Book Tour ~ A Billion Reasons Why

"A Billion Reasons Why" by Kristin Billerbeck


Publisher's Summary
Katie McKenna had resolved to live a quiet life, marry a practical Christian man, and leave all her “worldly” desires behind.  Since moving to California, she’d made it her goal to live life logically and for the Lord.  She has the perfect life—a fulfilling job, a cute apartment, and a wedding to plan with her soon-to-be fiancé, Dexter.

But then in walks Luc DeForges, the handsome ex-boyfriend who’d broken her heart.  After graduating college and rejecting Katie, Luc cornered the organic food market and became one of the most eligible multi-millionaire bachelors.  But now he’s back and asking her to go home to New Orleans to sing at his brother’s wedding.  She hasn’t fallen victim to her emotions since leaving New Orleans, and she’s invested too much to give into them now. 

When Luc was in his element, there was nothing like it.  His excitement was contagious and spread like a classroom virus, infecting those around him with a false sense of security.  Katie inhales deeply and reminds herself that the man sold inspiration by the pound.  His power over her was universal.  It did not make her special. 

Katie’s boyfriend, Dexter, is a practical man.  As Katie’s roommate Eileen offers, “Katie, no matter how many entries you put in that book, Dexter is not going to be a romantic.  I mean, fine, you’re going to marry him.  He’s a good man.  I just don’t want you to be disappointed.  No matter how many junior high school hearts you draw next to his name, Dexter is going to order you what the Internet says is the proper gift for each anniversary.  He’ll probably have a program created that does it for him.”  But Dexter is safe.  He’ll be a good dad.  He’s very intellectual.  He’s punctual.  He’s everything she needs in a husband.

And Dexter will propose as soon as she gets her grandmother’s ring from her mom.  And Luc will provide her with a free trip home for just that purpose.  Plus, she needs to go home to New Orleans.  It’s her last chance to find out why Luc tossed her from his life like a banana peel off the back of her father’s pickup.  Love is a decision.  A choice.  All the leading experts said so, and she’d decided she would love Dexter in a way that honored and respected him.  The way she’d loved Luc left her worn out and depleted, like an empty air mattress.  Then what use was she?  She’d get her ring and closure as well.  Then nothing would stand in the way of her life with Dexter.

But what if God has more in store for her?  What if God’s desire for her is a heart full of life?  Can the passions she had as a young woman, which led to many of her past mistakes, still have a place in her life? 

About the Author:

Kristin Billerbeck is a successful novelist from northern California.  She has authored more than 30 novels, including the Ashley Stockingdale series and the Spa Girls series.  She is a leader in the Chick Lit movement, a Christy Award finalist, and a two-time winner of the American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year Award.  She has appeared on The Today Show and has been featured in the New York Times.  

My Thoughts:  

Definitely in the chick-lit category,  this was a quick weekend type of read.  Dealing with heart's desires and escaping hurts, the story was built around 2 different relationships in the main characters life, a past relationship full of passion and love and yet deep hurt and a current relationship she deemed "safe".  When the past comes walking back into her life, Katie McKenna will have to face her feelings.  In having to confront her past and everything in it, the main character must really take a deep look into her own heart and what makes her "her" and if she is willing to give up all that entails and to really ask herself what are her plans for her life and what are God's plans.  


 In all honesty, the characters never really grabbed me and made me feel for them even as the story progressed. While the author does build the story and the character's backgrounds to let the reader see why they are acting and reacting to each other the way they are,  sometimes the conversations just happened too quickly and changed track faster than appealed to my preferred style of reading.   Also because of the genre of being chick lit romance, there was the expected descriptions of what feelings and thoughts they brought out in each other, which I tend to start scanning over.  I really liked the character of "Mam", the main character's Mom, and thought she had some great quotable remarks as the story progressed.   And I did find the descriptions of the differences of lifestyle and attitude between 2 different areas of the U.S. , New Orleans and California,  a very interesting comparison and thought the author did a really nice job of bringing that into the story.   


