Karyn Good's Blog, page 24
February 12, 2016
Story Settings and What’s Next!
Like all readers I have favourite story settings. Some real, some fictional, most are a combination of both. One of my favourite story settings is found in this incredible novel, now motion picture, ROOM by Emma Donoghue. The importance of place is paramount. One room is five-year-old Jack’s world. Another is the farm Green Gables found in Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables. The inspiration of which is found in Cavandish, Prince Edward Island. I was lucky enough to visit Green Gables Heritage site.
I fell in love with the Chesapeake Bay area because of Nora Roberts book Sea Swept. Was fascinated with Tara Janzen’s Steele Street series and her chop-shop turned special ops heroes based in Denver.
My own fictional setting of Aspen Lake is based on a resort area I spent a lot of time at when I was a young child. I also worked there for a couple of summers while I pursued my post-secondary education. I met my husband while working at Moose Mountain Provincial Park. I have very fond memories of this area. And although I’m a city girl at heart I love reading and writing about small towns.
Modelling Aspen Lake after this region seemed a natural thing to do. Especially considering I was a novice at writing. There was a very clear picture on the environment and the social construct of the place in my head and the missing details were easy to find.
But now that I’m writing the final book in this series, I’m starting to think about the next series. For this series, I’m heading Into The Woods…
And into northern Canada. Which provides endless options as that encompasses a vast space.
“Northern” Canada encompasses all land above the country’s 60th parallel, which is divided into three territories (from west to east): Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Upwards of 90 per cent of the land in all three is strictly uninhabitable, a barren wasteland of rock, ice and snow, meaning most populated areas are located either in the southern region or close to the coast of some lake, river or ocean. Even then, “habitable” is very much in the eye of the beholder. Even in the cities, it’s not at all uncommon for winter temperatures to dip below -40˚(C). J.J. McCullough J.J.’s Complete Guide To Canada
But how far into the north of 60 to venture, and how far west to explore? What topics do I want to explore with this series. One thing I’ve learned? Creating a setting for your story is more than local fauna and flora, or brick and mortar buildings, although it’s important to get those right too.
Although I don’t write fantasy or science fiction I’m fascinated with world building. And also with the rules of magic. The Rules of Magic, According To The Greatest Fantasy Sagas Of All Time. I’m not reading much fantasy or science fiction at the moment, but I am watching the television version of The Shannara Chronicles.
The stakes are high. The bad guy is actually a worthy adversary. And the actors are pretty. When they’re not screaming in terror. Because, hello, demons.
In an interesting article by Malinda Lo on world building. In it she repeats Holly Black’s, author of the Spiderwick Chronicles, six questions to use when establishing your world’s rules about magic or science. Also, her thoughts on power, rituals, food, etc. My setting will be a contemporary real-life place. There might not be magic. But I can’t help but apply her questions about rules and power when thinking of developing a potential setting. Because, Power? That’s a theme, big or small, we all explore in one way or another.
Who has it?
Who abuses it?
Who wants it?
Who rejects it?
What does it mean to each of them?
How far will they go to use it, get it, gain it, or deny it?
What does it cost them?
What does it mean for the people around them?
How does their attitude to power break them off into groups?
That’s where I’m at. What are some of your favourite story settings?
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January 8, 2016
Off The Grid 99c Until January 22nd
It’s a steal of a deal for 99 cents until January 22nd! Set in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, British Columbia, Off The Grid is the story of two people snared in the net cast by one man in a quest for power and dominance.
I think this book weighs in higher on the suspense side. Bad things happen in this book. Just so you know. It’s honest, emotional, and fast paced. If you love gritty romantic suspense, this is the book for you!
Poverty, Privilege and Power
Off The Grid by Karyn Good 99c until January 22nd
A committed doctor to Vancouver’s inner city, nothing fazes Sophie Monroe—until a pregnant teenager shows up at her clinic on Christmas Eve requesting sanctuary and claiming the baby’s father is one of the city’s most influential businessmen. Sophie is in over her head and thankful when aid shows up in the form of an attorney who’s a little too confident and a lot too sexy.
