Welcome back, Spring!

I've missed you!

Trius wine club - March 2013

I picked up our box from Trius at the post office today (we weren't home when they tried to deliver it yesterday).

Gord and I have been members of the Trius Wine Club (formerly the Hillebrand Wine Club) for over ten years.

Every month, 2 bottles of our best wine will be delivered to your door along with Winemaker Craig McDonald’s tasting notes and Chef Frank Dodd’s recipes.

The cost is about $40 a month and it's only available in Ontario.

Here's what we got this month ... looks good!

• Trius Red 2011 ($22.95) ~ The recipe included that pairs with it is Icewine and Maple Pork Ribs
• Trius Sauvignon Blanc 2011 ($13.95) - The recipe included that pairs with it is Cornmeal Cake with Prosciutto and Fried Egg

I also like what was in the box later!

Book ~ "Puppy Love" (2012) Sylvie Fox

From Goodreads ~ There are only two things Sophie Reid doesn’t do: lawyers and sex. When sexy, lawyer Ryan Becker stumbles into her life, her first two thoughts are “no,” and “definitely no.” After Sophie and Ryan rescue a dog from certain death on the Hollywood Freeway, they share one smoldering kiss. Sophie knows a potential train wreck when she sees it and leaves the dog and Ryan at the pound knowing she’ll never see either of them again.

Poor kid turned corporate attorney, Ryan vowed he’d get an education, succeed and be welcomed in the front door of the most stately homes in Beverly Hills. Now that his career is on an upward trajectory, he is ready to settle down. Unfortunately the women he has been meeting haven’t set his heart racing. Enter: Sophie.

A master of persuasion by profession, Ryan convinces Sophie to pursue their undeniable mutual attraction. But Ryan’s quest to be a success at the very occupation she reviles rankles her.

When a Hollywood union strikes, Ryan and Sophie find themselves on opposite sides of the bargaining table. Can their sparks in the bedroom overcome their standoff in the boardroom?

How could I resist a book about a dog?!

Sophie is driving to work one day when she gets caught in a traffic jam ... there is a dog running loose on the highway!  Sophie jumps out of her car and tries to catch the dog along with another driver, Ryan.

Berating herself for leaving too late and taking the freeway rather than the street, she fished in the large orange tote bag on the passenger seat for her mobile phone, ready to make her excuses. She noticed that almost everyone was out of his or her car, and the freeway had come to a grinding halt.

“Hey, what’s going on?” she called to an older woman who had exited her Bentley and nimbly sprinted past several cars in a designer business suit and four-inch Jimmy Choo heels.

“There’s a dog on the road,” she said breathlessly, only pausing for the briefest of moments to answer. “We’re trying to catch him before he gets run over.”

It was then that she saw it. A little red fur ball of a dog ran in between the stopped cars, and dodged every single one of the people who tried to catch him or her. She stopped worrying whether she would be able to complete the actors’ make-up in time for the filming. The long dormant animal lover in Sophie awoke, and she propelled her out of the car and joined in the dog pursuit. The thought of seeing an innocent dog killed on the road scared the hell out of her. With no regard for her personal safety, she ran after the dog. After about five minutes darting around the freeway, she and a tall, impossibly broad-shouldered, sandy-haired man were able to corral the dog between themselves and their cars. When he moved to grab the dog, it ran toward her, and she triumphantly scooped the warm body into her arms. The dog’s heart beat a million miles a minute against hers. She cradled the scared reddish-brown puppy and tried to calm it.

Sophie and Ryan are complete opposites and have an immediate attraction.  Sophie is a make-up artist who changes the colour of her hair on a daily basis.  The day she catches the dog, her hair is yellow to match her car.  The next day it was blue and so on.  She has many piercings and a tattoo.  Sophie is the daughter of wealthy dominating judge and she swore she'd never date a lawyer and let a man boss her around.  She values her independence.

Ryan is a lawyer.  Oh oh!  He methodically thinks things through ... he makes lists to help him make decisions.  He falls hard for Sophie right away (he has a "tent in his pants" quite often when he's around her) and Sophie does all she can to push him away emotionally while she can't resist him physically.

This is the first book I've read by this author and I enjoyed it.  I liked the writing style and it was a fast read.  As a head's up, the language and activity is for mature readers.  Things happen very quickly!

I liked Sophie's free spirit and style and love of animals.  She assumed, though, that Ryan would want to change her ... she wouldn't give him a chance and understand that he loved her just as she was.  I liked Ryan ... he was a nice fella no matter how much Sophie pushed him away.  But how much of that could he take before he gave up?!

I'd recommend this book if you are looking for a racy romance.

