On a snowy day…

This was our forecast:

This was the result:

The perfect cup of coffee

I have never drank an expresso…until today.

It was absolutely delicious.

And I was hitting the ceiling not soon after.

Our newest residents

We have a few new residents with us…of a different sort. Here’s one of them.

Okay, it’s a plant, still, these living creatures are particularly hilarious. Check out this next little bundle.

I mean, what’s that? It’s a plant but it’s made of little balls of green. I think it’s just a hoot. Look at our next character.

He even smells funny! This guy smells like lemon! Hee hee!

This guy is super picky about living conditions; just your typical snooty neighbour, except its a tree.

Finally, this guy who is also super picky and thinks it’s a tree but isn’t.

There you have it, our newest little guests who, it seems, the smaller they are, the bigger their personality.

My latest TV obsession

This is my latest obsession. It’s a vet show but it’s not just your typical vet. It’s pretty special.

Dr. Pol is a country vet. That means he takes care of grumpy cows, bulls, sheep, goats and just about anything that the farmers keep. He has to keep himself from getting trampled by his patients who are, quite often, much larger than he is.

Dr.Pol also takes care of your usual cats and dogs, birds, lizards and other little creatures but the variety keeps coming. You never know what he’s going to deal with next.

Dr. Pol is also hilarious. He’s incredibly driven, always excited about getting to his next case and can’t seem to want to rest. He works into the night, all hours and all days. Because the farmers depend on him, he’s available 24/7. Talk about devotion. But he seems to absolutely love it.

I also love that he has such an incredible knowledge of just about every breathing creature on the planet. No matter what animal comes through his door, he knows how to take care of it. He seems to diagnose issues within minutes.

Also, he has ‘home remedies’ to keep those insane vet costs down for his clients. I find that incredibly kind. Farmers work so hard for a very slim profit and Dr. Pol knows that well. He tries as much as he can to keep those prices down for them.

He also has a quirky staff to help him including his son, Charles and his wife. They make a fantastic team and they’re so kind to those little animals.

If you do have a chance, check it out. It’s a definite feel-good show and it’s real. Certainly those animals do not act for the camera!

Review: The shape of family by Shilpi Somaya Gowda

I got this book as a recommendation…again. It’s a book about a family and what happens to them when tragedy strikes. I didn’t know the author or the book or anything about the story. I just picked it up and read the first chapter and was hooked.

More than anyone else in the family, I related to Karina, the daughter who struggles to find find herself and discover who she is. I loved how determined she was and how hard she worked at her studies. Having always been a type-A personality, that part of her, caught my interest right away.

The book is not just Karina’s story, however. We learn about the father and mother and her brother, Prem. They too grow through the book and I found their stories interesting to say the least. It was nice to see that adults too struggle to cope and are also growing themselves.

More than anything else, the book is a tale about how a family, that encounters a huge tragedy and has to learn to reinvent itself. People have to live in different ways, connect in different ways and redefine who they are. That sort of adjustment is huge and not easy. It takes years and lots of trial and error to figure oneself out. I loved that The Shape of Family gave that growth an authentic, serious portrayal.

I would definitely recommend this book. It’s not only written by a bestselling author but it’s a wonderful story. I loved the writing and the rhythm of the book, stealing me away and keeping me hooked until I turned the last page. If you like stories about families, about growing up and stories about trying to belong, this one is a great book to try.

Animal adoptions

I love stories of animals adopting other baby animals. This one made me smile. I hope it does for you too.

Things that made me smile today

Our new house still feels…a little strange. We’re making it ours, a little bit at a time but there are parts that are still alien and don’t feel quite like home. This is why finding things that I love and make me smile was key today. Here are some of my favourites.

The first one is a tiny bud from a fern. Isn’t it adorable?

The second one is the tiny baby of an ivy. Super cute!Then, of course, there is this majestic, awesome tree in our front yard that defies description. It’s simply incredible.

And finally, our poor delivery guy who tried to get up our insanely steep driveway and failed.

Poor, poor delivery guy. Should I admit that I laughed and laughed as the van slid down the driveway over and over?

Just…awww

These are from Wicked Aww Pics and they’re just adorable. I couldn’t resist passing them on.

I really could go on and on because there are so many adorable pictures. Sooo cute!

Guilty Pleasure…what not to do

Guilty pleasure

I have to admit, I like cleaning. I like having a tidy, organized, clean space. Whether it’s at work or at home, I like nothing better than neatness, cleanliness and organization.

That’s why I love shops like Staples, where they sell everything you need to organize your office space. I love stickies, tags, folders, page protectors, binders, paper clips, etc.

At our new home, I find that cleaning things makes me get to know the house. There are nooks and crannies that are only revealed to me when I’m down on my hands and knees cleaning those skirting boards. And nothing like cleaning their frames to know exactly what personality each window has.

I particularly love things that are clean in the kitchen and I love the cleaning supplies that make it so. Right now, we have shelving units at one wall lined with cleaning supplies. They reflect my interest and…well, almost addiction to the things. I love commercials that show amazing cleaning products and love buying said items to give me better odds against my war on dirt. Nothing produces a happier sigh than the sight of clean counters and appliances.

Now our new house didn’t come this clean. We spent an entire day cleaning the kitchen from the top of the cupboards, to the doors, insides, counters, appliances (inside and out) and finally the floors. We also cleaned the bathrooms and the rest of the floors. We’ve done well since then, but, since this home is large and poky, there are still corners and things that need to be cleaned. Today, I’m washing the kitchen sheer curtains. They looked clean before, but now…I spotted nasty dirt on the white background and discolouration on the edges. They must be cleaned.

There is something so soothing about watching dirt disappear.