Family Law expert Caleb Quinn just wants a date, a chance to prove he isn’t the elitist jerk Sophie assumes. Helping deliver a baby is not what he has in mind. But before long protecting a traumatized teenager and her son become his first priority. Even if saving them pits him against the baby’s father, a childhood friend. A man who will do anything to keep his dark side private.
But justice never comes cheap. Will doing the right thing cost Sophie and Caleb their reputations? Or their lives?
The Wild Rose Press * Amazon * Kobo * Barnes and Noble * iBooks
A Bit About The Inspiration Behind Off The Grid
The first time I heard about the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, famously dubbed Canada’s poorest postal code, I knew I wanted to set a story there. In a tough environment where I could explore the incredibly difficult choices some women are forced to make in order to survive. Not pretty ones, but real ones. I wanted a heroine who was compassionate, smart, and driven and a hero who was the product of privilege, ambition, and character. Two protagonists caught up in something bigger than themselves who must decide on which side of the line they are going to stand.
“These people, they aren’t invisible, and acknowledging that is worth something.” Eastside Stories
The video below is a powerful reminder that we’re all equal, that poverty isn’t catching, and that how we care for each other matters.
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January 5, 2016
My 2016 Word Of The Year
Discipline! My Word For 2016.
This is a photo of Peggy’s Point Lighthouse, Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia which we visited in the summer of 2014. It literally sits atop rock. As in granite. I have no idea how it hasn’t been washed away. One of the most recognizable lighthouses in the world, it’s now operated by the Canadian Coast Guard. The original lighthouse was built in 1868. The keeper lit a kerosene oil lamp at sundown every night shining a red beacon on the eastern entrance to St. Margaret’s Bay.
One Word To Keep Me On Track!
Discipline! I didn’t have to think very hard to come up with my word for 2016. Organization was my 2015 word and I actually felt I achieved some measure of success. Choosing discipline seemed a good way to compliment the work I’ve already been doing. Unlike last year’s word, this year’s choice of discipline is geared towards my writing life. As in setting aside specific times to write and guarding and enforcing it. Working at keeping the distractions to a minimum. And in the end, upping my production.
One Word To Bring It All Together!
That’s a lot pressure to place on a single word. But I find it easier to keep one word front and center, rather than a list of resolutions. Compounded by the fact I’ve never succeeded at keeping one past New Year’s resolution. Ever. And it gives me leeway to set monthly goals and revise ones that aren’t working.
And In The Darkness…Wait! What?
Never mind that. Hopefully at the end of 2016 I’ll have finished one book and written another. All with the help of one ten letter word.
Do you pick a word of the year? One that describes what you want to achieve in the upcoming year?
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December 31, 2015
2015 – Photo Diary Style
I took a lot of photos in 2015. If there’s one thing I love almost as much as writing and reading, it’s taking photos. I love trying to capture a feeling, a moment, a bit of the story. Photographic evidence it really happened. Proof you’ve been there, done that. The need inside of me to want to look back and remember. By no means am I professional photographer. I have no tips or tricks for you, but taking a photography course is on my Wish List. So maybe…some day. Soon.
2015 – Life Was Good To Us!
2015 was a huge year in the Good household. We travelled, we came together, we celebrated. All of it. Milestones. Challenges. Rough terrain. Smooth sailing. We kept old traditions, started new ones. We cried, thrived, and lived it.
Here goes!
25 years of wedded bliss facing whatever came our way together, as a team.
Were we really that young?
We drove all the way from Saskatchewan, Canada to Oceanside, California! That’s a total of 2,832 kilometres, or 1,759 miles. Give or take. And I’d do it again!
Toes in the Sand. Oceanside, California
21 years old! How did that happen? Now he’s legal everywhere! I’ll bury my head in the sand about that whole business.
Look out! He’s 21! Legal everywhere!
