Free fall and I don't even mean writing

As you approach the Niagara Falls Freefall Indoor Activity Centre, you hear the roar of a jetplane engine. The blue and red figure floating on the tower looks vaguely like Superman, a hero from my youth. The other part of the building is a triangle made of glass triangles.

Now I don't feel like a superhero. In fact some of my joints ache and the warning poster inside says people with injuries, sprains, fractures and SORE JOINTS shouldn't participate.

I ignore it for my craft.

I hand over my Visa and get talked into adding the video, it's only $15 perhaps I can extract bits for a powerpoint presentation on writing the book. Then I head into the brightly lit classroom with the television at the front. Imagine, the tv is a teacher. The video demonstrates hand symbols and body positioning. As quickly as they're mentioned, I forget them and feel nervous that I should quit. Each student must demonstrate the correct posture lying across an ottoman. How much more stupid can I feel.

Then we sign the waiver. Those forms are the scariest part of this adventure as they keep mentioning death. How can anyone die bouncing of cushiony walls?

I could probably find a way.

Next we suit up in huge parachutey jump suits, helmets and goggles. We're given earplugs to mold and insert. All set?

Into the wind tunnel we go and position ourselves along the bumper of the round room.

The jet engine roars louder and louder.

We have a coach in the centre and he guides us, one by one, into the air. Me last, thankfully. You can't tell how high you're floating or whether the coach is holding on to your jumpsuit but watching the others, he never seemed to let go.

So you kind of jump up and stretch your arms out, bending your knees and lets up. You float bellydown. The wind from the engine inflates the parachute like suit and you look like a marshmallow person. (I only saw this in the photo after) The sensation is much like the one you get blowdrying your hands in those highpower dryers in the Go Station and in the washrooms on the 401 leading to Montreal. You know the ones that kind of look like they're blowing your skin off?

This sensation is mainly directed at your face and as I was grinning (from the sheer stupidity and embarassment) my lips were being blown back and I felt my spit leaving my mouth.

How did I feel doing it? I felt like the master of my universe, conquering all fears. Everyone should tackle something that scares them, it makes you stronger.

Indoor Skydiving--Part of the writing process

Because my main character Jade in Death on Youtube makes a list of ten things she has to do or achieve before she dies (a second time, she's on a two week replay) I felt I had to try something she would do in order to write the scene authentically.

In the late part of 2009 I visited classrooms for three weeks at both Canadian Martyrs School and Brant Hills School and as part of writing workshops asked them to tell me what they'd most want to do if they only had two weeks to live and couldn't really tell anyone, exactly as my character's circumstances dictated. Of course some of their suggestions will appear in the story. However, one thing that repeatedly came up which kids under 18 are not allowed to do is skydiving. Not even with parental consent.

Happenchance, while catching up one clips of one of my favourite shows: Rick Mercer, I noticed he went indoor skydiving at Niagara Falls. I quickly googled and found that even 7 year olds can skydive, provided they have a parent on site who signs insurance waivers and consent forms.

So I debated: this is expensive, I've already broken my wrist once rollerblading, the orthepedic surgeon will really freak if I come back after indoor skydiving. I posted my query on facebook and found the response leaned towards yes. So today off I went.

Best Christmas Card of all--from Beauty

I liked all the Christmas cards I received. Friends are another of the treasures of life. But feeling that you've made a difference is probably the most exciting aspect of being a writer. It's not always reflected in royalties, reviews or awards. This Christmas card made me feel as though I have contributed significantly to Canadian children's literature. So I want to post it here, in case I lose the actual physical photo. Samantha read Bringing Up Beauty in grade 4. Now she's at U of Guelph and works part time at Canine Vision Canada. She fosters many dogs but a couple of months ago she told me she was finally raising a chocolate Lab that she named Beauty after the two dogs in Bringing Up Beauty, A Different Kind of Beauty and Beauty Returns. I feel honoured.

The Best of Christmas

The presents weren't the highlight of Christmas. I guess they never are. Enjoying the Spencer Smith Park lights are a tradition. Going to Hunter's Teddy Bear Concert is another. We took William and Jadzia to the free train in Gore Park, downtown Hamilton. Previous years it was Hunter. We liked taking him to the movie A Christmas Carol, in 3d. A new event was celebrating Jadzia's birthday, her first, a delayed event that took place on Boxing Day instead of her actual birthday on Christmas. The best part of Christmas was family for sure.

