Pouring Rain, Power Outages, Panicking Dogs, & Proclaiming the Best Book of 2013

I may have mentioned here {or on Facebook, I can’t remember because I’m over 40 and I have a teenager and my brain can only store so much data and that space it totally full with the due date for ads for the football program and asking people to save their empty toilet paper rolls so we can use them to make spirit sticks … because really, what says “Go Team!” like a toilet paper roll filled with candy? … now what was I saying ???} …

Pouring Rain

Oh yeah, it’s been raining here in North Alabama.  It’s been raining here a lot.  Like almost every day.

Now rain really doesn’t bother me because, let’s face it, I’m not really the kind of girl whose daily life activities are affected much by the weather.  Seriously, I can watch The West Wing, eat ice cream, and troll Pinterest no matter what’s going on outside. But, today it didn’t just rain.  It stormed.  Lightning, thunder, the works.

Power Outages and Panicky Dogs

And while I really enjoy a good storm … my dog doesn’t.  A 60-pound Basset hound who is shaking uncontrollably while laying across your body is only cute for a minute.  After that, it’s just painful.  Thirty minutes or so into the storm, the power went out.

Approximately 30 seconds later, my house was a sauna.  Because, as I mentioned before, I’m over 40 and particularly affected by heat.  In other words, when the power went out, the air conditioner obviously quit also and immediately — immediately, y’all! — my body temperature went up 15 degrees and I couldn’t breathe because there was no air circulating in this house.  {Well, and also there was a 60-pound dog perched across my upper body.  That might have also contributed to both the heat issue and the inability to breathe.}

After I gave the dog some Benedryl in an attempt to calm his nerves, I did what every sane person would do in that moment … filled my biggest Tervis Tumbler with ice and Pepsi and checked to see if there was enough battery left on my iPad to watch a movie.  {There was!}

I snuggled into the huge comfy chair in my bedroom, opened the blinds to let in the light, and cracked the window enough to let in some fresh air but not enough to end up with soaked carpet.   I started The Hunger Games and picked up a book.  {Because really, the movie was just to provide enough noise to block out the dog’s panting and the girls in my house who had decided this was a great time to play “The Floor Is Lava” and were thus running through the house carefully stepping only on the safe path they’d created with random beach towels, pillowcases, and fleece throws. Summer time … }

At some point the power came back on and the dog moved from my side.  I can’t really tell you when that happened.  It was after Rue died but before Katniss left Peetah sleeping so she could get his medicine.  {Yeah, I know, that might be construed as a spoiler but seriously, if you haven’t read the books or seen the movie by now, you probably are not going to.}

Proclaiming the Best Book of 2013

The reason I can’t really tell you how long the power was out or what was going on in the movie when the ceiling fan started circulating air again is because I was totally and completely immersed in what I am now referring to as “The Best Book I Have Read in 2013.”

Seriously, I read every word from the endorsements {by both Beth Moore and The Pioneer Woman … for real!} to the last words of the acknowledgements {lines from one of my favorite old hymns!}.  I laughed, I cried, I nodded my head in agreement, I recalled my own similar stories, and I texted my Aunt Molli to tell her she needed to go buy this book TODAY.

Oh!  What book is it?  Just a collection of musings from the BooMama {and fellow Alabamian} Sophie Hudson entitled A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet: Southern Stories of Faith, Family, and Fifteen Pounds of Bacon. How cute is the cover of this book?  Seriously!  If you click on the cover image below it will take you straight to Amazon where you can go ahead and buy your own copy to enjoy.  {Please note, the image is connected to my Amazon Associates account and I will receive a small commission if you purchase through it.}  

I wasn’t one of the people who received a copy for review from the publisher … My husband bought it for me.  He saw bacon in the subtitle and figured there was a pretty good chance I’d enjoy reading it.  {Because bacon is a legitimate love language, people.} I love how that man knows me! I say that about buying my copy so you will know I am recommending this because I really believe it is a great book.  Sophie is an incredible storyteller and she artfully weaves Scripture and biblical truth into her remembrances of family fun. You will finish this book feeling you have made a new friend and understanding a little bit more about how much God loves you.  

The laundry is still not done.  And the bathrooms are still not cleaned.  But I read a fabulous book … and with that, I’m calling today a success!

What have you read lately? {And just out of curiosity, do you have a dog who freaks out when it storms?}