Continuing the refrain of ... "it's beginning to look a lot like..." The
view from our front window this morning. This happened last night
while we slept. Fortunately for us, since we were out for the annual
Christmas dinner put on by DH's place of work for their employees
earlier in the evening. It was a 45 minute drive from here to the
restaurant where we were dinning and the roads were clear then,
and also for the return home about four hours later. It was just
beginning to snow when we hit the final leg of our trip, about 15
minutes from home.

Unfortunately later this morning we're expecting freezing rain to
start, and then it'll turn to rain later in the day. Nice. The snow
looks so pretty, it'll be a shame to see it ruined by ice and rain. We
are going to my Mom's residence this afternoon for their annual
wine and cheese party, which happens to coincide with my Mom's
birthday. My SIL is suppose to be driving here from Toronto to
join us but I think perhaps she'll reconsider because the radio
is saying that it's one of those "if you don't have to be somewhere
don't go out" days.

"Little Snowflake Quilt"
By: Linda Myers
From the leaflet: Favourite Quilt Blocks
Leaflet #80

Looky what I finished!! Finally!! I persevered, and put the last
hour into this project and got it done. What a relief to have this
one done and off the Q snaps. Now I'm concentrating on a finish
of Spot of Tea 1, with one large motif and one small one left to do.
Oh, and I finished the secret stitching that I was doing, and am
getting ready to mail that out. But no pictures of that yet.

I don't like having more then two projects on the go at once. I
realized that when I had the above projects going, plus one other.
I start to feel overwhelmed, and guilty and I loose the pleasure
of stitching.

Books. I did some on line Christmas shopping a week ago and also
ordered a few books for myself, most of which were in their sales
bin, so to speak. The only one not on sale was "Portrait of an
Unknown Woman" which I read about on Michelle's blog. She
was reading it for her book club group and I loved the description
of it that she put on her blog. I knew that it was a must have for
me.

I'm slowly collecting the Alexander McCall Smith books
(both series) on sale from various locations. I've heard good things
about these books, but I refuse to pay full price for such small
reads. I'll keep picking these up as I find them and will read them
when I have a consecutive number, from the first book onwards.


These two books were also on sale. I enjoy stories about Robin
Hood and have several books by various authors, giving each
writer's own vision of the famous legends. So here's book one in
a series by Stephen Lawhead which looks interesting. DH might
read this one too. He was looking through it the other night and
asking me about it.

The last book "Sweetness In the Belly" sounded really fascinating,
and is one of those books that will take me away from the familiarity
and comforts of western life to experience the life of a young white
woman raised in northern Africa as a Muslim, who is forced to flee
to England as a refuge from Ethiopia in the 1970's. I've just begun to
read it, and am enjoying it so far. I finished book three in Kim Harrison's series about Rachel
Morgan, witch and bounty hunter. I enjoyed this one too and
found that it explained a few more things about some of the
species living in this world. We learn more about the elves
and also about the demon world (called "the ever-after" in
the books).

Rachel is a busy gal. Thanks to events in the previous book
she had to make a bargain with the demon Al (don't ask me
to keep spelling his full name). In exchange for his testimony
in court against the Master Vampire Piscary, Rachel has
agreed to act as Al's familiar, although still keeping possession
of her soul. She rescues Al's previous familiar, an Elf woman
named Ceri, who'd held the position for a thousand years,
and she's found a loophole in her contract with Al that keeps
him from dragging her into the Ever-After and using her
as a conduit to store magic for his own nefarious use. Not
that he doesn't keep trying to catch Rachel off guard and
force her physically into the Ever-After.

Meanwhile, Rachel's human lover Nick has fled town and
abandoned Rachel after events in the previous book altered
their relationship and made Nick an unwilling and unintentional
participant in her magical workings. And Rachel finds herself
drawn to Kisten, a living vamp and employee of Piscary, the
Master Vamp that she's put behind bars. Her business
partner Ivy, also a living vamp, is Piscary's unwilling scion,
and back on the hemoglobin, after three years of abstinence
and is jealous of Rachel and Kisten.

I am enjoying this series very much and plan to keep reading
although I am taking a break at this point.

I've pretty much finished my Christmas cards and sent most
of them off. Had to buy another box of cards though because
I just about ran out and I like to have a few handy for people
I've forgotten, or didn't know I knew, who sent us a card.
Next on my to do list is making Christmas bows, more
shopping, and baking. And time keeps slipping away.

And there's the holiday tv specials to watch when I can.
Did anyone see the newest Shrek Christmas special?? It
was pretty good. What's your most favourite holiday
tv special?? Mine is Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.
Love Burl Ives singing those wonderful songs.

Movies in theatres that I want to see soon include
Enchanted, which has received rave reviews and looked so
good in the previews we saw in the theatres during the
summer. And the Golden Compass, which also looks
amazing in the previews.

I read the Golden Compass series this year in anticipation
of the release of the movie. Read in our local paper last
week that the Catholic High School here in Georgetown
has taken the books off of their library shelves because
of one complaint that they received about the author.
That annoys the heck out of me. If you don't like what's
in the books, or what the author believes in his own
private life then you don't have to read them. But you
shouldn't have the right to order that no one else reads
them either.

Still no sign of Victoria magazine. Have emailed them again.
This is ridiculous. I am so unimpressed.

Barbara, I've put The Stolen Child by Keith Donahue on my
to get list. Since you recommended it I checked it out on
Indigo/Chapters book site, read a description of the story
and it sounds really good.


Finally, a picture of a gathering of snowfolk in our den. Taking
pictures like this will remind me next year of how I like to
arrange my stuff. That is, assuming I remember that I took the
pictures in the first place.

Have a good week everyone.