Our Hundred Mile Dinner. A new summer tradition? I hope so. Don’t ask to pass the salt and pepper, there won’t be any on this table. Only things found on the prairies. Except for the wine. Because, you know…there has to be wine.
Hundred Mile Dinner. Summer. 2015
Last year we drove to the Maritimes and this year we hiked all the way to Tofino, British Columbia on Vancouver Island. From Canadian coast to Canadian coast. We’ve put our toes in both the Atlantic and Pacific.
Tofino, Vancouver Island
I celebrated my 50th birthday in Tofino! In a little cabin by the sea. Oh yeah, it had a hot tub and was walking distance to great seafood.
Crystal Cove, Tofino, Vancouver Island
She turned 19! Legal in Saskatchewan. Good thing she could care less, because God help us…
Oh geez, she’s 19!
And I published a book. EXPOSED is Book #2 of my Aspen Lake Series! What started out as a NaNoWri project in 2009 released in September.
Exposed, Book #2 Aspen Lake Series
There you have it! My 2015 in review photo style. Go ahead and share a favourite memory of yours! Are you a shutterbug? Like taking pictures?
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December 29, 2015
My Top Five Books of 2015
The last days of December always lend themselves to reflection. Everyone’s posting what topped their lists in 2016. My top five is books, of course! I read a lot of new-to-me authors and interesting books this year because of free book offerings and book sale sites. A lot. I have to say I enjoyed quite a few of them, but I wanted to keep this list manageable. These five stood out!
12 Rose Street by Gail Bowen (A Joanne Kilbourn Mystery #15)
This is no cozy mystery and Joanne Kilbourn is not your warm and fuzzy type of heroine. Not that there’s anything wrong with cozy or fuzzy when it comes to characters and books. But Joanne Kilbourn is a strong female lead who isn’t afraid to make decisions and take action. LOVE. I also loved how Bowen crafted a story about an inner city area and made it about the greed and avarice of the wealthy. And, of course, politics. Well written, well plotted – well done!
Cold In The Shadows by Toni Anderson (Cold Justice Series Book 5)
Anderson’s Cold Justice Series was new to me this year and it all started with a free book, the first one in the series. But Cold In The Shadows, number five, is my favourite of the series. Again, love her characters, who are strong, intelligent and driven. It’s short on angst and the over-the-top emotional introspection which seems to be very popular these days. You get the sense Anderson knows her stuff and has done her research.
Deep by Kylie Scott (Stage Dive Series Book 4)
How I adore this series! Which is strange because I’m not usually a fan of New Adult or rockstar romances. But Scott’s got a great voice and a wicked sense of humour. And once again, it’s full of strong, independent female characters, who aren’t perfect and make questionable choices, but they’re smart, honest, and real. There are depth to the characters and each one is unique. This series is fresh, smart, and appealing.
Him by Elle Kennedy and Sarina Bowen
These two! I loved the banter between these two guys and the internal dialogue which was just the right kind of not-too-over-the-top. Again, not a New Adult fan, but here I am picking another one. In fact, I don’t read sports stories either. But hello…the writing! And it’s super sexy and super sweet with no alpha males in sight.
The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty
Read this one for book club. I’ve read a lot of good books for book club. While I enjoy literary works of fiction they don’t comfort or intrigue or whisk me away like genre fiction. But I do love it when an author presents you with a story that makes you question what you would have done in the characters place. Makes you question how noble you really are?
There you have it! My top five picks for 2015. I’m sure many great books will find their way into my to-be-read pile in 2016. What was you favourite book(s) of the year?
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My Top Five Books of 2016
The last days of December always lend themselves to reflection. Everyone’s posting what topped their lists in 2016. My top five is books, of course! I read a lot of new-to-me authors and interesting books this year because of free book offerings and book sale sites. A lot. I have to say I enjoyed quite a few of them, but I wanted to keep this list manageable. These five stood out!
