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Make Up Your Mind

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Make Up Your Mind

Finnicky. I hate it. Make up your mind already. Geesh. Especially when it comes to the weather. I live in Virginia and I never know how to dress. I eventually give up and just dress in layers. Yesterday the high was 56 degrees. Today the high is 82 degrees. What? The lows make it even worse, just because the high was 82 doesn’t mean the low won’t be, well, low. The low this morning was in the lower end of the 40’s. To me, that’s too cold for it to be 82 a mere 6-8 hours later.

 Enough about the weather. I hate finnicky in the book characters I read about, too. They make me crazy. I guess another way I’d put it is wishy-washy. In romances, it’s usually the woman facing the dilemma of “do I go for the guy or the (blank)” – {spoiler – going for the guy always wins out in the end}. But getting to the decisive end sometimes makes me crazy, especially if the conflict doesn’t feel real enough or angst enough.

 I guess that’s why I like the romances where the guy is a strong character, knowing what he wants (the girl) and decisively goes after her, winning her heart in the end, even though she may be resistant or (gasp) wishy-washy in the process.

 How about you? What type of romances do you like? Let me know by commenting.

Joy is a Four Legged Word

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Joy is a Four-Legged Word

A couple of months ago, I shared the grief my family and I had in the passing of one of our family dogs – Beastie, the Alaskan Malamute.  Her passing left us as a one-dog household, with our Shepherd – Bear.  When I say my family was in mourning over the loss of Beastie, I include Bear in that statement.  He looked for her everywhere, at her food bowl, sniffing her harness and leash, and her favorite resting and sleeping places within the house and in the outside kennel.  He literally moped around and wasn’t his usual exuberant self.  He was sad and depressed without a friend and playmate.  Not only that, but he also wasn’t really eating, either.

It took us less than a month to realize that Bear needed a companion, or he would waste away and we would lose him, too.  Although Bear is a Shepherd (how we came to adopt him into our family is a story for another time), we are partial to the sled dog breeds and we always rescue our family pets, so we contacted the rescue group that gave us Beastie. 

They remembered Beastie and were sad to hear of her passing but were happy that we were ready to adopt.  With the help of the adoption coordinator, we were able to meet a young, female Alaskan Malamute with Bear and the two hit it off right away.  We now have a new addition to our “pack”. 

Please meet Tika, our two-year-old Alaskan Malamute.  She’s what we call a mini-mal because she is at her full-grown size and only weighs about 70 pounds.  Most female Malamutes get closer to 100 pounds. 

She does have some Beastie-like behavior, but she is definitely her own personality.  For one thing, she is the most vocal dog I have ever met.  She “woo-woo’s” us constantly, sometimes to the point where we can’t even hold a human conversation in the same room with her, she is that persistent and loud.

All in all, she’s a perfect fit.  Bear is now back to his usual, excitable self with his new playmate and friend, Tika.  Tika now has a loving home to call her own.  Joy fills our home once again.  What more could we ask for?

 

Moonlight and Margaritas Anthology – Margarita Recipe

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In honor of the upcoming anthology titled “Moonlight and Margaritas” (of which I’ve been invited to submit a steamy story), below is the recipe for my favorite margarita.

SANGRIA MARGARITA
750 ml Fruity, Dry Red Wine
½ Cup Tequila
½ Cup Triple Sec or Cointreau
½ Cup Simple Syrup
½ Cup Orange Juice
¼ Cup Lime Juice
Plate of Salt
Lime and Orange Slices for Garnish

  1. In a large pitcher, stir together the red wine, tequila, triple sec or Cointreau, simple syrup, orange juice and lime juice. Taste and if desired, add more syrup or tequila for a sweeter or boozier vibe. Garnish pitcher with lime and orange wedges.
  2. To serve, cut a notch in a lime wedge, then run the lime around the rim of each glass. Dip the edge of the rim into the plate of salt. Add 1 handful of ice and pour the sangria margarita into the glass. Garnish with a lime and orange slice.

Van Kyzar

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Van Kyzar

Okay, so I have come up with a great name for a male character in my new story – Van Kyzar.  The only problem is I can’t decide if the name is for the villain or the hero.  I think of a strong, intelligent, and confident man, such as this picture.  But that’s where you come in.  I’m hoping that you will comment in the box below and tell me what you think – villain or hero, and any other attributes you think the name conveys.  Thanks for your feedback!

Grief

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Grief

Grief. Five letters. Such a simple little word that has such an emotional impact. This past Saturday we said goodbye to our beloved dog, Beastie. We rescued her nine years ago when she was two years old from an Alaskan Malamute rescue group. At eleven, she had lived a long life. She lived a dignified life. She lived a full life. Most of all, she lived a love-filled life.

