The Wine Cellar

Lacey Wolfe has a new book out and it just happens to be kicking off her new novella series Hot Bods. From checking out her website, I see that the second book is right around the corner for release this year. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, well... Drew is the last person Skylar wanted to see across from her at a local bar. A month ago he'd wined and dined her all weekend, leaving her feeling fully in love, but then she awoke alone in an empty hotel room and she hadn't heard from him since. The weekend Drew spent with Skylar was phenomenal. There had never been anyone who made him feel as complete as she did. He shouldn't have disappeared, he should have called, but his feelings for her scared him, so he distanced himself. But when he saw her again, he knew he couldn't stay away any longer. Skylar's determined not to give Drew another chance to hurt her, but he's just as determined to win her back. Although it won't be easy, he's up to the challenge, and he's willing to do more to accomplish his goal.

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Tips on What Not to Do During your Diet

We all know that when we start a new diet it can really be a test of our self control. If you’re trying to lose weight with a latest diet craze, there are things you must keep in mind to avoid getting off track with your plans:

don’t just wear baggy clothes until you have reached your desired weight
when you wear clothes which are too big it can cut down your motivation, you might feel encouraged to give up on the diet.
don’t forget to wear clothing that makes you feel your best no matter what weight you are at
don’t go to the grocery store before eating
don’t sabotage your diet by going to a place where all of the bad foods tempting you on an empty stomach
schedule your shopping when you are less vulnerable
don’t get rid of your favorite foods, diets almost always backfire when the dieters are stuck eating boring, tasteless food; they start missing their favorite dishes
use creativity and those cooking skills you have to remake some of the foods you like but still adhering to the diet’s standards
don’t make a bunch of drastic changes that will just shock your system during the first week
watching their calories and altering their routine makes most people anxious and irritability sets in
wanting to comfort yourself with food could hurt your weight loss goals
ease yourself into a new diet taking small steps to keep yourself from feeling overwhelmed. You will be much happier in the long run
don’t skip meals even if you think you are going to go over your daily calorie goals; when you skip a meal you will start to feel hungrier than usual; you will do much better by consuming small meals during the day to maintain your energy
don’t tell everyone and their brother that you are dieting; telling everyone your plans could motivate in some cases, but it is unwise to put that kind of pressure on yourself
don’t share your plans until the dieting is part your normal routine
don’t expect results in just a few days; it takes time to get your metabolism in the proper mode to start reducing your weight; it will take some time to start to see any significant differences until at least three weeks
don’t skip your food journal; keeping a daily record of your intake will make you more aware of your eating habits; chances are you will have a better chance of sticking to your diet
don’t stock up on food; get into the habit of not having food around where you relax or work
don’t get into the habit of constant snacking even if it is all healthy food you want to make sure that you handle an oral fixation with food

Sticking to your new diet will be easier if you have a strategy. Use these very helpful tips from http://www.weightshapes.com/ to help strategize your diet success.

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Just Some of The Things I Learned at Rose Cottage

