Stray Affections

This was a good weekend. Friday morning I did some rummage saling. I haven't done any all summer, so this was a blast. I picked up a few things for Mom and I to sell on eBay, as well as a nice winter coat for Mia, and some clothes for both girls. That night I attended the football game to watch Molly cheer and used the opportunity to get t know her new boyfriend, Tyler. He's the son of a woman I went to high school with, and really an incredibly nice kid. Not every teenage boy would sit with the mother of his brand new girlfriend for the three hours of a football game. While my bum is still sore from the metal bleachers, it was fun to get back into the swing of the school year by watching a game.

Saturday was the Amish quilt auction, and while I did get several nice things, I was disappointed with it overall this year. They changed the format in order to end it a bit earlier in the day, but now there are at least three rings going at all time, so I didn't get to see most of the quilts. I'll post a picture of my new comforter tomorrow.

Yesterday I slept obscenely late and spent the day resting. It felt wonderful to just do nothing and not feel guilty about it! Granted the house definitely shows my lack of attention, but it's a holiday weekend, so I give myself permission to slack off.

Today I did a major shopping at Wal-Mart, and now we're headed to my mom's for a cook-out. Tyler will hopefully be coming so he can start to meet Molly's family. I picked up a platter of assorted cheesecakes for dessert, what a perfect way to end a holiday weekend!

Stray Affections by Charlene Ann Baumbich is a Snowglobe Connections novel, the first in a series. Cassandra Higgins has lived her entire life with a huge hole in her heart. Told by her grandfather that she would be the best veterinarian in Minnesota, she counted on that dream to make up for the way she felt she betrayed her childhood dog, Toby. But when she couldn't pass the classes, Cassie felt as though she failed Toby and God, so she settled for a life as a day care provider and mother of four rambunctious boys. She finds an unusual snowglobe with a little girl (whose hair matches Cassie's) holding three dogs. The purchase of the globe begins a chain reaction of events that shatters Cassie's peace of mind, upsets her relationship with her mother, and will end up changing their entire community. This unusual novel will keep readers guessing. Baumbich makes even the unsympathetic characters lovable. The power of the novel is in seeing how small seeds are planted and produce fruit through Burt's gentle affection and the mysterious snowglobe. This is a thoroughly enjoyable read.

I'm giving away a copy of this book to one lucky reader! If you would like to win, just send me an email before 10 pm on Tuesday, September 8th. I'll announce the winner here on Wednesday. Good luck!