Cherry Blossoms

I joined May (next door) at her table for lunch today because it was her first trip to the dining room after her surgery. I will revert to my table tomorrow as I like to read.
I had taken a book by Paul St.Pierre.
I enjoyed knowing Paul. he ran a session in the college on creative writing. He would take no idleness or slackness. He didn't waste time being kind, it was always straight to the point. I sensed he was doing it under duress, he was getting older and trying to get his next book published. He had his stories made into film for television so I guessed it was hard to prove yourself yet again - I don't know. But his eyes twinkled when I parried with him - he liked a fight.
He ran a second session and I signed up again. You don't come across someone like him often and I gulped down his special phrases which seemed to me to be like sunbeams of understanding what good writing is about.
I was surprised he was repeating much of the first session. "Why are you taking the easy way?" I asked. But he introduced other factors and after all, those classes are about what the students bring into them. They were good with their writing too.
He phoned me afterwards in the summer and said, "My friend has a large house in the Chilcotin with dogs and a cat. He's going away for four months would you like to stay there and write the great Canadian novel?" Well I asked Willy if he'd join me and he wouldn't so I wasn't brave enough to do it on my own. I know I missed a good chance to learn about the country and yes - I might have written a small novel - don't professional writers go somewhere peaceful and write?
But with big dogs around it wouldn't have been peaceful for me!!!


Just had a visit from six Bible college girls who come to Carrington to volunteer for jobs here. One of them came one day to talk to me about painting and writing so now they all come. I tell them everything I can.
One question was "How is it that my grandmother can't use a cell phone and you are on a blog. What makes you so modern in your ways and work?"
I've always strived to be contemporary and be in todays world. Modern art started over one hundred years ago and still people hang on to what was painted before that time.


Brenda phoned from Vancouver - she sounded strong.


I'm changing into my painting togs and will attack the red painting. Chinese Year of the Horse sings in my ears  I don't know why.


signed - The girl who didn't write the great Canadian novel - Doris