 10 extra pounds. Then we discussed my impending grandmother-dom. We bonded.

It was such a beautiful day here, achingly beautiful - my lilac is in bud already, everyone was out clearing away winter debris, and I was rushing about cleaning out fridges. I do think at these times that travelling is madness. But perhaps when I survey Paris tomorrow morning, I will not feel the same way. Though the weather there tomorrow is 3 degrees in the morning and 11 in the afternoon, whereas Toronto is soon going up to 24, apparently. Bizarre.

I look forward to taking you with me on this journey. Sharing it with you is like travelling with a huge group of friends. And yet I don't have to worry about your food allergies or getting you to the station on time. Stay tuned, my friends. We're off.

P.S. It does say on my boarding pass, boarding at 8.15, and it's 8.20 and there isn't even anyone at the desk. However. THERE'S NO FOG.