Dean Koontz

I finished Dean Koontz's "The Darkest Evening of the Year." I have read every one of his novels and this is the first one that didn't keep me spellbound from page one. It did get better as the book went on but it was difficult to keep all the different story lines in place and remember all the characters. Koontz's love of Golden Retrievers was quite evident in this novel. He's done it before but this book was filled with them. They always seem to have special abilities. Maybe that's why they smile the way they do. If I didn't have some experience being around a Golden, I might fall for his way of thinking. I find all retrievers, spaniels and setters to be very highly strung. The book is really scary and full of murder and torture. It was hard to put the book down by the time I had reached the midway point.

The weathermen called for 1-3 inches of snow yesterday and I'm looking at well over six inches on my deck. It started early morning yesterday and didn't stop until last night. Where else can you earn a salary for being wrong 90 percent of the time? I was out at the new real estate office yesterday for a sales meeting and the trip home was terrible. I drive a Jeep Liberty and have always had trouble with it with wet roads. I changed to better tires but I had to put it in 4 wheel drive yesterday several times to make it home. Just missed colliding with a sign and was all over the road on several occasions. I'm positive, now, that it is the vehicle that is the problem. Won't have another Liberty! I had better luck driving my old 1970 Maverick in snow storms than with this SUV. I used to throw a couple of cement blocks in the trunk of the Maverick and go anywhere. Maybe I should throw a couple of cement blocks in the Liberty and push it over a cliff.

Wore my fingers to the bone yesterday doing Christmas shopping. Didn't leave the sofa all afternoon. Thank God for the internet! Made a nice dent in the process and I might do a little more today. Sounds like Malls are a really bad place to be if you have a crazed gunman on the loose. I avoid them just for the crowds! I will have to go out for a fews things, unfortunately! If the roads were clear I might go get Christmas cards and a tree but I don't think that's such a good idea for now. Not worth the effort.