Book ~ "For the Love of Jazz" (2012) Elke Feuer

From Goodreads ~ Restoration architect Josie Fagan takes on a project with lawyer and senator’s son, Patrick Pullman. It’s the perfect match. She needs his endorsement to save her business and he wants to restore his ancestral Chicago home. Love wasn’t part of her plan. Neither was being asked to stay at his home, haunted by ghosts, or discovering she has a claim to his home – which she adores. When she finds out his family may be responsible for her aunt’s disappearance fifty years ago, it's a race to unearth the truth before she loses not only her business and her heart but her life.

Patrick can’t deny his attraction to Josie and is willing to take a chance on love since his broken engagement a year earlier. Things become complicated when he learns of their family connection and her claim to the home he loves. He doesn’t believe in ghosts or that his family is involved in her aunt’s disappearance, so insists they work together. But when he starts seeing his uncle’s ghost and threats are made on her life, he’s forced to confront the possibility his family could be responsible.

The ghosts of their aunt and uncle forge a connection through them but is what they feel love or just the ghosts living out their unfinished lives?

Back in the 1950s in Chicago, Lola was a jazz singer and William was a rich guy.  They met, fell in love and got married.  The problem?  Lola was black and William was white.  Lola disappeared, never to be seen again.  On the first page, we know that Lola has been shot by someone she knows (so I'm not revealing any spoilers).

Fifty years later, Patrick has hired Josie to restore his Uncle William's house, who has recently died.  She has to have the house finished in six months.  To accomplish this, they both live in the house to ensure things stay on track.  But there is an electric connection between them right away ... will living in the same house be a good idea?

Then Josie discovers her mother's sister was Lola (up to this point, she didn't know her mother even had a sister).  William's brother (and Patrick's father) is a senator and a rich white guy who was against the marriage ... did he have anything to do with Lola's disappearance to protect his career?  Joe owns the club where Lola used to sing and was in love with her at one time ... did his wife, Pearl, get rid of Lola out of jealousy.  William's friend, Gary, who is now the lawyer for the estate, had met Lola first and had fallen in love with her ... but did he really step aside when he saw that Lola and William were in love?  With so many people with reasons to get rid of Lola, Josie sets out to discover what happened to her aunt.  When Patrick realizes the connection, he helps Josie find out what's going on.  Plus we have the spirits of Lola and William helping them out.

This book was part romance, part mystery and part paranormal ... I'm not usually into paranormal stories but enjoyed it here since it was key to the storyline.

I liked the writing style and got into the book more once Josie discovered that Lola was her aunt and the mystery began. There were so many possibilities of who it could have been ... we don't find out until the end (interesting twist and I was okay with who "dunnit").  This book will appeal to readers who like mysteries with some romance.

Book ~ "A Spoonful of Sugar" (2013) Brenda Ashford

From Goodreads ~ From Britain's beloved oldest living nanny comes a charming and uplifting memoir of a real-life Mary Poppins.

In her extraordinary memoir, Brenda Ashford shares her endearing and amusing experiences as a British nanny caring for generations of children over the past sixty-two years.

Brenda's lifelong love for children began the minute she laid eyes on her baby brother, David. As a teenager, she applied to London's Norland College, famous for producing top-class nannies and, after a grueling interview, she was accepted on scholarship. It was a radical change from her idyllic country life in the village of Surrey. The training was rigorous and discipline strictly enforced, as Brenda and her classmates scrambled to pass inspections on everything from morality and neatness to needlework and pram pushing. Meanwhile, World War II began, and Brenda's heart was broken twice. She vowed never to fall for a man again and devoted her life to caring for other people's children, never having any of her own.

Brenda's memoir offers readers an enticing glimpse into the joys, frustrations, adventures and mishaps of children of all ages and situations. She peppers her story with delightful bits of cultural history and timeless life lessons. A Spoonful of Sugar is an irresistible Mary Poppins story that will touch your heart and remind you of what is truly important in life.

Brenda was one of six children.  She wasn't fond of school and didn't have the aptitude for it so quit at age sixteen.  Because of her love for her baby brother, David, she decided to become a nanny and was accepted in the prestigious Norland College in London in 1939.  It was a strict two year program that taught everything from cleaning and sewing to manners to taking care of children.

This is Brenda's story of being a nanny for over 60 years to many many children ... some families she stayed years with, others she stayed for a couple months as a "troubleshooter" (helping new moms get settled in after they have had their babies).  She fell in love twice but it wasn't meant to be so she devoted her life to taking care of children and never had any of her own.