If you enjoy the chick lit/romance genre and are looking for an easy weekend kind of read then you might enjoy "A Billion Reasons Why".  


Thanks to B & B Media & Thomas Nelson Publishing for providing the book free for an honest review.  All opinions are expressed are my own. 


To purchase "A Billion Reasons Why" you can go here.

Friday's Fave Five #128

Hi everyone!  Welcome to Friday's Fave Five.  It's time to look back over our week's no matter what they have been like, good or bad, and find five shining moments that blessed us.  If you're new you can go to the link in the sidebar and get the guidelines and then just join right in!

For me, it's been all about seeking the small things that bring comfort this week:

1.  Kind words from friends that uplift and encourage.  I can never take these for granted.  I don't know what I would do without these words.

2.  A great ladies group at my bible study.  Even though we are extremely different God has meshed our hearts together and I love how freely we can ask questions and give thoughts without being judged.  It's a great group of ladies that are there for each other when one has a need, too.

3. A great book to curl up with when it's freezing outside.  I love being able to just grab a throw blanket and curl up with a great story when it's all blustery and cold outside.

4.  A nice warm duvet and cover on the bed for the same reason.  When it's cold out there is nothing like getting under a big, comfy, warm duvet especially as we keep the bedroom vents shut during the night.  It's toasty warm in no time.

5.  Coffee.  I have so loved my coffee first thing in the morning this week for some reason.  Can't explain it.  It has gone down real good this week.

What have your favorites, big or small, been?  If you do a post please link on so that we can come and visit you!

Your opinion please!

Is is c-c-cold here today.  And it looks cold, with a grey looking day,  but we're supposed to warm up for the weekend.  So we're thinking of heading out to go see "The Titanic" exhibit.

 But the ticket prices aren't too cheap.  So I have a question for you guys...Anybody seen the exhibit at your local museum or science center?  Is it worth the almost hundred bucks it's gonna cost this family to go see it, to say nothing of the gas to get there and eating out when we are there?  And the figuring out what to do with the dog while we're gone?

And the most important question, my daughter wants to know:  Is this guy going to be there?  ;v)

It's Soup Weather. Again.

Well, we're socked in again.  The snow blew in yesterday and fell upon us all day long.  It really was picturesque though, as they were the big, fluffy, floaty kind at one point in the day.  You know the kind you wish would fall on Christmas eve to make the perfect Christmas picture postcard effect.  But after all that fluffy niceness settled it was still snow we had to shovel.  And shovel again.  And again this morning.

So of course when this weather socks us in I start thinking a big pot of something warm and comforting with lots of leftovers so I don't have to cook the next day.  Because I'll probably be shoveling!  LOL.   I made this in the last big snow dump and it went over really well with everyone. It's savory and delicious and the chunks of sausage in it are really different and good!   Serve it with thick slices of garlic bread or cheese toast and you are good to go.  It freezes great and reheats well.

SUE'S SPINACH, BEAN AND SAUSAGE SOUP

Ingredients: 

• 1 pound pork breakfast sausage, broiled and cut into large bite size chunks
• 2 cup carrots, chopped in large chunks
• 2 cups chopped red onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 stalks chopped celery
• 1 red pepper, chopped in larger size pieces
• 1 ½  teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 (16-oz.) cans white beans
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1  package frozen spinach, thawed and drained well
• 1 cup diced fresh tomatoes
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Preparation  

Heat 1 Tbsp. Oil and 1 Tbsp of sausage drippings in dutch oven.   Add carrots, onion, garlic, red pepper, celery, rosemary, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender

Add white beans, and chicken broth; bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Place 2 cups soup in blender or food processor and puree until smooth; add to soup pot. Stir in spinach, sausage and chopped tomatoes.

Heat over medium heat until sausage is heated through.

            To serve, ladle soup into bowls and garnish evenly with Parmesan cheese. 