12 Rose Street by Gail Bowen (A Joanne Kilbourn Mystery #15)
This is no cozy mystery and Joanne Kilbourn is not your warm and fuzzy type of heroine. Not that there’s anything wrong with cozy or fuzzy when it comes to characters and books. But Joanne Kilbourn is a strong female lead who isn’t afraid to make decisions and take action. LOVE. I also loved how Bowen crafted a story about an inner city area and made it about the greed and avarice of the wealthy. And, of course, politics. Well written, well plotted – well done!
Cold In The Shadows by Toni Anderson (Cold Justice Series Book 5)
Anderson’s Cold Justice Series was new to me this year and it all started with a free book, the first one in the series. But Cold In The Shadows, number five, is my favourite of the series. Again, love her characters, who are strong, intelligent and driven. It’s short on angst and the over-the-top emotional introspection which seems to be very popular these days. You get the sense Anderson knows her stuff and has done her research.
Deep by Kylie Scott (Stage Dive Series Book 4)
How I adore this series! Which is strange because I’m not usually a fan of New Adult or rockstar romances. But Scott’s got a great voice and a wicked sense of humour. And once again, it’s full of strong, independent female characters, who aren’t perfect and make questionable choices, but they’re smart, honest, and real. There are depth to the characters and each one is unique. This series is fresh, smart, and appealing.
Him by Elle Kennedy and Sarina Bowen
These two! I loved the banter between these two guys and the internal dialogue which was just the right kind of not-too-over-the-top. Again, not a New Adult fan, but here I am picking another one. In fact, I don’t read sports stories either. But hello…the writing! And it’s super sexy and super sweet with no alpha males in sight.
The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty
Read this one for book club. I’ve read a lot of good books for book club. While I enjoy literary works of fiction they don’t comfort or intrigue or whisk me away like genre fiction. But I do love it when an author presents you with a story that makes you question what you would have done in the characters place. Makes you question how noble you really are?
There you have it! My top five picks for 2015. I’m sure many great books will find their way into my to-be-read pile in 2016. What was you favourite book(s) of the year?
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December 22, 2015
A Short Story – Waiting For Mason by Karyn Good
Christmas is right around the corner. We’re busy. We need more time. More energy. More peace. I like to post a short story every December. My gift to you.
I wrote this little story a few years back. Some of you may have read it. Some of you haven’t. Our family has camped many times in the Qu’Appelle Valley, which is basically our backyard. We have many fond memories. This story touches on how the valley got it’s name.
WAITING FOR MASON by Karyn Good
In the waning light Willa Harris surveyed her version of the prettiest spot on earth. With its shelter of wolf willows and cottonwoods, the tranquil calm of the lake, it soothed her battered heart. She struck a red-tipped match. Held the tiny flame to the bits of dry grass and twig she’d arranged in the middle of an irregular circle of stones. It whiffed out in a puff of wind.
The second match survived the odds and sparked at the broken bits of branch. She held her breath, delighted when it caught. She needed the heat. Tonight the many miles between the rustic Qu’Appelle Valley and her native Toronto were adding up to doubts. She tossed on a couple of smaller branches. Not about setting down roots here. Or Mason. The dry wood caught and she leaned in closer to catch the flare of heat. She reached for her backpack, the motion jarring her swollen ankle. Could she convince Mason she belonged here, too?
Okay, maybe she could use a crash course in backwoods smarts, on how to survive on ants and tree bark tea, that kind of thing. Hiking without falling victim to a sprained ankle. But she was trying. Hadn’t she’d trekked in alone to their special spot? Set things up? Okay, half set things up, but still it proved she was crazy about Mason Shaw, protector of the wild things. Didn’t it?
The darker the night sky and the brighter the moon, the more she felt like maybe Mason wasn’t coming. What if he hadn’t found her note? What if he didn’t show? What then? It’d be her and the howling coyotes. No. Mason would come looking for her. He was like that, straight up honourable in an old fashioned Camelot style that stretched way beyond appealing. She could count on Mason to do the right thing even when he’d rather not.