Harry Potter at the Science Centre--writing and its perks

Hunter appreciates the perks of the writing career. He told me how lucky we were when we attended the press release for the new Harry Potter exhibit coming to the Ontario Science Centre in April. You can see the television cameras lined up in the back for the sneak preview.

An owl delivered the message, smoke rose and the flying car appeared in the background.

Best was that we saw the Body show after which I had missed the press date for as I was teaching in Brant Hills School at the time. I fell asleep during my favourite star show in the planetarium, Hunter nudging me when I snored. He slept all through the drive home. Happily it was easy for me to stay awake. I have to agree with Hunter, being a writer is the best job in the world.

Leading up to Christmas

The holiday season began with a field trip to the Royal Botanical Garden in Burlington/Hamilton to get photos for the magazine. Jadzia and William enjoyed the outing among palm trees, koi fish and other exotic flora and fauna. Later in the month, we took a horse drawn wagon ride in the rain through Burlington and bought most of our gifts in the small, uncrowded, downtown shops that wrapped for us. Snow would have been nicer but it was still fun and free except for the shopping.

Death on Youtube

Lately, I've been feeling quite mellow and it has to do with the novel I'm working on.

Death on Youtube is about a girl who dies and has the clock turned back so that she can re experience her last 14 days, only with a difference.

Through her eyes, I see, hear, smell and feel things with a new intensity. Everything she experiences could be her last time. So she notices the pigeons nesting in the corner of the underpass for example. She watches the sunset and looks for shooting stars. (It's late August)

In honour of my character, 14 year old Jade, I'm posting my list of things I like to do:

Chat on the phone with a friend.

Walk my dog early in the morning.

Watch Youtubes of other people's pets doing crazy things or just being cute.

Look at the water (Lake Ontario from my deck) in the distance.

Drive along Lakeshore and see expanses of the water close up.

See boats and lighthouses.

Drink coffee and read the newspaper in the morning.

Read a book, anytime, anyplace.

Boil up something with brown sugar in it. I like to smell it and watch the bubbles break.

These are some of the more solitary experiences. I'll add to this list as the more social things come up, like visiting with my grandchildren.

Daringly Disheveled Office

Somewhere in this mess, my car keys might be buried. However, this is the way the office looked after I straightened for awhile and no key turned up. And I cleaned a hall closet and a laundry room and checked all my pockets. Emptied my purse. Checked in the washer and dryer. Dreamt they were stuck in a binder, but no.

So I paid $375 to have a new set "programmed". They don't even come with a remote box, sigh. Then there were the new winter tires, replacing the brakes, the tail lightbulb, the windshield wiper that smeared. The total bill was $1,600. Nobody better complain books are expensive to me. Or even author visits. After all, I need keys, a tail light, brakes and a clean windshield to get to them.

I'm now afraid to clean the rest of the office in case they turn up. They would need to be re-programmed you see.

Sunrise

A new morning that looks way better in real life than in photos. The sky looked a bit darker and the pinks and oranges more fiery.

Goodbye Radium, Hello North Battleford

The reasons I love Radium Hot Springs, are the scenery, the big horned sheep and of course the springs. In North Battleford, the business of my journey began. But first the hotel gave us money to gamble and the casino gave us cash to gamble. I was tired and needed to prepare so only gambled $5, thereby making a profit of $15. Next day the hotel gave us each another $10 for the casino. We only gambled $5. Those slot machines just don't hook me at all. I figure we won $30 all totaled by not playing further. A wonderful restaurant attached to the casino served us bison steak and spinach salad. Great prices. Another score.

Driving at dawn towards the school, I saw a huge bull moose dash across the highway. Beautiful! No time for a photo. The sun rising behind me turned all the wheat to gold and the frost tinged scrub to silver. Almost the best part of the day.

I didn't impress the grade elevens of Turtleford Community School much. I hope the grade twelves learned something at least. You can't really force someone to write and I feel so sorry for them when they won't even pick up their pencils or pens. How sad that they will never know the power, the magic and the fulfillment.

Big Horn Sheep and Lussier Hot Springs

We decided to take the hotel manager's advice and drive up a steep logging road, White Swan Park, and find a natural hot springs. (free) Cattle drifted onto this gravel pathway around a cliff and deer scampered across. Pine trees blanketed the hills as far as the eye could see. If you weren't gripping the handle of the car door or biting your nails, the scenery dazzled you.

the end was a pool of sulphur smelling water among the rocks along side a fast running stream way hotter than the regular commercial hotsprings at Radium. Nothing aches when you soak in a hot springs. You can't feel stress while you're floating.

