Monday, February 29, 2016

A Man Called Ove - Fredrik Backman

Where do I begin? OMG, this book was fabulous! It has to be one of the best books I've read. I would say this year but it's only March, but guaranteed, come December, I will still say this was the best book I've read.

Simply put, this is a nice story.

It makes you laugh. It makes you cry. It is filled with lOVE.

Meet Ove. He is described as a curmudgeon. While he sees black and white, his wife saw colour. He is the kind of man who will point to people he does not like, as if they were up to no good. He likes routines. He is known as bitter by his neighbours. He drives a Saab. Anything else means you're stupid!

And while you think I'm asking you to read a book about a cranky old man, this book is also filled with saddness. And it's filled with joy.

Ove likes his routine. And he has a plan. And it all gets turned upside down when a young couple and their two little girls move next door. They drive a uHaul (no cars allowed in the residential area) and run his mailbox over. And, a beautiful, yet strange, friendship begins.

All I can really say about this book is you need to read this book!!!!!





Broken Harbor - Tana French

"This case should have gone like clockwork. It should have ended up in the textbooks as a shining example of how to get everything right. By every rule in the book, this should have been the dream case."

Scorcher Kennedy and his rookie partner, Richie are called out to Broken Harbor. A family was attacked in their home. In the middle of the night. The father, and two young children are dead. The wife is rushed to the hospital, and is in intensive care.

At first glance, it looks like the husband/father lost it and killed everyone before killing himself. But according to Jenny's sister, Fiona, they were in love. Everything was perfect.

As Kennedy and Richie continue their investigation, things don't add up. Fiona is too eager to jump to everyone's defence. What is she hiding? When Jenny regains consciousness, she's also hiding something. But what? Why won't she help them find who did this to her family?

If Pat Spain didn't kill his family, then who? The crazy neighbours next door? The mysterious man that was spying on the Spains? And what would the motive be?

And all the time Kennedy spends on this case, he also has his, can I say bi-polar(?), sister to look after.

It should have been easy. But it is not.


Thursday, February 18, 2016

Writer's Workshop - Coffee

Write a blog post inspired by the word:
Coffee

Coffee
Latte, Cappuccino

Espresso,
Mocha, Americano

Caffeinated,
Decaf
Half-caf?

Black,
Strong
Double-Double

Caramel,
Vanilla,
Hazelnut

Holiday flavours too.

You wake me up 
in the mornings.

You make me seem more...
human.

You give me that little extra
pep
to keep me going.

Coffee,
Latte, Cappuccino

Hot or cold
I'm sold!






Thursday, February 11, 2016

Chocolate

Did you know it's Valentine's Day this weekend? How did it get to be the middle of February already? For the last couple of years, I've made cookies and cupcakes. Ethan decorates them. We have fun. But this year I wasn't as well prepared.

So I thought.

I decided to spend my day, while Ethan's in school, making chocolate.


My ingredients
It was fairly simple. Equal parts of coconut oil and agave and 2 parts cocoa. Mixed together.

Heart molds, since it's Valentines
I placed the pomegranate seeds in the bottom of my mold and poured the chocolate mixture over it. (I forgot to take a picture of that).

Put them in the fridge, then go for coffee with a mate.

My chocolate!
Am hoping Ethan likes them. They were so easy, am thinking of making some more. May try other fillings, like nuts, seeds, dried fruit. Am so excited!