Willa massaged her throbbing ankle. In the distance the prairie wolves began their nightly serenade of howls and yips, in front of her the yellow-red flames fluttered and weaved. In back of her a breeze whispered through the fresh-leafed aspens. It wasn’t so bad being out here all alone. To disconnect. Take some time to think.
She never heard a sound, not a footstep, snapping twig, or rustle of clothing. Nothing until he appeared on the other side of the fire blocking her view. She froze at the sight of the bent old man who stared back at her. He lifted a hand in greeting a second before he squatted down across from her and set his rifle on the ground beside him.
She braced her hands on the hard packed earth. On instinct she budged backwards and remembered why she wouldn’t get very far. She stared at the old man who was an attention getter. Pain shot up her leg as she reached for one of the dead branches she’d dragged close to the fire. It was the best she could do for a weapon.
“Easy,” he murmured. “I’m not here to hurt you.”
Yeah, right. That’s what all the serial killers said, right before they sacrificed you to gain favor with Satan.
He held up his hands. “Just an old man looking for some warmth from your fire.”
She tried to level out her breathing as she studied him. He looked like some long ago actor from an old western, with his buckskin jacket and beaded belt. Very strange. His First Nations heritage showing on a proud and weathered face. His long salt and pepper hair was neatly braided, his lined face was creased in concentration. She eyed the rifle.
There was never a good time for a lone woman to be surprised by an armed stranger, even an elderly one.
“Mind if I share your fire?” He held out his aged hands to attract the warmth of the blaze then rubbed them together. She didn’t imagine the quiet shutter his withered body threw off.
What could she say? Yes, as a matter of fact, I do? “No. Go ahead.”
“You out here alone?”
“My boyfriend will be here any minute. Mason Shaw? He’s a conservation officer here at the park.” She laid the branch across her lap.
“Never heard of him.” His gaze flicked from her ankle to the small tent behind her. “Nice nest.”
“I guess.” She put her hand over a nearby large rock, an extra from their previous campfire visits, shifted it closer. There was nothing she could do to stop the wince of pain.
“Something wrong? You hurt?” His eyes narrowed as he leaned in.
“No. I’m fine.” He didn’t look dangerous. The rifle made her plenty nervous though and she stared at it a couple of seconds before meeting his eyes. She tried to keep him talking and distracted. “Are you from around here?”
“Sometimes.” His narrow shoulders shrugged under his leather fringed jacket.
Great. Just want she needed. Ambiguity. That didn’t raise any red flags at all.
“Don’t worry, not loaded.” He patted the rifle like an old friend. “I could help you. With that ankle. Take down the swelling.”
“It’s fine. I’m fine. Like I said my boyfriend will be here any minute.”
A look a thousand years old met her gaze across the fire. She winced again, a combination of discomfort and anxiety. Why was she lying? He’d know soon enough Mason wasn’t showing up. But if she sent him away from her fire, what then? Better she keep him close by then wonder if he was lurking around in the bush.
“See that thick thatch of grass over there?” He pointed to his right and, reluctant but determined to keep him happy, she risked a quick squint into the darkness.
“Yeah, barely.” She hesitated. He tilted his head, expectant and patient. She tacked on a “but very interesting” for good measure.
“Here at the valley’s edge protected from the plough by slope or bush, the original native grasses still grow. That sturdy plant fed buffalo who in turn fed the plains grizzly bear and wolf, all disappeared now. Many plants and birds, too.”
Okay. Now he was starting to sound like Mason and as the darkness closed in around them she felt herself start to relax a bit for no good reason until he reached a hand into his jacket. She flinched. He chortled, pulling out a pipe.
“Easy,” he murmured again, like he was used to calming wild things with that voice. Next he pulled out some matches, a package of tobacco, and showed them to her. Then he set them down, came and squatted beside her. He held out his hands. “Easy.”