This post is linked to Cooking Thursday hosted by Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Monday Mish Mash being late on a Tuesday

There was lots going on this weekend.  But don't you just love when you can look back over and feel you accomplished something instead of just letting a weekend push you along and then you don't feel like you got anything done?  That's how it was with me this weekend.  Very busy, but I felt like I had actually done something.  Sometimes I just get so bogged down with getting the regular housekeeping under control and running around doing what I can't do with working working full time that I Sunday night I feel exhausted but don't know what I've actually done to get me that way.  With the extra day off this weekend, though I can actually look back and say I accomplished some stuff.

This is a big birthday weekend for us.  My MIL's birthday was on Friday, my daughter's yesterday and my Sis-in-law's today.  I can't even describe how sad it makes me not to have my girl around on her birthday.  It's just not the same trying to co-ordinate a phone call as it is having her here to celebrate.  Just another thing of learning to let go of our children and letting them live the lives they are choosing.  Sigh.  So I spent her birthday painting the hallway.  Good times.  I was very thankful to have hubby do the cutting in for me.  That's the hard part.  Rolling paint on the wall is easy.  

I finished a great book last week. "Her Daughter's Dream" by Francine Rivers.   My thoughts and review are here on my book blog. It was a really great read along with the first book in the saga:  "A Mother's Hope" which I finished last year and is #24 in last year's reviews. A thought about this second book that I didn't mention there but I will hash out here, is that the cover bothered me for the longest time and I couldn't figure out why.  And then it finally hit me last week.  The insert picture of the mother pushing the child on the swing is all wrong.  There is no way a person would be standing in that spot pushing on the front upswing of the swing, if you know what I mean.  The swing would be in the opposite direction heading back where the mother would be waiting to give it a push.  A person would get creamed if she was standing in the spot that the picture depicts.  How did that get by the editors? There were sleeping on that one.  There, that is my pathetic petty observance, and I feel so much better now for voicing it.  LOL.

Right now I've started reading a book on Anne Boelyn, second wife of Henry the VIII.  I'm only in the second chapter but am feeling very bogged down in it.  Detailed heavier writing, reading more like a text book is slowing me down considerably so I'm going to give it to the end of the chapter and if I can't get engaged more into it, I think I'll let it go.  Too many other books waiting in line that I want to get to for me to struggle through one.  I might pick it up another time when my mood is more for a book I need to really concentrate on.

So now I must go and get my week started.  Kids are waiting.  Groceries need buying and new books need reading.  How was your weekend?  What are you reading right now?

Friday's Fave Five #127

Hi everyone!  Welcome!  You may be wondering why  there is still a frozen, cold, wintery picture up for FFF.  Well, it's because in my world it's still frozen, cold and wintery.  I had such high hopes last week when it was so windy because of the warm winds that melt the snow, but it is still just February and I do live in Alberta so wintery scene it is.  But I'm not complaining.  I do love all my seasons.

My list will be up a touch later this morning due to events last night that made it impossible for me to put my list together.  (Events such as falling asleep on the couch and not waking up until midnight.)  But Mr. Linky is up so go ahead and sign in if you were much more with it than me and completed your post and I'll join you in a bit.

Okay, here we go.  Sheesh, I don't know what's with me this week but I've been zonking out really early.

1.  Walks with the puppy.  Even though we've had weather ranging from really mild to down right freezing, I've been forcing myself to take Todd out each evening for a walk even if it's only around a couple of blocks.  He has so much energy he needs to burn some of it off or the little mischievous bundle ends up in trouble.  LOL.  So off we go and it's been good for me too.  Fresh air and getting myself moving other than inside the house feels so good.  I can hardly wait until we can go longer distances when the weather is nice.

2.  Bernard Callebaut heart filled chocolates.  My absolute favorite chocolates were a Valentine's gift for me from my Valentine.  My hubby was very sweet to get me my favorite sweets.

