This year is sure off to a batshit crazy start, isn’t it. I hope you’re holding up okay, that you’re out there fighting the good fight, that you and your loved ones are warm and safe. If you need, as I do, a break from the endless cycle of WHAT IS GOING ON, you have come to the right place as I have a few good things to share with you.
Good Thing #1: NICOLE’S BOOK IS OUT!!!!! Listen, I am pretty sure that everyone in our cozy blogland community is aware of this by now, but if you are somehow not aware or if you don’t yet know and love Nicole, here is the quick and dirty: Nicole wrote a beautiful, hilarious, heartbreaking, hopeful book called Inhale, Exhale and it is now out in the world for all of us to enjoy.
I would love to send someone a copy of Nicole’s novel. That someone could be you, or it could be someone you think would love Nicole’s singular brand of wry humor and warm wisdom (which, honestly, is everyone). Just leave a comment letting me know you’re interested by next Friday, January 30, at midnight Pacific time and I will randomly choose a winner. (I’ll email the winner for details about where to send the book.)
The giveaway is now closed.
Good Thing #2: Winter Wonders Wow, literally everything good pales in comparison to Good Thing #1, so I am jumping straight into a Good Thing that many people dislike. (Including my poor husband.) We are deep into winter, and I am LOVING IT. We have so much snow! We’ve already had one snow day and a cold day and we may have another cold day today and another snow day Monday! Listen, my child has most definitely NOT been in school enough so far in 2026, but if she’s going to miss school, I’m glad it’s for snow and not for illness (that is not an invitation for illness to find us; TOUCHING ALL THE WOOD). I do not mind the cold (although I am of course deeply grateful that I have warm clothes and a warm home, without which I might feel very different), and I love the snow. It feels like magic, the way it transforms the world into something gleaming and soft. I know cold climates are not for everyone, but I adore winter and I’m trying to enjoy every frosty moment.
Good Thing #3: Freezer / Pantry Meal I am working my way through all the goodies I’ve stashed in my freezer over the past eleventy hundred months, and yesterday I was able to whip up a batch of my favorite chipotle chicken tortilla soup with items I already had. I even had a Ziploc full of diced onion, poblano, and jalapeno waiting for me in the freezer! The only thing I had to buy fresh was cilantro. And now I have a huge Tupperware full of delicious soup to get me through these wintry days. (Yes, I also made another batch of cucumber salad. It is so good.)
Good Thing #4: One Fewer Couch For over two years now, we have had an old leather couch standing awkwardly in our piano room. It didn’t go with the space, it had a huge tear in one cushion, all the other cushions were worn past salvaging. And yet there it stayed. Well. The couch is no more! My husband and I finally arranged for the trash collectors to pick it up, and we moved it to the curb earlier this week and it is GONE. All that snow sure came in handy; it was surprisingly easy to slide the couch along the snow-covered lawn.
Good Thing #5: Cat Grandpa My family and I recently left town for a long weekend, leaving the cat at home. We hired a cat sitter to come feed him twice a day (he eats wet food for breakfast and dinner and has access to dry food [and water] all day long). But I was worried that my lovely Lenny cat would be lonely with such big stretches of his day unpeopled. So my father kindly drove 30+ minutes each way to hang out with the cat, every single day we were gone. He also sent me (and Carla) videos and photos of our kitty, because he knew we’d be missing him. Kindest of all, when the weather prevented the cat sitter from getting to our kitty one evening, and Carla sent a rogue text begging her grandfather to step in, my dad immediately got into his car, prepared to make the long drive a second time that day. I assured him that Lenny had access to plenty of fresh water and dry food, so he didn’t need to brave the snow and the dark. But he was at our house first thing the next morning to make sure the cat knew he hadn’t been abandoned. Is that not the sweetest?
Okay Internet, that’s all I’ve got for you today. I hope you have some good things in your life lately, or at least that good things are on the horizon. Sending you love and warmth and cat purrs.
please put my name in the hat for the drawing. I’m not a big fiction fan, but I enjoy Nicole’s blog and writing, so maybe she’ll convert me!
Did Lenny like the snow?
and your dad gets all the gold stars for loving on Lenny! and he sent you videos? He is a prince among men!!
I would love a copy of Nicole’s book. Her blog writing is so engaging so a whole book sounds great.
Many gold stars to your dad for taking care of Lenny and sending you videos
I love Cat Grandpa. I love that Carla sent him a rogue text. And I love that cat. I think our next cat might have to be an attempt at that kind of cat.
We have a couple books at the library on the theme of prepping ahead of time or prepping as you go or gradually building up stores of prepped food, and I find it SO APPEALING. So far I have done this plan only with baked things: I squirrel away servings of any baked good (cornbread, cookies, brownies) in the freezer, and then I have them on days when we have no baked goods. I need to expand to vegetables/meats, though, because it really does sound good.