how to hug people and not feel awkward, but comfortable and connected instead
candles and fake-fur coats don't mix
blogging is addictive, satisfying and hilarious
there are people in the world who will care about you, listen to you, and defend you, even if they don't really know you, or have only just met you
how to make origami stars
just because someones energy rubs you the wrong way, or clashes with yours, doesn't mean they are a bad person - or that you are a bad person... and it doesn't mean you can't come to like them, or even care deeply for them
sometimes it's enough just to show up and be
a group of women of all ages, from 20 to 60, can sit together and have hilarious, dirty conversations filled with sexual innuendo and filthy humour - and have so much fun with each other, just talking about rubbish
howling at the moon is a great energy release
neighbours will call the police about noise after 10.30 pm
teachers are just as much students as their pupils
some things just don't need to be said out loud
it's possible for their to be so much conversation and laughter in a small room that you can't hear the person right next to you
sometimes it doesn't matter
everyone has their cross to bear - and the people you least expect can sometimes be the most fragile of all
i lived in Atlantis
it's possible to snort and be dignified at the same time
there are people in the world brave enough to approach you before they've even met you to say they feel a connection with you
how to mix watercolour paints
incense can never not smell glorious
the most seemingly mundane objects can have profound meaning and be as sacred as anything else
there is such a thing as "way too much information" (usually after you've already said it)
but it doesn't happen very often
striped socks rock!
how to anoint candles
more women don't wear bras than you'd think - and no one really notices or cares
friendships can bounce back from even the most seemingly unforgivable situation
'moon water' can have an effect like champagne (not naming any names here, Shann)
judgment backed by ignorance is not my problem, and it's only up to me if i let it become my problem
deep down, we are all a bit of a fluffy bunny :)
reiki is a gift - i will forever see it as such, and i will forever love, respect and feel gratitude for the person who passed this gift to me, and for bringing it into my life when i couldn't afford to do it anywhere else
how to belly dance
'by donation' is a wonderful thing, but sometimes, we just need to buy toilet paper
it's okay that some of the most important people in your life are the one's you don't see face to face very often - it's about so much more than that
how to love
how to accept
how to tolerate
how to be open
how to release the fear of judgment, disapproval and ignorance
how to touch and be touched and feel safe
how to look into someones eyes and have them look into yours and not freak out or lose yourself
how to laugh without feeling self-conscious
how to create a personal bubble that actually works
how to draw myself inwards from negativity and other's distress so that i can show compassion and caring, but not take on the pain as my own
how to love even the people you don't like
how to trust my intuition when it comes to first impressions
how to forgive
how to trust
how to accidentally set fire to a dead bird

St. Clair Vicar’s Choice Pinot Noir (2004)

Pinot Noir is a love it or leave it grape, and I’m a sucker for a good, affordable Pinot. On my last trip to a certain wine store, I must have been sending off subliminal Pinot-craving waves. A certain employee there (let’s call him the Doctor) picked up on my mood and intercepted me on my way to the staff picks section. Intrigued (and having a lot of respect for his impeccable taste), I followed him to the New Zealand corner of the store. Stopping at the border between New Zealand and South Africa, the good Doctor pointed at the St. Clair Vicar’s Choice Pinot Noir (2004 vintage). A true bargain and a veritable steal for $16.99, he said. It is difficult indeed to find a good Pinot for under $20, he added, sinking the hook in deeper. I thought about it, but decided that it was more than I wanted to spend. He saw the indecision in my eyes and swayed me by adding that the store had only received ten cases, and two were already sold. That did it. With some trepidation, I took the Stelvin-closed bottle home and opened it. He was right. This is an excellent wine.

It was clean, crisp, and slightly acidic. Packed with bright (almost sweet) cherry fruit, it also showed a long finish and a hint of tannic goodness make this darn near perfect. And for under $20, it’s even better. My wife loved it, and pronounced it her second favourite New Zealand wine of the year (after the Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc she savored last weekend). It is a textbook example of a well-made Pinot Noir. But I felt it was missing something. It was almost too perfect. It was like hearing a Canadian Idol contestant from the Prairies covering an old Motown classic. Technically perfect, yes, but not my style. I don’t like my Pinots to be so clean and polite. I prefer it when they come swaggering up from the wrong side of the tracks, smoking a joint, wearing a tattered old Circle Jerks t-shirt and spitting on the sidewalk. So while I must complement the folks at St. Clair for their very fine Pinot Noir, it’s not for me. Give me the smoky, dirty Mission Hill ‘Five Vineyards’ Pinot Noir any day. Or roll out the funky French carpet and send some fine Burgundy my way. Give me any Pinot that isn't afraid to let it's inner funk hang out (as long as the inner funk doesn’t remind me of an overripe durian fruit). But save the almost-too-perfect Pinot Noirs for someone else...