3.  Powerful worship in church this week.  I love when it all comes together and there is a really powerful worship service in church.  I come away feeling like I've really been in the Lord's presence and feel uplifted and encouraged and ready to face the week.  And I know the worship is not about me but there really is something about about giving God glory and honor for who He is.  It changes our hearts.

4.  Ravioli and Gourmet Butternut Squash pasta sauce.   I saw this sauce at Costco and knew I just had to try it with the Kirkland Brand 4 Cheese Ravioli we like.  Oh my word, it is good stuff.  It says on the jar it's good in lasagna too, so I'm going to give that a try one of these days.  It ought to be really different from the normal lasagna.  The dog gave two paws up on it too.

5.  Snail Mail.  And I'm not talking about bills.  Faith sent me a lovely card in the mail and it was so nice to recieve that instead of the usual plethora of bills and requests for money from various places.  And there is something about recieving a tangible thing like a card you can hold from a bloggy friend that makes the friendship more "real" and not just a cyberworld thing , if you know what I mean.  Thanks Faith.

Thanks guys for being gracious about the host slipping into their own party late.  LOL.  Have a wonderful weekend.  It's a long weekend here in Alberta so I'm really looking forward to some family time.

The Blog Might Be Stylish...

...even if the clothes in the closet aren't.

Weeks ago Faith from Gold in the Clouds awarded me the Stylish Blogger Award.  I don't know how Stylish this ol' blog is but I'm glad it  blesses somebody.  Thanks Faith.  That was really sweet of you.

Now there are some "rules" that go with this award:

• First, thank and link back to the person who gave you this award

• Second, share 7 things about yourself

• Third, award 15 recently discovered great bloggers

• Then, contact these bloggers and tell them they’ve won this award

Link back.  Check.

Share 7 things.  Coming right up.  Check.

Award 15 recently discovered bloggers.  Uh Oh.  15???   Oy Vay.  Here is where it's going to get sticky.  I'm a total rule follower but I'm going to have to break this one.  With everything going on in this last while in my life I barely have time to post and read my regular favorites, never mind browse for new reads.  I'll have to come up with a compromise before the end of this post.   My goodness, my rule following self might implode.

Anyway.  Seven things about myself.  Oh dear, what don't you guys already know?  Let's see:

• In the last couple of years I've discovered a real love of photography.  I've learned how to get a bit creative with my trusty point and shoot.  I love just grabbing the camera and going to see what interesting things I can find.  In an effort to encourage me hubby got me a "big girl" camera for my birthday.  Can we say a tad bit overwhelmed?  But I'm determined to learn.  I can hardly wait for good weather to get out there.
• I live in a very windy area.  The winds the other day overturned a semi truck on the highway, blew the shingles and siding off of some houses about 20 minutes away from us and generally kept everyone hiding indoors.  Can't complain too much, though, these winds known as chinooks, keep winter bearable because they are warm and melt the snow and usher in some nice days once they quite blowing.  And they are not always here.   The days they howl, and they do howl, though are a pain.  Literally.  I can get headaches from them.
• Plain potato chips and specifically Kraft Herb & Spice dip help to lessen and sometimes get rid of a really bad headache for me.  Don't ask me why.  But it works.
• When visiting my daughter last summer, she took me to an all you can eat Sushi restaurant and I've discovered I do like Sushi.  And more than the "California Roll".  
• I love anything pear scented.  Hand soaps, lotions, candles, perfumes.  The scent is just fresh and lovely to me.
• My dog loves craisins and oranges.  Oh I guess that's really not about me.  But oh well, I'm struggling to think of more "me" stuff. 
• I prefer salty to sweet.  I can bypass most sweets for the bag of chips.  Alas, I'm supposed to watch my salt intake.  Now how fair is that, may I ask?
• 
  

Whew, did it.  Now for passing it on.  Like I said I just haven't been able to get around to visit a whole lot lately but a couple of blogs I've discovered in the last 6 months or so that I've really, really enjoyed are:

Livin' Life on Bixby Avenue  - Rachelle's blog is lovely.  It's all about family, food and flowers.  I love going to her site.  It's like a refreshing break in my day. 