I like reading bios and I liked this book.  As I was reading it, I could hear an elderly English woman's voice in my head, almost conversational-like.  I think she would be fun to sit and chat with over a cup of tea.

It's quite a life she led.  I don't have children and I can't imagine having to boil and scrub diapers by hand to clean them ... but that's what she had to do back in the day.  It was interesting to get her perspective (she has strong opinions) as times changed ... families taking in strangers' children (evacuees) during World War II, women losing their jobs when the men came back from that war, wealthy parents only spending an hour a day (from 4pm to 5pm) with their children, rock 'n roll music, the invention of the Pill, hemlines getting shorter, etc.  You realize how much things have changed and how good we have it today.

At the beginning of each chapter is a schedule of an average day for her ... getting up at 6:30am, taking care of the children, doing chores and going to sleep at 10pm.  In theory, she was supposed to have an evening off a week and every second Sunday off but it didn't usually work out that way.  It didn't give her a lot of time for herself.

At the end of the chapters, she provides nanny wisdom:

“I had puzzled many times over the ingredients for a perfect recipe for a happy home. Throw in some stability, a dash of routine and respect. Sprinkle some fun and imaginative games and stir well. But the most vital ingredient is the mother. The mother is truly the heart and soul of a family.”

“As for fussy eaters? I don’t stand for it. I have taken a hard line on this topic. This is a home, not a restaurant and you will jolly well try it before you turn your nose up at it.”

“If a child has sufficient breakfast, lunch and dinner they shouldn’t need a snack. I don’t really like it today when I see children being wheeling along in a pram stuffing things in their mouth.”

“Children cannot get up to your level, so you have to get down to theirs; try and understand how the world looks through their eyes.”

“If we respect little people then they in turn will grow up to respect others.”

“Put a book in a child’s hands or plant them in an empty field or park, and suddenly the world opens up and becomes a fantastical place of make believe and adventure.”

“Never let a house define you. You can make a home anywhere from an air raid shelter to a shed, if you have to. Riches and wealth don’t matter a jot.”

“I was always honest with my charges. In fact in every area of my life I have been most careful to never tell a lie. Why can’t everyone be more careful to tell the truth? At least we would all know where we stand in life.”

“Little folk deserve a childhood that’s full of fun. It’s the single most valuable lesson in my eyes. I have always encouraged children to have a giggle wherever and whenever they can.”

She also includes recipes for pies and puddings and cures (for example, if your child has diarrhea,  heat a cup of milk and two glasses of port wine and give a tablespoon of this once it's cool).

It's an enjoyable book and I recommend it.

"Dancing with Rage", Panasonic Theatre, Toronto, ON

My pal, Franca, had a couple tickets for tonight's Dancing with Rage, a 90 minute one woman play with Mary Walsh.  She couldn't use them so gave them to Gord and I (thanks, Franca!).

I can't say I'm a fan of Mary Walsh ... I don't dislike her, I'm just not really familiar with her work.  I used to watch CODCO many years ago and liked it but never got into This Hour has 22 Minutes.

Dancing with Rage is playing at the Panasonic Theatre (Yonge/Bloor).  I haven't been to that theatre in many years ... since Forever Plaid was playing there.  I like this theatre ... it's kind of small and intimate. It was really warm, though, and there wasn't a lot of air circulating.

The crowd was just going in when we got there.

Mary came in from the back of the theatre as Miss Eulalie.  Miss Eulalie went into a tirade, picking at current events, as she headed to the stage.  I found this part funny.

When she got to the stage, as she is still talking, she became a different character, reading the story of the little girl who lived with her elderly aunts and uncle while her parents and siblings live next door.  I didn't find this funny ... I'm not sure if it was supposed to be.

Then the real story began and she became Marg Delahunty, who has discovered that she is going blind ... which sets her on the road to Ottawa to find the child she had put up for adoption when she was 16.  She determines it could be Prime Minister Harper or a girl who works at Joe Ortons (a play on Tim Hortons).  When she hears that her mother has died, Marg rushes home for the funeral and gets hammered (she hadn't had a drink for 16 years). The last scene has her playing five characters at the same time at the funeral home.

Sounds really serious, doesn't it?  Given that this is a Mary Walsh play, I had expected it to be lighthearted and funny ... but it wasn't.  It was fairly depressing and I didn't find it all that funny.

The play intermingles Mary being on stage with videos behind her with her playing different characters (for example, she is Marg in the video having a conversation with Mary on stage as a slimy cab driver).

Artful Dodger Pub, Toronto, ON

Gord and I had tickets for Dancing with Rage this evening.

We had supper beforehand at The Artful Dodger (Yonge/Isabella).