One of the reasons I chose Radium as our holiday base was the abundance of Big horn sheep. The animals you see gamboled along just outside our hotel. We hiked along a trail beside them.

Working Vacation

Right now we're in Chateau Europe which has this lovely view from the balcony. We're waiting for the manager to bring us our restaurant certificate for the Saltzberg. We're also heading for the hot springs before our dinner. A few blocks away a herd of curly horned sheep ran along side us on the highway. Yesterday we enjoyed turkey dinner at Heritage Place, a historic village in Calgary. We took a cold steamer boat ride through ice--it's the last ride of the season-- and hitched a train tour. Don't you just love those old black locomotives that belch smoke out in huge clouds? Something romantic about them.

My new favourite school: Canadian Martyrs

This week I'm visiting two grade 5 classes at Canadian Martyrs School in Burlington, one in the morning one in the afternoon. These pictures are of my morning bunch as they write character sketches on their stuffed animals. What I love about the students is whether they like writing or not they just seem to get right at it with enthusiasm and a gusto for learning. Makes my job fun. I fel lucky this week.

Sandcastle Contest

Just for the record

this was the winning sandcastle

but all of them were fabulous.

I just like digging holes and watching them fill with water.

The summer went by so quickly

It's now almost October

and I haven't said anything about my great summer. Camping in the rain turned out to be one highlight. Lots of hiking with all of my current grandchildren. (There's a new baby coming in April. ) Great roasted marshmallows and Polish Sausages. One canoe ride in thunder and lightning--next morning we paddled in almost not rain. These two shots should be in reverse order the keen on the roaders at the beginning and then the pals sleeping on top of each other later. Other highlights were cottaging with friends and watching shooting stars, judging the Burlington Sandcastle Competition again, swimming on Labour Day Weekend--it finally stopped raining, and taking part of Telling Tales Story Festival in Westfield Village. I refuse to believe summer's over so there may be more posts mixed in with my school visit to Canadian Martyrs.

Celebrating 142 years of Canada

Fireworks are such a glorious celebration. It's difficult not to forget yourself and enjoy them.

For Canada Day we met up with friends and walked to Spencer Smith Park.  With the rain spitting down, it seemed as though the evening might be a bust.  But instead, the clouds cleared and accompanied by such songs as "What a wonderful world," the colours and lights exploded against the sky.  What an inspirational spectacle of exileration. 

Gone to Soon

Here's my young looking boss and friend Tiziana Buttignol holding her grandson.  I told her she looked like a filmstar breezing into Toronto for the festival.  Although I've worked for her five years, most of our communication is by email.

Not surprising, I suppose, that I learned via email of her death Monday June 29.  A heart attack should only happen to overweight smokers or 92 year olds who have no one to look after them. It's not fair.

And I still catch myself going to email her with ideas or articles I've seen that maybe could translate into a piece for our magazine.  Her emails seem so alive to me.

Now the rest of us have the most difficult job of putting out an issue without her at the helm. 

Sean Cassidy comes to Bruce T. Lindley School

Thursday, June 18 Sean Cassidy came to my local school where Hunter attends grade 2.  We were pretty excited since we love Gummy Toes and Sometimes it's Good to be Small.  We also love his art in Wake up Henry and especially Hannah Bear's Christmas.  Not knowing his schedule, I einvited him for lunch.  Lots of times, authors and illustrators have to drive straight off to avoid the rush hour crush. But we were lucky.  I also attended the "readings" which were more  interactive drawing and reading motivational talks for the young and restless.  I loved how the kids got right into it, bums in the air, tongues hanging out in concentration.  My photos don't quite capture their enthusiasm and total absorption.  I drew too and that was fun.  Sean taught us all to draw expressions, happy, sad, angry and then by mixing up happy mouths with angry eyes to show other moods.

Although I always enjoy author or illlustrator talks, I really didn't expect to have so much fun.  

Snakes and lizards Ontario Science Centre

Today we were excited to attend the press sneak preview of the Snakes and Lizards exhibit at the Ontario Centre.  It was baby Jadzia's first visit and she liked the Sparks section especially the baby portion with the blocks.

The we went to Budha Dog for Today's Parent Toronto.  We love hot dogs and this was a sufficiently different kind of place, very eco and local produce.  Our conscience was fine eating 10 of the suckers.  Afterwards we had Polish pastries and William totally got into his cupcake.

Mustang Mortie

When we first got Mortie, he hated car rides.  He got over his fear to some extent on our road trip to New Brunswick.  This year he's really enjoying the breeze through his fur in the Mustang with the top down.

Ride Mortie, Ride.