I just received my first review for One Real Man! 🙂 Oh, happy dancing! Click this link and scroll down to blog #162. And thanks, Merri!

I know a lot of people hope they’ll get a white Christmas, and I’ll admit I find beauty in a rolling landscape dusted in white and shades of gray. I even like the crunch of snow underfoot and that ethereal glow that comes off a snowscape at night.

BUT, bah-humbug! I don’t like it when the snow is mid-calf (and higher in drifts). I don’t like the butt-cold wind either that seems to blow right through my old house. I don’t like shoveling snow mountains (so I don’t do it). 🙂

I posted a couple of pictures of our new wintery scene on my website, so pop over and take a look if you have time.

To all my readers, friends and family, be safe and happy. And have a Merry Christmas!

Like paranormal romance? Then check out Lori Devoti’s latest novel.

Publisher: Silhouette Nocturne
ISBN: 978-0373617791
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: January 2008

4 1/2 Stars, Romantic Times Magazine!

Kol Hildr had spent the last century battling hellhounds and warlocks who sought to usurp his portal’s magic. A mighty shape-shifter with the ability to change into wolf form, Kol made accessing the powerful gateway nearly impossible—unless you were a witch of Kelly Shane’s talents. She had a score to settle and would do anything to close the portal that led to her unearthly prison. Though an alliance with her compromised Kol’s purpose, something about the little witch overwhelmed his fierce, battle-worn soul. But when he learned Kelly’s life might be in jeopardy, could Kol put aside the one thing he thought he valued most—the portal—to journey to the other side and rescue her?

Like so many in the Midwest, our my county was hit by an ice storm this week. It started off as just a thin layer of ice, and it wasn’t too bad to get around. Then the rain came.

The temps were around 30 when it started and there was a fair amount of ponding on surfaces, namely driveways and sidewalks and roadways. Miserable crap to deal with, for when those ponds froze, look out.

But the worst problem as always was the ice piling up on the trees and powerlines. The weatherman kept saying this wasn’t going to be as bad as 2002 which was horrible, but it was bad just the same. The icicles from the trees were at least 3″ long, and they were one next to the other. Lots of weight in ice.

The electric lines near our my house put on a freakish light show of blue, purple and red arcs of energy before all power went out. The rain continued, and it was four hours or more before a crew arrived to remove the limbs and flip our transformer back on. Folks in my area were lucky. Damned lucky.

There are still a good many homes in Whoville without electricity, and it could be close to a week or more before all power is restored. That’s coming mighty close to Christmas.

Speaking of which– Outside Christmas decorations, like the big inflated characters and such, don’t fare so well in ice. Neither do the moving objects, like bobbing deer heads and waving Santas.

I’m praying for a warming trend, say around 60. 🙂 Yeah, that’d be a great Christmas present, imo. I’m so not a winter person.

This year, I’m lobbing the lumps of coal at my IP. For this year, they have consistently provided me with : intermittent internet service, disconnected me at whim, reduced the measely kbs I was getting by on to a typical 25,000 receiving on a good day, and provided a laundry list of worthless excuses why my service is total crap.

They are the only “game” in Whoville. My IP sucks, knows it, and doesn’t give a flying fart. I am considering switching to yahell dialup. Or even AOL. God help me, it’s that bad. Yes, there is no DSL in my neck of the woods in Whoville. 🙁

Oh, there’s the possibility I could get cable, but like dish service, the cost is beyond me at this point in time.

So if you know of a fairly reliable dial up service that’s nationwide, please let me know. And please, help yourself to the coal on the back porch. You’ll also find the directions there to my IP, so feel free to pelt them.