The pub was busy when we got there but we managed to snag a table on the second floor by a window.

My Keiths tasted yummy!

I ordered garlic cheese bread and honey garlic wings.  The garlic bread was $5 and I was expecting a small order ... it was huge.  I had a couple slices and ate the cheese off the rest.

My wings were good ... there were ten to the order ($10).   The honey garlic sauce was good ... I wish there'd been a bit more.  I'd order them again but would ask for extra sauce.

Gord ordered a burger and onion rings.  He enjoyed it and would get it again.

Though the pub was packed, service was good.

I had ordered a Captain Morgan dark rum and Diet Coke before we left.  I'm not sure what I was served but it wasn't Captain Morgan dark rum.  Our server checked with the bartender and confirmed that it was what I ordered.  But I know it wasn't ... though tasty, there was too much of a vanilla taste.

If you’re in a relationship, can you have supper with a member of the opposite sex who’s single?

Last week I posted a question after the radio station I listen to in the morning asked it.

Here was their question for today ...

If you’re in a relationship, should you be having supper with a member of the opposite sex who’s single?

On their Facebook page, it was mostly women who responded and the majority said it was inappropriate.

It sounds like they have trust issues.  Put a partner/married spouse and a single friend of the opposite sex together and something is bound to happen, they say.  If nothing had happened so far, why is it going to all of a sudden happen?!

They felt they should be brought along (one admitted she had tagged along to a supper and felt like a third wheel) or the spouse should drop these friends since they are now in a relationship (even though they'd been friends forever).

I'd have no issue if Gord wanted to have dinner with a female friend and I'm sure he'd feel the same way if I had supper with a male friend.  It would be nice if the three of us could have dinner together sometimes but people are brought together for different reasons.  If Gord had supper with a female fencing friend, I would find that really boring since it's not something I'm into so I'd rather not be there.  I'm sure it would be a more fun supper for them because they wouldn't have to worry about including me in their conversation.

Some said that having supper with an ex is a definite no-no.  There's a reason why they are no longer together and I think it's fine if they've managed to salvage a friendship and want to meet for supper.

If you don't trust your spouse/partner then it's time for you to move on. 

What do you think?

Topbox - March 2013

I got my March Topbox today.

For only $12 a month, you will receive a Topbox with 4 carefully selected, indulgent, beauty products. Then test the products in the comfort of your own home.

It comes in a round box ...

Here's what was in it ...

Book ~ "Nobody Has to Know" (2012) Frank Nappi

From Goodreads ~ Nobody Has To Know, Frank Nappi's dark and daring new thriller, tells the story of Cameron Baldridge, a popular high school teacher whose relationship with one of his students leads him down an unfortunate and self-destructive path.

Stalked through text-messages, Baldridge fights for his life against a terrifying extortion plot and the forces that threaten to expose him. Nobody Has To Know is a sobering look into a world of secrets, lies, and shocking revelations, and will leave the reader wondering many things, including whether or not you can ever really know the person you love.

Cameron ("Mr. B") is a popular 25-year-old high school teacher.  He's been dating and living with Haley for a few years.  Despite the fact that he is only a couple years older than his students, he has been able to maintain an appropriate relationship with them ... until Nikki comes along.  With Nikki, he feels things he hasn't felt since his first girlfriend, Maleigha, when he was fourteen.  Though he tries to resist, he can't fight it and he and Nikki begin a relationship.

Cameron thinks he can hide the consequences of his actions ... but he can't.  Someone knows and starts blackmailing him ... and the blackmailer is always one step ahead of him.  And during all this, he and Haley are planning their wedding and she is getting mad because he's distracted and leaving all the arrangements to her.  If she only knew!!

This is the first book I've read by this author and I enjoyed it.  An affair between a teacher and a student is always a touchy subject.  I liked this book because it wasn't focused on the relationship itself but on how Cameron tries to hide that it happened.  Just when he thinks he has everything under control, he is slammed by the blackmailer with threats and it's interesting to see how he deals with it.

I liked the writing style ... it was well-paced and kept me wanting to read more.  The story is told in third person so you get to read how Cameron, Haley, Nikki, etc. are feeling at the moment.  It dips back in the past at times ... for example, when Cameron remembering his relationship with Maleigha.  Despite the fact that I figured out the ending way before it happened, I enjoyed reading how the author got me there and was satisfied with how it ended (for the most part, it's how I would have ended it ... except for the last two paragraphs).