She looked into his chocolate brown eyes and found herself nodding without knowing what she was agreeing to. He pointed to her foot shod in the flimsy pair of canvas sneakers she’d worn instead of the man boots Mason had bought her. Again she nodded. He slipped the shoe off and then her sock. Willa held her breath. His hands gentle as he handled her foot, probing a bit before setting it back down. He dug a bandana out of another pocket and hobbled to the water’s edge, dipped it in and rung it out.
Back at her side he wrapped her ankle in the frigid blue square of cloth cold from the early June lake water. He propped her foot up and away from the fire, all without saying a word. Back at his side of the fire he picked up his pipe, packed it, lit it and started to talk.
“Many years ago, these shores of what’s called the Fishing Lakes were home to the Cree and Saulteaux Nations. Do you know how this valley got its name?” He took a smidge of tobacco and sprinkled it over the fire.
She shook her head. Whatever else he was he had the voice of a storyteller. Strong without being loud. She had no trouble hearing him even though he spoke softly and the fire crackled between them. Hypnotic, really. Coaxing.
His hand swept out toward the water. “Long, long ago a young warrior brave paddled up the Fishing Lakes in search of a Cree maiden rumoured to be beautiful and very skilled. A treasure. One gifted with the right to choose her own mate.”
He paused to puff on his pipe and she waited. She inched forward, closer to the fire, and he sent her a conspiratorial wink before continuing.
“The maiden liked the look of his strong body but it was his eyes that decided her and she gave him her heart on the spot. The warrior, full of love but bound by duty, had to leave her to battle their enemy, the Blackfoot. Before he left he asked her to wait for him. She agreed. She kept watch for him as the warm months passed, stores were replenished, babies born, milestones celebrated. She marked the passing of every day with a slash on a piece of oak wood. After the first frost, an Indian summer warmed the Valley and she dared to watch and hope for his return.”
Willa knew what was coming. These love stories never ended well. Be it Cree, Shakespearian or any other. Her heart was already breaking in anticipation. “He didn’t come back, did he? He died in battle. And she died of a broken heart. Right?”
“Patience, young one. Patience.” He took another puff of his pipe, nodded at her knapsack. “Maybe you have something to feed an old man in those packs?”
“Sure, I guess.” She snagged the pack, dug out an energy bar and tossed it to him. He unwrapped it, hands slow he bit into it and closed his eyes. Guilt prompted her to offer him a small bag of trail mix, followed by a banana and a brownie. All of which he enjoyed without saying a word. Refusing a second brownie he sat back and with a careful hand brushed away any leftover crumbs. Once again his picked up his pipe and puffed it to life.
“Under a hunter’s moon, having defeated the enemy, the young warrior paddled his canoe back over the quiet waters.” The old man pointed up to the full moon. “Like this one, only at that time of year when the leaves fall and the deer are fat. Victorious but battle weary, the warrior guided his canoe past miles of shadowed empty shores eager to make his way to his woman. Late one night during the last leg of his journey he thought he heard his name whispered over the water. He paid no attention, blaming the tired workings of his mind. The second time he stilled his paddle and listened. He searched the shoreline and saw nothing. Suspicious he raised his voice, ‘Kahtapwao? Who’s calling?’
The fire sparked as her storyteller laid more wood on it. Willa looked out over the calm waters of Echo Lake and imagined a handsome young man in a canoe with a strong steady stroke gliding over the water.
“Receiving no answer he switched to the language used by the French fur traders. ‘Qu’Appelle?’ Again. ‘Who’s calling?’ But his voice was the only one to echo back. Keeping close watch he continued on his journey arriving at the other camp as dawn broke. To his dismay mourning cries greeted him, as did the sight of ceremonial fires. Her father stood on the shore.
“‘Where is she?’ the young warrior demanded. The old chief shook his head. They say the young warrior’s cry carried as far as the next camp. His woman’s father placed a hand on the young man’s arm. ‘Her last thoughts were of you,’ he said. ‘When the Land of Souls called her she fought to remain, but in the end she had no choice. Before she was called away, she whispered your name three times.’ Grief stricken the old chief and the young warrior turned away from each other. One to do his duty and the other to mourn a loss from which he’d never recover.”