Your dad is the best! And I need to try that cucumber salad, adding ingredients to my list right after this. I would love to read Nicole’s book, even better would be if she narrated an audiobook because that’s generally how I “read” and how fun would it be to hear her voice?
Please add my name to the drawing <3
Cat Grandpa! Be still my heart, that is the sweetest thing!!
Also, how is your cat SO photogenic? Those pictures with the snow? That dreamy expression? That furball is a heartbreaker 🙂
We are about to get 5-10 inches of snow. I’m glad I don’t have to worry about school snow closures (or cold closures) any more, but I am not looking forward to the shoveling. We have a corner lot and a deep back yard so there is a lot of shoveling. But it will no doubt be pretty and make Beth happy, so there’s that.
That cat continues to be exceptionally cute and your dad is very sweet.
Put me in the drawing.
I already ordered a paper copy of Nicole’s book from my favorite indie so you can leave me out of the drawing! I can’t wait to read it! I feel like I would read anything Nicole writes – grocery lists, notes to self, etc. I can’t wait to read an entire novel!!
Thanks for a post full of glimmers. This has been a hard week for a variety of reasons. It is so horribly cold here – -20F, -32F with the windchill. I LOATHE THIS WEATHER. It is the absolute worst. But we do have a good amount of snow which I am happy about. I would just rather get a snow storm than epically freezing weather.
Your dad is so sweet to shower Leo with such attention and care!!
Your cat photos are THE BEST. Thank you for sharing his incredible cuteness.
I would love a free copy of her book, but I’m going to buy one to support her. I love that you’re giving one away, though. You’re a good blog friend, Suzanne. 🩷
You talking about your dad driving to spend time with Lenny reminds me so much of my dad. He loved our dogs so much. One time we went to Florida, and he drove over every day to spend time with Buddy (when he was an only dog), playing music for him and reading. Thank goodness for good dads.
Happy Friday, my friend!
I’m not entering the giveaway for the book since I already have a copy on order BUT YAY IT’S FINALLY OUT!!! I can’t wait to read it.
HEY PUBLISHERS I ALSO WANT TO READ SUZANNE’S BOOKS SO CAN Y’ALL GET MOVING ON THAT??????????????
I admit that I love winter all the more because I’ve taken some strategic travel breaks from it. I’m trying to get psyched up to hunker down at home. The only bummer is that it’s too cold for Doggo to be outside for very long, so we have to keep our dog walks short. We’ll be playing lots of fetch inside this weekend.
That’s amazing to have a book published! I’m in awe. I don’t love winter (don’t hate it either since I sleep so much better) but snow can stay in the mountains or on the lawns. I dislike and fear driving in it; there have been too many skids on slippery roads. My area has so many hills! Does Lenny like the snow? I wonder if most cats do.
I would love to win the book!!
I mostly hate winter. I think the big issue is I live cold in the winter. Getting in and out of cold cars, or leaving a warm car (if I’ve been in long enough) to walk through the cold to a store, etc. But I can definitely see the appeal. I do love a snowglobe snow, though! And snow is beautiful. It’s more the windchill and freezing rain and snow days that wear me down.
NICOLE’S BOOK IS OUT. I ordered it the instant she texted about it last night, so mine is already on the way but I love that you’re giving one away to a lucky reader!
Leo is the most photogenic cat I’ve ever seen and I just love that your dad came over so faithfully to keep him company <3
Don’t drop my name in the hat; I’ve already ordered her book. I’m SOOO excited and happy for her.
What a great Cat Grandpa to come over and love on Lenny while you were gone.
Yay for Nicole’s book! I got the Kindle version, plus I’m going to buy a hardcover, so no need to put my name in the hat. I’d say it was the best thing to happen all week! How sweet of your dad to go hang out with Lenny! Of course, it doesn’t sound like he needed convincing – who wouldn’t want to go hang out with that little cutie?
I am interested in the book please.
Exciting about Nicole’s book, isn’t it? YAY! I ordered mine and I think it is going to arrive TODAY, which is awkward because I am SLOWLY plugging through another book that I’m not loving but don’t want to DNF.
Your dad with Lenny! Oh my heart. I used to HATE leaving Mulder, though you can’t leave them alone most of the day like you can with a cat.
Enjoy the snow! It hasn’t snowed here in 50 years, it would be a fun relief. Though not a foot of it, I’m sure. Actually, it HAS snowed here, our town is hilly and at the foot of a mountain, and the hilly spots got a touch maybe 10 years ago. But down where we are, zip. 🙁
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a cat getting snowed upon before!! Was he okay with it? I know most dogs love to play in snow but I just assumed cats would hate it. He seems to be enjoying it, though. What a perfect fluff ball!! And that is SO sweet about your dad. AND such a beautiful lesson for Carla to learn that she can ask for help and it will be freely given!!