I thought I was prepared. I knew I would be sad. I knew I would cry. A lot. I did not know that I would be hurt, in the physical sense, as my heart broke in the spiritual sense.
Beastie was MY girl. Never mind that my husband took care of her primary needs, feeding and watering her. She appreciated that, but it was me that she chose. I was the one she came to first thing every morning and I was the last person she saw before going to sleep every night. Going to bed last night was a gut punch and getting up this morning was a left hook to my heart all over again.

Time heals all wounds; I’ve heard it said. I suppose that’s true. In the coming days and months, I’ll get used to not having her head under my hand as I walk through the house, her by my side. I’ll get used to not having to “Beastie-proof” the house anymore, because she isn’t here to chew on random household items we leave out. I’ll get used to not having her nudge me as I’m blow-drying my hair in the morning, looking for her ear-scratches. But I will never forget the pawprints she has left on my broken heart.

Highland Cows

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HIGHLAND COWS

Did you know that my favorite animal, Highland Cows, those adorable long-haired Scottish cows, are one of the world’s oldest cattle breeds? They date back archaeologically to the 6th century, and written records put them at the 12th century in the Scottish Highlands and western islands.
Their long hair is not only for adorable, good looks, it’s what gives them their hardiness. They are cold weather (and snow) resistant. They are also known for being friendly and disease resistant, as well intelligent with the ability to be halter trained. Can you imagine leading your highland cow down Main Street in a parade? How cool would that be?
They are also eco-friendly, treading lightly on the ground without damaging it for plants and other wildlife. They first came to the United States in the late 1890s to improve the hardiness of western cattle herds. Today they can be found all over the world.

Some fun facts about Highland cows:

1. Locally in Scotland they are known as Highland Coos
2. Originally, they were all black but now most are ginger or brown
3. They become pollinators when wildflower seeds stick to their long fur and drop off in other places

What is your favorite animal? What are some historical and/or fun facts about that animal? Let me know in the Comments below.

HIGHLAND COO

1.5 oz Dark Grouse blended whiskey
5 oz ginger beer
dash elderberry syrup
2 drops lemon juice

Mix and serve over ice in a rocks glass

Dirty Shirley

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Dirty Shirley1 oz Vodka
5 oz Lemon Lime Soda
1 dash Grenadine
Cherry for Garnish

While the exact origins of the Dirty Shirley are murky, it’s a safe bet that it originated in Los Angeles in the 1930’s. It’s really a Shirley Temple with vodka. Despite being only a few ingredients, it can vary widely depending on the type of soda (some use ginger ale) as well as the type of grenadine (store bought will give it that iridescent red) used. At some point, someone thought to add vodka, and thus the Dirty Shirley was born.

Tell me, do you have a ‘Dirty’ drink? I’d love to hear about it! Let me know in the Comments below.

Some Cool Things About Scotland

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First of all, let me get this out of the way up front.  Scotland is not “officially” a country by itself.  It is part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.  That is the UK’s official full name.  The UK is made up of Scotland, Wales, England and Northern Ireland.

UK Royal Coat of Arms - WikicommonsThe coolest of the four, however, in my opinion, is Scotland.  I mean, how can it NOT be, with the national animal being a unicorn?  The reason behind this?  Well, it all goes back to history.  England and Scotland have traditionally been at odds (and sometimes war) for a very long time.  England’s Royal Coat of Arms has a lion.  The only animal said to be able to defeat a lion?  You guessed it, a unicorn.  The UK’s Royal Coat of Arms has both the lion and the unicorn today.

Drambuie Bottle - WikicommonsAnother fun fact? Drambuie, that whiskey liqueur made from aged Scotch whiskey, spices, herbs and heather honey, can be traced back to Bonnie Prince Charlie’s Royal Apothecary having created it during the Jacobite uprisings.  The recipe was passed to a trusted aide and remained on the Isle of Skye, where in the late 19th century it was improved and the liqueur was sold at the Broadford Hotel on Skye. To this day the Broadford Hotel claims to be the birthplace of Drambuie.  The first commercial production of Drambuie began in Edinburgh in 1909.

What country or place do you think is the coolest?  Why do you think it is the coolest place?  Let me know in the comments below!

RUSTY NAIL

2 oz Johnnie Walker Black Label (made in four key distilleries that are chosen to represent the four corners of Scotland)

1 oz Drambuie

Pour both into a glass and stir with ice.  Strain into a rocks glass to be served.

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