“That’s so sad.” Why did legends always have to be so tragic? She rubbed her arms to warm them and then dug out the thermos of hot chocolate she’d brought.
“In the decades that followed my people claimed to hear her death whispers calling his name across the water of the Fishing Lakes. Now they want to rename them the Calling Lakes. Better for tourism.” He gaze settled on the moonlit water. “And that’s why they call this the Qu’Appelle Valley.”
“It’s a beautiful story.” She poured him a cup and offered it. “I wished they could have been together. Loved each other. Raised a family.”
“Ah.” He toasted her, a smile on his wrinkled face. “A romantic.”
“After the story you just told, I’d say we share that fate.”
He shrugged and put his borrowed travel cup down. Tucked away his pipe and matches.
“Wait, where are you going?” She panicked when he stood up. It was dark, even under the light of a full moon, and she didn’t want him to go and leave her here all alone.
“Listen.” And he pointed.
She turned, focused on the direction he was indicating and heard the sounds of someone breaking trail. Mason called her name and she smiled. Thank goodness. She turned back to explain the situation to the old man. She frowned as she searched for him. The fire casting a few feet of light over empty space.
Mason called her name again, a little closer this time.
“I’m here,” she called out.
“Willa?”
“Yes. It’s me. I’m fine.” Careful of her foot, she stood up and waited for Mason to walk out of the bush. The glow from his flashlight announcing his arrival.
“Thank God. Willa.” The relief in his voice warmed her. Then he rushed towards her big, strong and everything she wanted.
She smiled and held out her arms. “Hey. There you are. I’ve been waiting for you.”
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December 11, 2015
Christmas Couple Time
Christmas couple time? God bless you if you can fit that in. As a romance writer you’d think I’d be better at ensuring my husband and I enjoy some quality couple time during the season of Christmas craziness. But let’s face it, things like movie date night turn into…
A nap. I blame the sugar.
I hope it’s the little moments that count. Our annual trip to Tim Horton’s dressed in our pajamas (thank goodness for drive-thrus, cuz otherwise – awkward) for hot chocolate. We drive around looking for the best Christmas lights. Taking a few minutes to sneak some treats and cuddle in front of the Christmas tree. Fondue night.
I’m the planner. Because I don’t consider watching hockey with the fire place on a date. On the upside, if I fall asleep I won’t miss anything. And naps are important. See above.
I mean I love the idea of building a fort with blankets and pillows and lights and having a picnic in there but all I can think about is who is going to put all that stuff away? Me. That’s who.
But if you’re looking ideas give these links a try!
– Don’t Be A Grinch Family Night (Okay, not a date night but you could tweak it a bit. But picking a favourite family movie and turing it into a night sounds like a cute idea to me, in a make more work for yourself kind of way.)
The Dating Divas – Christmas Light Scavenger Hunt Date Night (This is a group date night idea which again I found cute! And they’re the Dating Divas. They should know what they’re talking about. And also not a lot of work involved. Invite another couple, or two. Print out the sheet and off you go.)
5 Amazing Things – 5 Amazing Date Night Ideas For Home (besides watching TV) (If you try the Vodka tasting night idea make sure to hide the elf, and not among the vodka bottles, before you start, because…there are a bunch of different kinds of vodka out there. Just saying…)
What’s your favourite way to enjoy some quality time together.
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December 8, 2015
December 3, 2015
Shades of Red
In the house of words was a table of colors. They offered themselves in great fountains and each poet took the color he needed: lemon yellow or sun yellow, ocean blue or smoke blue, crimson red, blood red, wine red. Eduardo Galeano
Red is said to be the first color perceived by man. Are black and white colors? I never remember. It means stop. In Russian the word for red means ‘beautiful’. Is the most common color found on national flags. It can signify love and passion, also hatred and passion.
What’s your favourite something red?
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