Though he was an excellent teacher who could relate to his students, I didn't like Cameron as a person.  I found him weak and it seemed to be always all about Cameron.  And because I didn't like Cameron, I was cheering every time the blackmailer pushed him again and again.  Ha!  I found Haley a bit annoying at times.  She had a tough life growing up and tended to whine about it at times.  But she was justified in her frequent freaking out on Cameron.  It's a testament to the writing that I enjoyed the book despite disliking the main characters.

This is a dark look at the consequences when a teacher has a relationship with a student and I'd recommend it!  As a head's up, the language and activity are mature at times.

Cam knew he should not have encouraged her - should have never pursued her. It was the first thing he was told before he took the job. It wasn’t so much an admonition as it was a statement of fact.

“Remember, you can be friendly with these kids, but you are not their friend,” his mentor, a seasoned veteran of twenty nine years, warned. “Especially the girls. That’s just trouble waiting to happen.”

Cam shrugged it off. He had heard that warning before. Besides, he had no interest in teenage girls, especially the ones sitting in his classroom.

“No problem there John,” he had explained at the time. “I have it covered. I have no time for any of that. I’m involved already. College sweetheart. It’s cool. Really. We’ve been together for years.”

“Is that right?” John commented. “Then what’s the deal? I mean, twenty five isn’t old friend, but seems to me you should have taken it to the next level by now.”

Cam flushed and stood more awkwardly now. John marveled at his protégé’s attempt to free himself from the moment’s grasp.

“I don’t know,” Cam replied. “Why does everyone ask me that? I really don’t know. I guess the timing has never been quite right.” He paused briefly, gleaning some obscure meaning behind the raised eyebrows of his friend and mentor, then continued to speak, like an actor who had just been cued from offstage.

“But that should change soon. Hayley and I will probably be engaged by Christmas.”

Cam should have remembered John Volpe’s words. He should have listened to logic, and tucked away those feelings. He should have done a lot of things, like remembered his master’s thesis – the one that explored La Femme Fatale. He knew all the names. The sirens of Greek Mythology. Mata Hari. Memo Paris. Daisy Buchanan and Mattie Silver. And of course there was Nabokov’s Lolita. She was the one he remembered most. “All of them,” he had written, “are so very beautiful, so alluring, yet deadly – life draining vampires who possess the power to transfix the opposite sex with their feminine wiles, leaving these spellbound males weak, vulnerable and ultimately barren.” He should have remembered. He should have considered how much he loved teaching and his genuine affection for everyone at Hillcrest High School. He tried. But all he could see was her. For some reason, all he could think about was her long dark hair, and what it would be like to touch it – to let the soft strands cascade across his own body. And the wet shine of her lips. My God, what would it be like to feel those as well? To press his to hers. She was so beautiful, so exquisite, so young.

So many times, during their little chats before and after class, he stared into her blue eyes, marbled with gray flecks, and was lit by her electric smile, all the while wondering how it was that this universe managed to give birth to such a perfect creature. She was perfect. She was just as Nabokov had described his Lolita -- the nymphet, a mystical, magical, sweet smelling creature budding with sexuality, ripening on life’s vine, right before his very eyes. Yes, the forbidden fruit. Oh how she tortured him. The curve of her mouth; her slender waist and fully formed hips, both attenuators to the rhapsody of her walk; her sweet smell and the softness of her tan skin. Everything about her called to him desperately. It was a familiarly paralyzing feeling. The girl was also familiar. He could recall, as a kid, humid summer evenings with his friends, racing around on damp lawns under a gray sky that had just begun to soften into the pitch of night. Freeze tag was the game most often. Some complained it was a bit juvenile, but there were all sorts of variations, including a wrinkle that included their favorite alcoholic drink of choice.

The rules of the game were basic: once touched, you could not move. You remained frozen in place, sometimes drinking to excess, until someone freed you from your current state. He could still remember waiting, silent and still, for what seemed sometimes to be an eternity. It was uncomfortable. Cam’s knees would ache and his arms would burn. It was interminable. He was always tempted to transgress, to flex his muscles under the cover of the deepening night. He never did. Even though he could move, he never did, for the spirit of and passion for the game always trumped logic and reason.

He played it all the time, with Maleigha. She was his first love. It was the summer before he began high school when he met her. She had just turned fourteen, and was visiting her cousin, who happened to be his next door neighbor. He was slightly older and they had spent that entire summer together, swimming and riding bikes. He often thought, even now, how odd it was how they seemed to click instantly. She came from a Latin American family that lived in a trailer in New Jersey. She was a singer, and a lover of jazz music. He was just a kid from Long Island who loved the Mets. Their cultures and upbringing differed greatly as well. Yet somehow, none of it mattered. It was part of the magic.