Bungalow '56  - Dana's blog is amazing.  She's got a wonderful sense of humor and is a great photographer.  Her blog makes me smile.  Now she just got this award given to her and she responded here so I'm not sure how she'll feel getting it again.  But you can read her answers and still leave her a little encouraging comment.  :v)

So there ya go.  Thanks again, Faith.

Friday's Fave Five #126

It's Friday and that means time to find our blessings from the past week!  Welcome to everyone.  Guidelines are here if you are new to FFF.

1.  Nice smelling hand lotions.  I keep them all over the house.  And reach for them often.  Love the feel, love the smell.

2.  Peaceful evenings.  It's been relatively peaceful this last week, which is really nice.  A time to catch my breath, relax and catch up on all those things I got so far behind on in the last few weeks, including my bible reading plan.

3.  Mint tea.  To help with the above said relaxing evenings.

4. Crisp, clean, cool sheets.  Fresh sheets on the bed are one of my all time favorite things  (cue music and Julie Andrews singing).  And yes I love them cool even in the winter.

5. Longer days.  Sure feels great not having it pitch dark when I wake up and dark before I even get off work.


What were your favorite things from the past week?  Do a post and sign on to Mr. Linky so that we can come and visit.  I wish you all a great weekend!   

Cooking Thursday ~ Serbian Ground Beef

I'm joining up with Sandra at Diary of a Stay At Home Mom for Cooking Thursday.  It's a great spot to share recipes and find new ones to try.  Everytime I make this recipe my family raves about it. The spices are so different to any other casserole I've tried and the potatoes just get so soft and lovely.  It's easy to put together and lends nicely to left overs.  I've adapted it portion wise to how it best suits our family and I either leave out the red wine from the original recipe or use apple juice instead. We've also found that we preferred kernel corn to the shredded carrot (used one time in a panic when I discovered no carrots in the fridge) that the original recipe called for but the carrot is delicious too.  I'm sure using both would be equally tasty.

SERBIAN GROUND BEEF
(adapted from All Recipes)

- 3/4 kg (1 1/2 lbs.) lean ground beef
-1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
-1 large green or red bell pepper, chopped
-1 large onion, chopped
-1 cup frozen kernel corn (or 1 large carrot, shredded)
-3 stalks celery, chopped
-1/2 tsp. salt
-2 1/2 tsp. paprika
-1 tsp. black pepper
-1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
-1 1/2 pinch ground cinnamon
-1 1/2  pinch ground cloves
-1/4 cup water
-3 Tbsp. apple juice (or red wine or water)
-1 1/2 pkgs beef boullion
-4 Tbsp. half and half cream
-5 large potatoes, peeled and sliced

Preheat oven to 400*F.  Lightly butter a 13x9 inch baking dish.

Scramble fry the ground beef in a saute skillet.  Drain and set aside.  Add olive oil to skillet, heat and add onion, celery, carrot or corn, and green (red) pepper.  Cook stirring until celery is tender.  Add the remaining ingredients except half and half and potatoes and simmer on low for a couple of minutes.

Meanwhile peel and slice potatoes.  Place one layer into the prepared baking dish.  Remove meat mix from heat and stir in half and half.  Pour meat mixture over the potato base.  Layer remaining potatoes on top.  Sprinkle lightly with salt.

Cover and bake for 45 minutes until potatoes are tender.  Let sit a few minutes before serving.

Wonderful served with a green salad and mild tasting dressing.

Book Tour ~ Lady in Waiting

"Lady in Waiting" by Susan Meissner

Old connects with new.   Historical fiction meets and connects with contemporary fiction in the stories of two women with centuries separating them.  What connects them is a ring and a life of other's making decisions and choices for them.  When circumstances come to a head in both of their lives they come to a crossroads and must make the decision to choose their own fates.