I would absolutely love a copy of Nicole’s book.
your dad is a rock star. Did Leo play in the snow?
good things here: curly and u got yo go to ND to watch Mini in her final Irish dance club showcase. Supposed to be just me because Curly could not miss practice, but then they cancelled school and practice.
Curly’s team just beat their cross town rivalry this afternoon.
I’d love to be in the drawing for the book – looks like a very cozy winter read.
Glad the cat is ok!
Haven’t been minding some snow this year, but the cold is brutal – and especially hard on our pups who can’t tolerate their normal walks. Hoping for slightly warmer weather!
Thank you for this. I needed to see some good things. RE winter, highly recommended reading Adam Gopnik’s essays on winter: https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/0d654afe-0a96-4c3b-a6ea-0c0485923b35
I am highly interested in reading the book, but please do not put my name in for the book giveaway. I am currently overwhelmed with reading assignments, and I find it nearly impossible to read physical books. Which is maybe not good, but it’s the way it is.
How lovely to read about the compassion of Cat Grandpa!
Here is something good about the cold weather: our goldfinch feeder is out of control. The goldfinches told all the other goldfinches that we were the place to go for seed and they are all up in that feeder’s business. Otherwise, I don’t think I care for below zero for an extended period of time.
I’m honestly torn between Nicole’s book (ordered it already!) and the cat Grandpa, SO CUTE. My dad is a similarly great pet Grandpa.
My skin and head suffer in January in particular, but if we’re going to have winter I would much rather have deep cold and snow than wimpy cold and freezing rain or just rain and slush. Especially when my husband is home and I’m not alone, or really, now that I have Sam the Plow Man to dig me out if I need it.
I made a giant crock pot full of pulled pork chili last week and stuck some in the freezer. I love freezer meals.
AW!!!! Cat Grandpa!!! That’s so sweet. And I’m sure it was very reassuring to get those photos and videos. When we were out of town last week, the only thing that marred my time was worrying about the cats. Of course we had someone coming in to feed them, but that was only once a day. I kept thinking about how much they were missing us.
I’m not a cold weather person, but if there’s going to be cold there should at least be snow to go with it. Otherwise everything just looks so brown and drab. I’m getting kind of envious of everyone’s stories about cozy snow days!
I’m definitely entering the giveaway! I haven’t ordered Nicole’s book, BUT I WILL (assuming I don’t win it in the giveaway). I love her writing, and I can’t wait to read it.
I’m not a fan of snow but I do love snow pictures! And cat pictures!
Please enter me in the drawing!
I would like to add my name for a chance to win the book. Thanks!
So excited about Nicole’s book (duh!) and I’d be happily entered into the drawing… how sweet of you to give away a copy! (I mean, I am planning to buy it myself if I don’t win, but it would also make a great gift).I loved seeing the snowy photos of Lenny and your dad is a sweetheart for playing cat grandpa while you were away 🙂
I saw Nicole’s book mentioned by so many last week, so I would be delighted to be entered in the give away. I am adding it to my to read pile no matter what.
Snow, sigh. I remember it fondly but after 20 years living in a place that does not get any, I am not sure I would like the reality of it.
I would love to read Nicole’s book!! 🙂 sounds perfect in this snowy weather to have a new book to read.
Put me in the running for Nicole’s book! Can’t believe I’ve not commented yet!
I would love a copy of Nicole’s book! Not my usual genre but I really like her blog writing and I have been so curious about her novel!
Is Lenny spoiled beyond rotten? yes. Is that ok? Absolutely.
I’m going to buy Nicole’s book as soon as I’m in one place long enough to get mail without worry! So, give it to someone else—and also, I’m so happy for her!
I love that you love snow, but I’m overly excited that you got rid of the squatter couch. I bet your living room looks so great now!
I would love a copy of Nicole’s book. I’m planning on buying a copy for my shelves, but then I can give one to my friends at book club. (Because I will NOT BE PARTING WITH MY COPY.)
This post with Lenny in the snow and your dad coming by to make sure he’s not lonely soothed my soul today. I needed that!
I haven’t yet ordered my copy, so I’ll throw my name in the hat for Nicole’s book! It looks awesome and I can’t wait to read it! She’s so talented!
I would love to be entered in the book draw. I already know I will love it! Your pantry/freezer stash sounds much more interesting than mine. We are making our way through all kinds of randomness, but I do see our grocery spending dropped.
Oh thank you so much for hosting this!!! You’re the best! xoxo