The days that summer were filled with innocent fun with a group of others. They sat around many afternoons listening to their favorite tracks from Rage Against the Machine and The Smashing Pumpkins while playing Super Mario 64 on his Nintendo. When they tired of that, the world outside offered more frivolity, including wiffle ball, Marco Polo, tag, and man hunt. They were rarely at a loss for entertainment. Those were good days. But night time was really special. At night, it was all about Maleigha.

Often, Cam would take her for walks through the nature preserve not too far from his house. She loved the sound of the crickets, and the gentle trickle of the shallow waterway that snaked its way through the underbrush. It was there they would hold hands and talk about the summer and the beach and about their feelings for each other.

“This is very different from where I come from,” she said, marveling at the moon through the treetops. “I really love it here.”

“Is Long Island really that different from New Jersey?” he asked.

She looked at him with bubbling amazement.

“Yeah, just a little,” she answered, shaking her head playfully.

“Well, it’s not that far,” he said. “Maybe your family can move here.”

She never looked so sad.

“I don’t think so Cam.”

“Well, you never know,” he continued. “Besides, you can always visit, right?”

She was thinking of her mother, and the last thing she said to her before Maleigha left.

“Have good time at Carla’s, behave yourself Maleigha, you hear? No trouble, okay? But by time you get back, we be all set to leave for Ecuador. No worries mi hija. It be fine.”

It will be fine, her mother kept saying. Somehow, Maleigha just could not see how moving to the other end of the earth would ever be fine. Not now. Not ever.

“Sure Cam,” she said through glassy eyes. “I can visit.”

He thought of Maleigha often. It was eleven years since he had last seen her, and he was now a twenty-five-year-old man with a beautiful fiancée and a promising career. Time had altered many things for Cam, but Maleigha remained a part of him. And although life had offered him a promising path to follow, other thoughts were now surfacing as well, like how this new nymphet of his, Nikki, knew very well, on some level, just how enticing she was. That’s why her sweaters fell the way they did across her round breasts, and why her clothes left very little unknown about just how shapely she was. It was the same reason why she twirled her hair when she laughed and why she giggled flirtatiously every time she said hello to him in the hallway. She was no child. No way. And he was no longer a man in control, but a tortured soul, slave to her essence, lost always in beautiful, woeful distraction.

There were moments when it was almost more than he could bear. When she touched his arm playfully, or blinked her eyes in that coquettish way of hers, it rendered him in agony. His heart would rebel feverishly, and his reality would divide instantly into two sectors – the ecstasy felt from the passing of electricity through that touch or flirtation and the devastation of a world that simply forbade any further advance. Those fires of love, or perhaps lust, burned wildly in the chasm between hemispheres and transformed quickly into waves of passionate thought. What would it be like, he wondered, to press his body up against hers? Just once. To feel, with all his being, her tight, silky skin next to his. It was a desire that ruled his soul.

Even so, he should have known better. Although only seven years separated the two, it should never have gone any further. It should have ended with those harmless flirtations, like their conversations about things they both loved, like the Mets and Kanye West, and the way he always saved her a piece of his Orbit gum or the many visits he made to Carvel, where she worked part time, just because he was “in the neighborhood.”

“You again?” she said laughing. “This is the third time this week. You sure must love ice cream.”

“What can I say Nikki,” he answered. “I’m addicted.”

Yes, he should have recognized the signs and just walked away. But he didn’t. Somewhere, deep within the darkest chambers of his soul, lurked the feeling that he had to have her – that his body would not survive in her absence. It was an uncompromising pang. Not even John’s advice and knowledge of all that he could lose were enough to extricate him from the blissful imaginings and real life longings. No. It did not matter. Nothing else mattered. Not any more. His world had been turned upside down in an instant, and he had reached the point of no return.

Book ~ "Chin Music" (2012) Lee Edelstein

From Goodreads ~ "Chin Music." A 95 mile-per-hour fastball thrown at a hitter's chin -- an instant's difference between disrupting the batter's concentration and hitting him in the head. 

As a metaphor in life, chin music is the split second when destinies are altered and all of our certainties about who we are change forever. Sixteen-year-old Ryan Buck is a talented athlete who was fortunate to escape with minor injuries from the horrific car crash that devastated his family. But factor in the suffocating guilt and the recurring nightmare that plagues him and maybe Ryan wasn't so lucky, after all. Two-and-a-half years and countless hours of therapy later, Ryan still can't remember a thing about the accident and it's making for agonizingly slow progress. 

But everything changes when his mom, Susan, is forced to sell the old Babe Ruth artifacts that have been in the family for years. Enter Sam Frank, a Yoda-like figure, who saves Susan from making a costly mistake. Sam's friendship and knowledge provides the support Susan needs to investigate a secret that has plagued her family for generations the remarkable encounter between her great grandmother, Zel, and the immortal Yankee slugger. 