Lady Jane Grey is a young girl of 11 when Lucy Day becomes her dressmaker. Not living at home, she is basically a political & religious pawn as her parents negotiate her engagement and marriage.  Receiving a ring from the one she truly loves, she must hide it as she is not to follow her heart.  When the manipulations of those around her start to fall apart, she finally has the opportunity to decide her own fate.

Four hundred years later Jane Lindsay, an antique shop owner, receives a shipment of boxes bought at an English jumble sale by her London contact.  Inside a locked box is a centuries old Protestant prayer book and within it's fragile binding Jane finds an old ring with a latin inscription and the name Jane.  As her own life is unraveling she begins a pursuit to find the original Jane of the ring.  Soon the two Jane's stories pick up some similarities even though they lived centuries apart and the contemporary Jane must also take a look at her own life and choose her own fate.

Susan Meissner again writes the kind of story I could not put down.  I was quickly caught up in both trails of the story and I thought she wove the two together seamlessly connecting the ring in both women's worlds.  I was never confused between the two and never forgot details of one while the other was being told.  I thought it was a wonderful read that would appeal to both the historical fiction fans and the contemporary fiction fans.

Thank you to Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group for providing the book free for review.

You can purchase Lady in Waiting here.

If you like, you can go here and give my review a ranking.

Weekend Review

I'm joining in with my bloggy friend Karen at Over the Backyard Fence, for  "This weekend I...".  She's newly hosting so come on and join the party.

-visited with MIL at the hospital.  She is having a good last few days so that is wonderful to see.
-had a lovely Saturday morning sipping hot coffee and reading books and blogs
-spent my whole grocery budget at Costco.  I think I need to avoid that store for a bit
-cooked Tomato Curry Chicken.  Yum!
-took the dog on his first walk around the lake.  It took this long to finally get him there because it's been freezing outside and it's always colder around the lake.
-went to church
-finished this book, review coming, and started this one
-watched "Letters to Juliet" with my Younger Girl (16).  Sweet movie
-took Todd to the vet for his last puppy shots.  Took a handful of his homemade beef jerky treats that he loves but he still gave the vet a rough time.  And pee'd on his floor to boot.  Naughty boy!!!

"Who me?  I'm cute and innocent!"

-got a little catching up done on my "Read the Bible in a Year" plan.  I'm still not caught up but that much closer

How was your weekend?  Anything exciting or nice and mellow?

Friday's Fave Five #125

Welcome to Friday's Fave Five.  Time to take a peek back over our week and think about the blessings great and small that have come into our days.  Please join right in and then take a few moments if you can and visit some of the other participants.  You will be surprised how uplifted you will feel when you are done.  There is something about recognizing the good things in our lives even if we are having a bad week.  Guidelines are here if you need them.

So in no particular order:

1.  Hot soup on a cold day.  I'm a soup fan from way back.  And to me there is nothing that speaks comfort food like a steaming bowl of it when it's cold and blustery outside.  I'm always game to try one I've never made before. And something I love about soup is a lot of them totally lend themselves to tweaking according to what my family likes or what I have on hand.  Such was the case with this week's recipe.  I changed it up quite a bit and still ended up with a bowl full of delicious.   I ended up with a white bean/sausage/spinach soup.  Yum.

2.  God's promise that we are not forgotten and are written in the palm of His hand.

"[And the Lord answered] Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb?  Yes, they may forget, yet I will not forget you.

Behold, I have indelibly imprinted (tatooed a picture of) you on the palm of each of My hands; [O Zion] your walls are continually before Me." 

Isaiah 49: 15 - 16  Amplified Bible

In light of what our family is going through right now with MIL's stroke this is such a comforting promise knowing that no matter what she faces or what we are going through as a family that we are actually written on the palms of God's hands, that our troubles are before Him and He knows what we are up against.  We can come to him knowing He has compassion for us.

