Erin's Journals

Welcome in. We were heavy of heart this weekend, so I’ll let a few pictures – worth, they say, a thousand words – speak for me today, if that’s all right. I’ll be back tomorrow.
 
24 forever, 28 yesterday.
 

 
A visit to our special spot to greet the ducks and – at long last – leave some of Lauren’s ashes…
 

 
…held in the cup of a daffodil’s bloom.
 

 
A 50th birthday party that made us smile and eat cake….
 

 
And instead of a sign from above like a dime, we found a cheque from last fall in Rob’s sport jacket pocket.
 

 
Many dimes, many times over. And the date on the 1000-dime cheque? Colin’s birthday.
 
Have a gentle Monday.
 

I just want to write a thank you to you and everyone who has written to me or posted on my Facebook Page about Mourning Has Broken. Some have taken it on vacation; some – like broadcaster Jerry Howarth, himself an author with Hello Friends having hit bookstands – have written to tell me chapter by chapter how the book has affected them.
 
I even have a friend who lives nearby who lets me know when she spots my book (in which she is personally thanked) around town! That’s how this picture came to be: I saw it in the window at Tanner’s in our nearby town of Sidney, BC on Wednesday. This will never get old, I promise you. I resisted the temptation to go in and ask if I could sign some. This time.
 

 
You know how I feel about you coming here, supporting me in silence and in words, and the kindness that you’ve extended to Rob, to Lauren and her little family and to me over the years. But I got an email last week that made me laugh out loud and I thought it was just a perfect way to wrap up five days that began with a broken heart for those who suffer racism and discrimination, and were peppered with the humour of some stupid things I did (chocolate crotch) or came up with (Clenz menu). This is just perfect. Over to you, Ruth:

I had a funny experience today at the Cobourg Walmart that I must share with you, Erin. I was passing a display and suddenly saw one book – your book – tucked into the top shelf of the display all by itself! It’s not difficult to recognize that cover! I noticed a couple of Walmart ladies walking by and called them over. I said, “Do you know who this lady is?” (pointing to your name) to which they replied, “No.”
 
So I start with your morning hosting at CHFI which they then both acknowledged. I gave them a brief intro to the book and said, “Now it’s a must read so you’ll be able to help promote it! And, by the way,” I went on, “Erin also does promotional writing for Walmart!” That, they did not know. What a great day I had! 

Thank you, Ruth, and to all of the “part-time publicists” who have been advocating for and reviewing my book (at amazon.ca if you’re so inclined) and just helping me out!
 
In the spirit of returning the favour, you may have seen on Facebook or Twitter that I’d like to join your book club if you’re going to be sharing Mourning Has Broken. Let me know and I’ll call in by phone or join by Skype or FaceTime, in case you would like a Q & A or just a chat about the book.
 
It’s truly the very least I can do. And by the way, there are some plans in the works for me to return to the GTA for a couple of events in June, too, but I’ll keep you posted here. Have a terrific first weekend of spring and I’ll be back here with you on Monday. 
 

16 years. As of yesterday – First Day of Spring – that’s how long this journal of mine has been going. I won’t dwell on that any more, except to express to you my sincerest gratitude for coming here, day in and day out, to share what’s on my mind, what I need to get off my chest and even just to click a link now and then – which you just might want to do today with my latest weekly Walmart article about changing your outlook by switching up what you look through. After all, it is a new season and everything.
 
Of course, a new CTV mid-season arrival Jann began last night, too. If you haven’t watched it or PVRed it, do catch it online or on demand. I promise you it’s worth it. We haven’t laughed that long in forever. And we can’t wait until next Wednesday!
 
I felt a little like I was in a sitcom on Tuesday, too; it’s something that Jann could easily have happen to her in an upcoming episode (although I’m sure she and her writers have plenty to mine). And why stuff like this happens to me, I have no idea. Maybe the writing gods are just making sure I never run out of things to tell you here.
 
As you know from Monday’s CLENZ menu journal, Rob was prepping for a colonoscopy. I was honestly in shock to read how many people were doing the exact same thing within a day or two of Rob’s experience.
 
He got through it with flying colours, except that he has to go back in five years instead of ten because his cleanse wasn’t 100% effective. Apparently they want him to start a month before or something (okay, that’s an exaggeration, but I’m sure that’s how it’ll feel to him). That’s all right though: I’m due for one in five years, too, so we can go through the cleanse together, just like Marty Short, Steve Martin and a few other friends do. Or so legend has it.
 
We celebrated his ravenous hunger and seemingly good results by going for Chinese food at a restaurant that’s not in our part of town but got good reviews. And we were not disappointed. Although I think he’d have eaten a rubber sole with hoisin sauce on it, we really did find the place to have great food. So, another win!
 
Where did we not win? When I managed to look like *I* was the one undergoing the cleanse. Picture this:
 
I’m sitting in the sun on a bench, answering a few emails and just feeling a big ol’ dose of spring fever. So content am I that I post an Instagram, Twitter and FB picture of me all zen-like.
 

 
Don’t mind the bush growing out of my hair. And oh yes, the Dollar Tree backdrop gave lots of people a chance to make jokes about where we get our colonoscopies in BC! Fair game, for sure.
 
As I sat grinning happily in the sunshine (so blissful that a woman passing by stopped and said, “That’s a sunshine smile, isn’t it?”) it occurred to me that the only thing that could make the day better would be chocolate. So I gathered up my laptop and book and went into the Dollar Tree and bought some candy coated chocolate Hershey Eggies. I took my bounty to the car and sat in the MINI, top open, listening to my pal and birthday girl Susan Knight on the radio and just enjoying the perfection of the day.
 
When I got the call to go in and collect my sedated husband, I locked my stuff in the trunk and headed into the clinic. I checked in with the receptionist, then excused myself to go to the ladies’ room. It wasn’t until I was on my way to wash my hands that I looked down and gasped: it was a huge brown splotch from the top of one leg and spread across to the top of the other, right in my (as Archie Bunker would call it) “groanal area.” It looked as if I was wearing a diaper inside-out, except that, instead of brown on white, I had the good fortune to be wearing black capri pants.
 
As I hurriedly took a wet paper towel to the sticky mess, I wondered if the receptionist had even noticed when I checked in, and if so, whether she’d ascertained that I was indeed smeared in chocolate. I’d have been able to explain that I’d dropped the insides of a chocolate egg on my lap in the sun, had I just had a chance.…
 
Honestly, even in his sedated state, Rob had to laugh at me. Here he was the one who’d spent practically hours in the bathroom over the previous 36 or so…and yet I was the one who looked like I’d had an accident.
 
It’s a wonder Rob takes me anywhere – sedated or not. Have a wonderful day and I’ll be back with you to wrap up the week tomorrow.