As Ryan slowly makes progress, baseball becomes an important outlet, emotionally and physically. When his superior talent for the sport is recognized, a chance at the major leagues becomes a reality, leaving Susan torn between her excitement at Ryan's prospects and protecting her family from the truth that will turn their world upside down. When the facts emerge, it becomes a story with startling implications for the Buck family, baseball, and sports fans across America.

There are two stories in the book that take place in different generations.

Zel is a barber in the mid 1920s.  Because she's female, she has to work harder to get customers.  Babe Ruth and two other baseball players walk into the barbershop one day and Babe chooses her to give him a shave and a haircut.  Every day for the next six weeks he goes back for a shave and Babe and Zel become friends.  She soon marries Horace, who is living in the same boarding house as she.

Two years ago, 16-year-old Ryan, his 14-year-old brother, Michael, and their father are in a car accident.  Their father gets killed and Michael loses a leg.  Ryan has no memory of the accident but does have a sense of guilt that it's his fault ... had they not been at his football game, there would have been no accident and their father would still be alive.

Today Susan, Ryan and Michael's mother, is having a hard time making ends meet.  She needs money to ensure Michael gets a proper prosthetic leg as he gets older.  She decides to sell the Babe Ruth memorabilia that was given to her great grandmother, Zel.  She meets Sam, an older retired baseball expert, while trying to sell a baseball card ... he helps her from not getting ripped off and a friendship develops between them.  Susan also has Zel's diary which may contain a shocking family secret and Susan has to decide if it is worth revealing in order to take care of her family.

This is the first book I've read by this author and I enjoyed it.  I liked the writing style ... it was well-paced and the storyline kept me interested.  I like it when storylines from the past influence the storylines of today.  Plus I'm a baseball fan (go, Blue Jays, go!).  The language at times was mature but I was okay with that.

I liked the characters. It was obvious they were all dealing with tragedies ... the Bucks with the death of the father and Sam never got over the death of his wife twenty years ago.

I would recommend this book!

Daylight Savings Time

Don't forget ... we are springing ahead an hour.

I'm not sleeping well as it is ... I'm sooooo not looking forward to losing an hour's sleep.

Are you affected by Daylight Savings Time?

Book ~ "Speed Reading in a Week: Teach Yourself" (2012) Tina Konstant

From Kobo ~ The ability to read, understand and remember material is crucial to anyone who wants to advance their career. Written by Tina Konstant, a leading expert on speed reading as both a coach and a practitioner, this book quickly teaches you the insider secrets you need to know to in order to quickly deal with large amounts of reading. 

The highly motivational 'in a week' structure of the book provides seven straightforward chapters explaining the key points, and at the end there are optional questions to ensure you have taken it all in. There are also cartoons and diagrams throughout, to help make this book a more enjoyable and effective learning experience. So what are you waiting for? Let this book put you on the fast track to success!

I love to read and always have a book on the go.  I wondered how speed reading worked so I thought this would be an interesting book.

The book is broken up into seven chapters/days:

• Sunday - The five-step system
• Monday - Speed reading (this is the chapter where you actually learn how)
• Tuesday - Remember what you read
• Wednesday - Your eyes and effective reading
• Thursday - Distractions and solutions
• Friday - Reading different types of material for different reasons
• Saturday - What next?

Rather than read the book in one sitting (it's short so can be done), I read a chapter a day.  The book discusses the five step process, pacing, how to deal with distractions, skimming versus scanning, reading with your eyes rather than your eyes, etc. and has questions (a test) at the end of each chapter to re-enforce what you've read. You can use the techniques for novels but it works best with non-fiction.

There are blank pages in the back where you can take notes ... in fact, you are encouraged to makes notes in the margins of books or highlight things.

It takes practice ... there is a template for a 21 day program in the back on the book.  I'll give it a try.

I received a copy of this book at no charge in exchange for my honest review.

Book ~ "The Canadian Guide to Will and Estate Planning" (2010) Douglas Gray and John Budd

From Chapters Indigo ~ We all know we need a will, one that is current and reflects our wishes and changing life events. So why do two-thirds of Canadians still die without a will - without a plan for passing on their assets the way they want? Why do Canadians still risk losing everything to creditors or the government, or certain relatives being awarded assets by provincial government formulas, none of which were the deceased's intention? Approximately one out of four Canadians die suddenly, so advance will and estate planning is critical.

