Crazy busy. Spent five hours yesterday editing a manuscript with more to go on this one and another big one in the wings. Tonight an hour-long Word on the Street Zoom webinar, a hundred people registered which means 25 will actually appear. A houseguest is here all this week. My son is in the middle of another nightmare: a bedbug infestation, this on top of the cockroaches he already battles, and in the middle of the worst heatwave of the summer, so moral support is needed — life in Parkdale is not fun and games. He has the worst luck!
And Friday Annie and I are driving to Ruth’s cottage in Muskoka for four heavenly days, which means house-sitters, cat-sitters, and waterers to arrange. Maybe Sam will stay here and escape for a bit.
Happy summer to you too.
Friday afternoon Annie and I stood at Bloor and Yonge with the Women in Black; Michele Landsberg has organized the Toronto chapter of women who dress in black and attend a silent vigil to protest the genocide in Gaza. There were at least 100 women, although as someone laughed, asking 100 women to be silent is a non-starter. There was much talk. But a great seriousness of purpose.
Started watching Bill Maher as usual on Friday night and had to turn him off almost immediately; he had on the insufferable Dr. Phil. Maher as I’ve said before is insufferable himself about Israel and medical science, but he does have on really interesting people and often makes great sense himself. Last week his rant was about the insanity we are having to witness, day after day, from the Trumpers, and how to “triage your outrage.” Pick your battles, because if you react to it all, you’ll go mad. Good advice.
On Saturday, to the Council Fire powwow at Regent Park, where my daughter was working with her colleagues. It’s wonderful to see the drumming, jingle dresses, and dancing, especially small children in full regalia. 
And then to Toronto Lynn’s, for a swim in her heavenly lagoon and dinner with her and Nick, our summer ritual.
Sunday I went to see Pride and Prejudice (sort of) which has had rave reviews and won awards. It sounded interesting and fun – the story of P and P told by the female servants in the Bennett household. It’s the British production and I wanted to see what was winning prizes in London. Well, call me a stick-in-the-mud; I left at intermission. There were some genuinely funny things — Mr. Bennett was played by a wingback chair and a newspaper — and lively and talented performers, but mostly it was frantic and fraught and just too much was not clever or pointed, just silly. Mostly, I knew I’d dislike it when from the start, Elizabeth was played as a flighty, giggly teenager. You do not mess with Elizabeth Bennett.
Had to go to Rogers yesterday, long story, which means I do not have a television for the next few days. No Law and Order! Will survive. Loved this sign in the shop, O Canada. 
Terrifying news from Newfoundland, raging wildfires on the Avalon Peninsula not far from where I stayed with Kathy. Fingers crossed it does not spread.
And finally, Holly sent some pictures from my birthday, including one of me dishing out the best cake ever, dark chocolate mousse. I dislike being photographed so there are few pix of me, but still, I’m grateful occasionally people snap a tolerable one.
I will try to avoid the newspapers during our idyll with Ruthie, although we are all news junkies. I will suggest we triage our outrage and put it away for a bit. Eat peaches and corn and swim, relishing the heat, which will soon vanish.
As will we.
