By
BETH HARRIS, Associated Press Writer
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (AP) - There are no
screaming fans, shows to perform or awards to accept in Celine Dion's new life.
And she loves it.
``You don't know how happy I am,'' she said. ``It's wonderful.''
After a decade of having record sales in the millions and appearing everywhere, Dion began a two-year hiatus from her singing career in January.
``I'm going to become a professional golfer,'' she joked. ``It's a game that drives me crazy, but it's a wonderful game.''
She briefly interrupted her self-imposed break to sing five songs for 1,000 people attending a dinner for an LPGA tournament here.
``I'm nervous. I haven't trained,'' she told the audience before launching into her hits ``Because You Loved Me'' and ``My Heart Will Go On.'' Dion brought three backup singers, but performed to recorded music.
Dion is comfortable performing in front of thousands of people, but she's out of her element on the golf course. She's an 18-handicapper whose best round in 21/2 years is 84.
``When I go on stage and I sing a song, I'm nervous, but I know what I'm doing. I'm sure of myself, I can just go for it. If I make a mistake, I know where to hit the next note,'' she said.
``On the golf course, I'm an amateur and I'm trying to think of everything I have to do, but you hear your knees shaking big, big time.''
Sporting a drastically short hairdo, Dion played with her husband-manager Rene Angelil in the pro-am of the Nabisco Championship. In a move sure to jar longtime fans, she got rid of her famous long locks ``just for fun.'' Her spiky new style is blond with dark roots showing.
``Now I don't have to protect an image or be careful because a new video is coming up for me and I need the long hair,'' she said.
One aspect of a superstar's life that she can't escape during her break is the tabloids. Dion and Angelil are suing the National Enquirer for $20 million over a Feb. 1 story that said she is pregnant with twins.
Dion, 32 , denies that she is expecting, going so far as to turn sideways and lift up her top, revealing a flat stomach that accentuates her size-2 body.
Asked if the story started because she had been pregnant at one time, she replied, ``Absolutely not. I've never been pregnant. I wish, but not yet.''
The Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit accuses the tabloid of invasion of privacy, unfair business practices and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The Enquirer is standing by its story.
``We don't think it's right,'' Angelil said. ``We're suing them and when we win, we will give that money to charities.''
The couple's very public desire to have a baby is one reason Dion took time off.
``This is our dream. We would both love for Celine to be pregnant,'' Angelil said. ``We're working hard on it.''
That comment prompted Dion to jump out of her seat and dash behind a tournament sign. She slowly peered out at the laughing crowd, feigning embarrassment.
``I'm enjoying life for the first time very, very much,'' she said. ``I can be with Rene much more now and it makes me feel really, really happy.''
Angelil, who had surgery to remove a cancerous lump on his throat, has been in remission for a year.
``I feel really great,'' he said.
Dion said her vacation will definitely last two years.
``Maybe two and a half, maybe three and a quarter. I love singing as much as I used to but ... it's a lot of pressure because I have to deliver. But now I can wake up early, I can go to bed late. There's no schedule, which I love.''