The proofs arrived from WestCan!



Jaz and I had made a Computer Central with our side-by-side laptops on the dining room table. Both of us, working on the invitation when Stacey pounded on the door with the proofs in her hand. I hugged her and we ripped into the plastic and pored over full colour pages. A thin book, faded images (only a proof) but even so, the impact of it made me cry.



It’s so beautiful! Jaz had worked so hard and for so long to bring us this combination of images, typeface, copy and . . . white space. A summary of the struggle and the sublime. Our work for The Cultural Olympiad in Italy. The dedication alone was enough to send me (already hyped by the holidays and goodwill from the Inniskillin duo) over the top. But here it is, Gord’s simple words:

To Mary Gordon McLellan, who always knew it would be painting.

Here Gord refers back to a conversation I had with his mother, years ago, when Gord was doing . . . what? He’s done so many things, and each thing well: a director, dramaturge, playwright, Production Designer, screenwriter. He's created drawings and paintings, both abstract and figurative. I remember her saying to me, “Gord will go back to painting.” And I remember thinking, "she knows her son, a mother knows.”

There it was, those simple words, years after she died, across the white page.



So yesterday, Mary Gordon McLellan's grandson and I spent the whole day at the Gallery House, proofing the copy, making arrangments for the invitation printing, confirming press release details, importing logos, dealing with Rogers Wireless again. (It turns out Rogers assigned the new local number to my son’s phone! We have a framily plan and they became confused. We had to take the sim card out of my phone and put it into Jaz’s phone!!! But I digress).

Our Winter Solstice celebration began when JC got home and started fixing up the house. He’d been to the store and came back with party stuff which he put out, like the ex-restraunteur he is.



Jaz and Erik picked up the fully cooked turkey (complete with stuffing, mashed potatoes & roast potatoes). I fixed salad and veggies. They brought poinsettias and a box of Inniskillin wines! After a great meal a spicy shiraz, a chilled reisling and dessert, Stacey stood up to be the Santa. She handed each of us a large bag and instructed us to open it all up at once.



Wow! Look at what they gave us! Here we are, all suited up in Inniskillin outfits.

Today we managed to get away to play old timer's hockey. Yesterday it was Shinny again with the FAST guys. Jeff set me up for a shot on goal. Gordie held his own, but Andy said it's so fast he's worried about me. Then today, the Old Timer's was like slo mo -- but much more relaxed. Here they are: I've turned my back.



Now, so as you won’t be thinking we’re in the “mice will play” portion of this trip, I want you to know: we have colour!

It's dusk in Niagara on the Lake. Five days before Christmas. Warmish but windy, an ex-sunny day. I wish the snow was here.



The guys are back at The Shaw in the new white tent, ready to turn on the ice making machine and roll out the first 'real' ice since we got here. Here's 'The Don' wrestling with the new copper piping -- this element is the newest addition to his design.



I just read the website of Winter City Fest (http://www.toronto.ca/special_events/cavalcade_lights/events.htm) (click under Amex Ice Gallery). I'm pumped. They did a great job! Here, Debi's press release goes out tomorrow, can't wait to see the rack card.

I'm alone in the lobby of the Pillar and Post; it seems more like a room at Santa's Workshop. It's easy to imagine that around the corner, the chatter I hear comes from elves and Mrs. Claus. I'm practically suffocated here by boughs of red and evergreen, wreaths with ribbons and white lights, gold stars, shiny ornaments, poinsettias, even the smell of cinnamon and cloves -- in every nook and cranny.



Do you hear what I hear? "Pretty Paper, pretty ribbons . . ."

I've got to complain, but I'll be quick and you'll relate: Today Rogers Wireless kept me on hold for twenty minutes, only to hang up on me - twice, and after the 4th call over the same thing: my phone still doesn't work. RRRrrrrrrrgggggh! No one offers any discounts, but the worst part is -- they know my phone isn't working, why do I have to call them four times and ride herd while they try to fix it? I've got work to do!! Why can't they just #$%^^&& fix it? NOT a good use of cell phone! "Have a holly, jolly Christmas . . . ." right, Rogers!



Good news: the place we're staying is not haunted. It's a heritage house, red brick on the outside, spacious with lots of common areas, renovated floors in kitchen and bathrooms. Beautiful Chinese porcelain lamps in every room. Last night Jaz worked on the invitation into ten-ish hours, and we all gathered around the dining room table, helping him tweak.

NO HOCKEY TODAY! Gord pulled his back out and had to lie down. SO! disappointed!



And to balance that complaint, I want to say a big 'THANK YOU' to some people back home who have helped us. First, Roger Handling. World class designer and artist whom we've known since before we moved to the Sunshine Coast -- he's been consulting on the design of the catalogue for the Pitture Sotto Zero installation at the Cultural Olympiad of the 2006 Olympic Winter Games. And we get the proofs tomorrow!! Also Kera McHugh, who owns Wild Bistro & Bakery in Gibsons -- she's agreed to dust the flour off her hands to help me add a Who's Who on this blog. She's been a key player for me in all my web dreams, so I want to give Roger and Kera -- from all of us -- a big hug!!



