My new book “Midlife Solo” will be published by Mosaic Press later this year. Stay tuned!

Beth Kaplan logo

The Bruce McMouse Show at 20 below

Bitter cold outside. I’m sitting in the unbelievable jumble of my office, until yesterday the desk covered with tablecloths to keep off the dust, which is all over the floor. So much for needing tidy tranquillity to work. What I do need, though, is the heater blasting at my feet. It’s cold in here too.

Seven more weeks until we’re done here, they say.

The bird feeder is full. That’s my most important job – to keep the birds alive till spring.

You’ll laugh at me. Yesterday I went to an important cultural event, a special one-time only screening of The Bruce McMouse Show, a goofy film made from clips of live concerts of Paul McCartney and Wings in the early seventies, with a bit of animation, the McMouse stuff, added. My young friend Holly came with me, and we met Jessica there, a friend of Anna’s, one of the few people I know as mad about Macca as I am, and she’s 32! Yay! The film was silly fun, the music was fabulous, and the fashion was insane – mullets, overalls, hideous clumpy two-toned shoes, pants ending three inches above the ankles – even Macca couldn’t carry off those looks. But the music! Maybe I’m amazed.

Went to visit Anna and family on Sunday, where little Ben found he could fit in one of their laundry hampers. Then Eli and I came back here for Beer Batter fish and chips, two of the only things he eats.

As I was leaving Anna’s later, after bringing Eli home, a woman and her young son were arriving to spend the night. Anna told me in passing that the woman’s husband is abusive, she and her son have to find a new place to live, and so will be sleeping at Anna’s for now. In her crowded two-bedroom apartment, my daughter made this distressed family welcome. She’d be embarrassed and even angry if she knew I’m telling you this, but she has never read my blog and never will, so she won’t know. As I’ve written, she is far to the left of me, and we argue about various issues, especially pipelines. But she doesn’t just talk the talk, she lives her principles. My dad, a left-wing political animal who spent his life fighting for his principles, would be very proud of her fierce spirit, her huge heart and kindness. As am I.

Want to share with you another great richness: my Holds list at my local library. At some point, these luscious books will arrive and be mine for 3 whole weeks. Does life get better than that?

Hay, Elizabeth, 1951- author.
Book
#85 of 283
(68 copies)
13 Nov 2020
ACTIVE
Cover image of The art of the wasted day
Hampl, Patricia, 1946- author.
Book
#10 of 10
(12 copies)
21 Jan 2021
ACTIVE
Cover image of Dear Evelyn
Page, Kathy, 1958- author.
Book
#184 of 360
(70 copies)
2 Dec 2020
ACTIVE
Cover image of How to live : or, A life of Montaigne in one question and twenty attempts at an answer
Bakewell, Sarah.
Book
#7 of 7
(6 copies)
21 Jan 2021
ACTIVE
Cover image of Human voices
Fitzgerald, Penelope.
Book
#5 of 35
(5 copies)
8 Oct 2020
ACTIVE
Cover image of Kitchen yarns : notes on life, love, and food
Hood, Ann, 1956- author.
Book
#34 of 66
(14 copies)
6 Jan 2021
ACTIVE
Cover image of Normal People
Rooney, Sally

Share

Share
Tweet
Share
Pin

2 Responses to “The Bruce McMouse Show at 20 below”

  1. theresa says:

    I LOVE Patricia Hampl, though I haven't read that one. Blue Arabesque is sublime. And I received the Hay for my birthday. It is so beautiful and somehow generous.

  2. beth says:

    Looking forward to reading these eventually – though there's also the toppling pile stacked up, piano height, in my living room. How to do it all? Just went to hear the writer Esi Edugyan and her editors – she's young, has two small children and two Gillers! She spoke about how very much reading she does for research before writing. How is that possible?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

About Beth

I began keeping a journal at the age of nine. Nearly fifty years later, I started this online journal, sharing reflections, reviews, updates, and the occasional secret.

Some Blogs I Follow

Chris Walks
This blog evolves. It once was about travels. Now it’s a reason to be at the keyboard that I value.

Theresa Kishkan
Theresa Kishkan is a writer living on the Sechelt Peninsula on the west coast of Canada.

Juliet in Paris
I came to Paris in the 1990s. Decades later I’m still here. Come with me while I roam the city, the country, and beyond.

Walking Woman
I walk on. With my feet, and in my mind as well.

Carrie Snyder
Wherever you’ve come from, wherever you’re going, consider this space a place for reflection and pause.

Archives

Coming soon

A new book by Beth Kaplan, published by Mosaic Press – “Midlife Solo”

Join the mailing list to stay up to date on this and other exciting news.

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.