 January is a time to be inside and inside your being, reading a good book or seeing a beautiful film. And, if lucky, near a roaring fire with a cup of hot chocolate. It helps to have power, as in electricity.
This past December many of us in Oklahoma City lost heat and light due to a severe ice storm. After twenty minutes, all romantic notions of living in the 18th century with flickering candles and a glowing fire in the fireplace dissipated. After 30 hours, my perennially cheerful mood turned to...well, Mike said he saw a side of me he had never seen before. Let's just say trekking around Nepal sans hair dryer would not be my kind of vacation. Following the 5th Rule of the Universe: Attitude, We asked ourselves, How can we make this fun? And we did! By checking into the newly renovated Skirvin Hotel downtown with our dog, Aussie. My mother went with us too, and we all had a simply grand time. That experience prompted me to write (before I finish my novel) a second book for children and the child within: Aussie at the Skirvin Hotel. Here is an unedited excerpt: Once upon a time there was a dog named Aussie. One dark and stormy night, the wind starting howling and tree branches crashed to the ground. Aussie did not know what was happening. She barked and barked at the big, black branches in the yard. Everything was covered in ice cubes. Then all the lights went out. The next day Aussie's humans put on their coats and gloves like they were going to take her for a walk, but they just stayed inside. They did not talk to her, only to each other. So Aussie lay on her favorite rug with her head down between her front paws, eyes watching for something good to happen. Then Aussie's boy-human left like he does all the time and Aussie's girl-human put the talking toy against her head like she does all the time. All of a sudden Aussie's girl-human started talking dog-talk (always a good sign): "Aussie! We're going to the Skirvin Hotel! And you are going with us!" To be continued..... | 