In this third edition of the bestselling The Canadian Guide to Will and Estate Planning, Canada's foremost author team of experts in estate planning provide you with insights and options, practical suggestions, and authoritative guidance. You can then discuss your customized and evolving needs and wishes with your professional advisors in an informed fashion, to ensure your assets are protected and your family and beneficiary needs are met with strategic tax and estate planning. This approach will save you time, money, tax, stress, and anxiety.

Using practical checklists, real-life examples, and answers to frequently asked questions, Douglas Gray, LL.B, and John Budd, F.C.A., provide helpful guidance on many important topics, including guardianship, powers of attorney, trusts, probate, special options for small and family businesses, passing on the family cottage, charitable giving, tax planning, estate planning, insurance and much more. Also includes an extensive glossary and appendix, and invaluable resource information and websites.

Completely updated to reflect the latest changes in relevant legislation and taxation, and with a new chapter on preserving and increasing your net worth, The Canadian Guide to Will and Estate Planning explains how to:

• Obtain expert legal advice to prepare a will to protect your interests and assets 
• Ensure that your assets will pass to the intended beneficiaries without hassle 
• Use special legal and estate planning strategies to protect your business 
• Avoid family feuds and spousal disputes 
• Minimize or avoid income taxes and capital gains taxes through strategic tax and estate planning 
• Use the latest tax laws to maximize the benefits of charitable giving 

Don't let the government be your principal beneficiary - take the time to plan ahead!

I work in the group retirement industry and conduct seminars and one-on-ones.  I talk about planning for retirement, investing, retirement payout options, government benefits, etc.  As such, I thought this book would be interesting.

It's amazing the amount of people I talk with who aren't prepared .... they don't have a will, power of attorney, etc. This book is a good guide to tell you the things you should be doing along with worksheets, checklists, a glossary and a list of resources in the back.

None of us are looking forward to death but there are things you should do to put your affairs in order so when it does happen, your assets will be distributed the way you want them to be.  All the provinces are different but here in Ontario, for example, if you die without a will and have:

• Spouse - all assets to spouse
• Spouse and relatives but no children - all assets to spouse
• Children only - all assets to children
• Spouse and one child - first $200,000 to spouse, rest split equally
• Spouse and children - first $200,000 to spouse, 1/3 of rest to spouse, 2/3 of rest to children
• No spouse or children - all assets to closest next of kin in this order:  parents, brothers/sisters (if no parents), nephews/nieces (if no brothers/sisters) ... if no next of kin, the government gets your assets

Wouldn't it be better in your will to leave your assets to a charity if you have no family rather than have the government take them?

I think this is a book every Canadian should read to prepare for their retirement and beyond.

Since the book was printed, the government has changed some of the rules for their benefits (for example, if you were born after January 1, 1962, you won't receive Old Age Security until you are 67 rather than 65).  So you should check the government's website for the up-to-date rules.

I received a copy of this book at no charge in exchange for my honest review. 

Toronto Rock 14, Colorado Mammoth 10

Gord and I went to the Toronto Rock game tonight.

The Toronto Rock is a professional lacrosse franchise founded in 1998. They are in the Eastern Division of the National Lacrosse League (NLL) and were playing against the Colorado Mammoth.

The Rock came out, cheered by their cheerleaders.

Scotty Newlands sang the national anthems.

Dog & Bear Pub, Toronto, ON

Before the Toronto Rock game, Gord and I had supper at the Dog & Bear, which is in our 'hood.

I had the Friday special ... a beer and haddock 'n chips for $15.  Yum!  Yum!

Gord had a Scotch egg and wings.

Gabby took good care of us.  Our bill came in an old book from 1964 ...

Joe Badali's Ristorante Italiano & Bar, Toronto, ON

I had supper this evening with my pals, Deb, Liz and Rona.  The four of us worked together back in the mid to last 1990s.

We met at Joe Badali's Ristorante Italiano & Bar at Front/University.

They started us with some bread and olive oil/balsamic vinegar.  Yum!

Deb ordered Spaghetti Carbonara (spaghetti, pancetta, onion, raw egg yolk, cream sauce).  The raw egg yolk kinda freaked me out.

Liz ordered Ravioli DeZucca (housemade butternut squash ravioli, roasted red peppers, grilled yellow squash, spinach, pecans, chunky rose sauce).

Rona ordered Badali's Salsicci (Joe’s house-made grilled Italian sausages, patate fritte, broccoli, apple mustard chutney).

I ordered a pizza with pepperoni and green peppers.  It was good but it was a bit overcooked (note the burnt edges).

And here we are ... Liz, Deb, me and Rona.

It was great to sit, yak and catch up for a couple hours.

Stan was our server and he took good care of us.