Ponder Post: On a Snowy Christmas

On a Snowy Christmas by Brenda Novak tells the tale of a small chartered plane carrying two political rivals that crashes in the snowy mountains. The survivors Maxim and Adelaide must do all that is necessary to preserve body warmth and survive until rescued. Thus is the setting for arch enemies heading toward romantic attraction.

The story is trite but fast moving, the ending is predictable, but the book by Brenda Novak is an enjoyable light, holiday-themed read that I completed on Christmas Eve. It is worth three stars and, maybe because it is non-taxing and does not have a great deal of substance, it allows my mind to wander in other directions tonight. I am struck by the cover illustration of a red pickup truck carrying a pine tree. Although this book was originally published in 2009, that image seems to be a common theme in decor in the stores this year. I bought this cup and tray set at a Home Goods store last month. 

And I bought six of these melamine dishes a few weeks ago during a trip to the grocery store.

I also own fabric that I purchased earlier this year with this theme. The combination of green tree and red vehicle simply seems to make me smile. I am inspired to aim to make a 2019 Christmas quilt out of this fabric.

So here is the scene at our house tonight. As I write this post, Alex is intently and contently assembling puzzles at the butcher block table right behind me while watching a Winnie the Pooh video. An evergreen garland with stuffed ornaments is visible on the top of the cabinet behind him. We have just finished a dinner of spaghetti with sausages followed by freshly baked warm chocolate chip cookies. I baked two pumpkins pies earlier in the day but we have yet to cut into them. We will later, after I have whipped the cream for the topping.

A small Charles Wysocki tree sits before the window on a vintage scale in our family room.

The snow people in the family room flank the images of Owl and other Winnie the Pooh friends on the television.

This may be an atypical Christmas Eve  – eating spaghetti, reading romance novels, blogging, puzzling, and watching Winnie the Pooh instead of drinking hot chocolate or hot apple cider and singing carols –  but it is a peaceful and pleasant Christmas Eve. It may not be snow – it rarely is where we live in California – but I hear the rain splattering gently on the dome of our skylight. 

Last night Frank, Alex, and I made our annual traditional trip to see the lights at Deacon Dave's. The theme was more liturgical this year, "Away in a Manger", so perhaps, as a balance, we can embrace a more secular evening today. Tomorrow will be more standard, spent mostly in the living room, opening gifts in front of the Christmas tree.

Ponder Post: Two Good Dogs

Two Good Dogs by Susan Wilson has a cast of well developed characters beyond the circle of the two dogs. This book will appeal to an audience beyond the limited one of animal lovers only.

The novel begins with four main characters. A troubled fourteen year old girl Cody harbors a terrible secret while also trying to meet and make friends in a new school. Cody's widowed mom Skye struggles to support herself and her daughter by owning and managing a run-down motel for vacationing tourists. A repeat guest of the Lake View Hotel, Adam is grieving the recent loss of his wife. Adam's emotional therapy dog Chance is a beacon of stability in the book. Yes, there is a widow and widower, but do not leap to conclusions. There is an age difference between them and the novel is more a story of friendship rather than romance, a tale of companionship and mutual support as an antidote to loneliness. The relationship between a daughter and her mother and a dog and his person are both painted in a very pleasing fashion. I liked the characters and became invested in them early on in the novel.

The book was written in first person but what makes it unique is that it was written in two voices – one for the mom Skye and one for the dog Chance. Seeing the dog's assessment of the human emotions of anger, grief, fear, sadness, etc. was insightful. Per Animal Planet: An emotional support animal is a pet that is part of the owner's psychological treatment plan and prescribed by a licensed mental health professional. This may include but isn't limited to treatment for: Depression, Anxiety, Phobias, Loneliness, etc.

There are other supporting characters but fortunately not so many that keeping track of who was who was difficult. In the later part of the book a pit bull Dawg and his street-kid person Mingo are introduced. Oddly enough there are only a few villains in the book but their scarcity does not result in a dull story. The author manages to create conflict and suspense that together have the reader rooting for certain outcomes. There are indeed climactic moments in the book that induce turn-the-page-quickly reactions; to tell what they are, would reveal too much of the storyline. I believe that the true strength of Two Good Dogs lies in revelation of the plot bit by bit and the undercurrent of people caring for each other, even when showing it is relegated to subtle actions. Two Good Dogs was an enjoyable read that moves along at a good clip. Read it and find out. It will be worth your while. I rate it four stars.