Now it's Karen Carpenter, "in my dreams, I'm Christmasing with you . . . "

I've got to share a note we received from Alessandra -- remember our Italian 'Principessa'? What I love about it is: it sounds just like her, in her lovely accent! That's her in purple in the front:



HI CAITLIN!!!!!HOW ARE YOU? DO YOU REMEMBER OF ME?
I'M VERY WELL AND FROM 02 OCTOBER I WORK IN TORINO TO "REGIONE PIEMONTE" I LIKE IT.
I LOOK THE PICTURES IN YOUR BLOG ABOUT "PAINTING BELOW ZERO IN ONTARIO" AND SOMETIMES I READ YOUR DIARY (IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME).
CHRISTMAS IS NEAR AND I MUST BUY ALL PRESENTS FOR MY FRIENDS BAT I HAVEM'T NOT IDEA WHAT TO BUY......IT'S TOO EXPASIVE AND NOT USEFUL.
I SEE JAZ AND ERIC TOGETHER AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I HOPE YOU ARE FINE AND NOW I BACK TO MY WORK!!!!!!!!!!!

CIAO UN ABBRACCIO TO JAZ, MR.GORDON, ERIC AND ALL YOUR TEAM.

GOOD LUK!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ALESSANDRA

Hockey in Niagara on the Lake! Yesterday we slipped out for a shinny lunchtime game. First off the ice and heaving from the effort and over-the-top-adrenalin, I thought: this is FAST hockey! My once per week lunchtime duffer league was left in the snow these guys carved off the ice with their blades, and I said, "Self, if you are lucky enough to go regularly here, your game will imPROVE." As we stripped off our skates afterwards, even Gord said there were some ringers out there. I met Jeff, who said he played in the WHL in the early days. We go back Wednesday. I managed to connect a couple times with the sponge puck -- one shot on goal and a few passes. Hope springs eternal . . .

Debi and Stacey of Inniskillin, what can I say about them? The Daring Duo. Batman & Robin. Christo & Jeanne Claude. Zorro & Tonto. A team of two.



Between rack cards and press releases; scheduling, delivery and schmoozing, these two gals are a team to be reckoned with. Today Debi brought a ceramic Christmas tree with blue lights over to the house, before our 8:30 AM meeting and they're both coming over for turkey dinner on Thursday. But wait -- they've arranged to have the turkey cooked - stuffing and all - by a chef at the Pillar & Post!!

Here's Pascale in our midst, after the quiche.



Yesterday she made a super special meal and every agreed it was 'the best quiche they ever had in their lives'. Jaz went on to say that the moment he was tasting it was 'the best moment of his life' but we reasoned with him. So that's what the wine and good company do - you just gotta "yes-and" til the cows come home. Today the tent goes up and Jaz works on the invitations. I'll be locked up in the interrogation room at the Prince of Wales. Rogers Wireless gave me a new (local) number, but it doesn't work!! Agggggh

Up early Sunday to drive Bosco to the train station in Niagara Falls. A check at the Shaw site revealed all systems down. A plastic bag had caught against the ventilation on the compressor and shut the system off. That and the warm weather conspired to melt the first ice we were so joyous at having created. Good that it happened now. JC and Bosco are working on getting it back up; Bosco's going to miss his train.



It's Sunday, our day off and we're supposed to go skating. JC's got a sore throat. Things were just going a bit too swimmingly.

Saturday night Debi Pratt hosted a dinner at her cottage by the lake and we met Paul Ziraldo (Donald's younger brother), and his lady, Dana.



Jaz stayed at the apartment above the storefront to finish his final exam. When we said our goodnight-goodbyes, Dana had agreed to skate and learn to play hockey! We're going to rent the rink for a Christmas shinny game with, hopefully, Gord's brothers from Mississagua and Ottawa, and the cousins, and other interested takers.

We missed attending the Cinematheque (it's a bit early for press appearances) but Debi introduced the project anyway to the audience gathered. Over smoked salmon, cold chicken, trout, salad and several excellent bottles of Inniskillin wines,



we heard about how many degrees "it" ("it" being the temperature, grace a Mother Nature) has to be in order for anyone to be able to call wine Ice Wine. Grapes must be harvested at minus 8 degrees; an inspector comes down to the winery to verify during the harvest. Minus seven won't do, and artificial cold won't do.

So there are more parallels to this wine and our work, whose process is freezing and melting. Warm winters in Ontario (where minus 8 isn't usually a problem), and then what about Ice Wine? Debi says that "it" won't affect the industry for another 40 years. ("It" being global warming). But who really knows these things? We're all so inter-connected and at the mercy of a world so much bigger and so much smaller than we can even begin to see. In the meantime, drink up, we're only here for a short time, and the Ice Wine is very very good.



Here it is, that's ice on the copper pipes again and the show is on the road. (These are the new 'elements' Gord is adding to the design -- can't wait 'til he gets colour on those!) Monday, we are going to TRY to play some hockey at lunch! Pascale (our lighting designer) is here, her Quebecoise french is so great to listen to, and I got a chance to bavarder en francais. She's going to fix quiche tonight. Debi and Stacey and I plot & schedule at Inniskillin cette apres midi.