3.  Dark chocolate covered Acai & Blueberry.  Thanks to Costco and their food demos I came home with a bag of these last shopping trip. My mouth waters just looking at the picture of the bag.  Totally addicting but I'm convincing myself that they are good for me.  Dark chocolate, acai berry juice and blueberry juice.  Anti-oxidant goodness, right?  

4.  Revlon nail buffer.  I cannot tell you how much I love this thing. I've always loved the look of just clear polish on fingernails and I knew that expensive kiosks in the mall had buffers but they cost more than I was willing to shell out.  And now Revlon has one that fits very nicely into my budget, thank you very much.  It makes my nails ultra shiny and like they have a french manicure without a drop of polish.  Loooove it.

5.  Dinner out.  I'm always game for dinner out.  We took our son to his restaurant of choice for his birthday.  It was nice just to have a break (even though I love to cook) from the stress of the last few weeks and have fun.  I tried Jambalaya and it was delicious.  I'm glad I tried something new.

What have been your favorites this week.  Join us by doing up a post and then linking on!  Please link to your specific FFF post and not your home page.  It's so much easier to visit around.  Have a great weekend everyone.

   

Please Let the Sun Shine In!

Well, yipee to three of the four groundhogs in North America who all predicted an early spring this morning.  You are now my new BFF.  Balzac Billy from Southern Alberta, I need to have a chat with you!  What do you think you are doing disagreeing with everyone else.  Did you not get the memo?

 Don't get me wrong, I love winter.  I know, I'm crazy but I really do enjoy each and every season and all the things they bring. I love the cold, crisp days.  The pristine look of the snow before footsteps and paths are carved into it. The snow falling.   Heck, I even like shovelling.  Oh yes I do.  But I am seriously ready for some warm breezes.  Not super windy chinook winds but nice gentle breezes.  Dog walking around the lake days, reading on the deck days, bbq days. I am seriously craving a good grilled burger! Yes, us northern die hards do grill all through winter but firing up the grill is just not the same when there is a foot of snow on the top of it and I have to first shovel a path to it.  So come on spring!  You are welcome with open arms this year!

A valiant effort to remove myself from boring

So yesterday 16 Yr. Old Girl told me my blog had gotten boring.  That I don't post often or consistently.  Sigh.  Tell me something I don't know, Dear Girl.  There just isn't a whole lot of exciting to what my days have become.  Work 10 hours, cook supper, go to the hospital, come home, crash.  I can only find so many words to say about that.   But lets see, there's got to be stuff going on other than that.

Let's talk weather.  It has been nuts around here.  What a winter.  We had so much snow in December and January and then last week the chinook blew in.  In three days it was almost all melted.  All except for my 3 1/2 foot hill in the backyard.  That just compacted and turned into an ice hill.  Then all of a sudden in the matter of a day the snow came back on the weekend and we have gone from a balmy and warm windy 8*C (46*F) to a frigid -29*C with a freezing wind chill taking it to -36*C or so.  That would be -15* in Fahrenheit terms with a wind chill factored in making it feel like -33*F.  That is c-o-o-o-ld people!  Even my dog doesn't want to go outside.  Which is interesting when one is tryng to housebreak a puppy.  And then by Friday this week it's supposed to be back up to 8*C.  Only in Southern Alberta.  If you don't like the weather just wait a few minutes.

Speaking of the puppy, he's a-growing.  The kids are having fun having a lively one like him around but with this cold weather and no one, not even him, wanting to go for a walk to burn off energy, the stinker has found himself in trouble a few times.  But then he turns on the cuteness factor.

The cuteness factor, however, does not work with feline fur ball.  At all.  No way, no how.

She is not impressed at all.  Muffin just wishes that durn dog would just quit invading her bubble.  And she's got a pretty large bubble when it comes to him.   I think she wishes he would stay in this state a lot more often.

Not likely, poor Muffin, not likely.