Excerpt

Tad and Thalia arrived on two snowmobiles shortly after and they tumbled into the house and stripped out of their snowmobile suits. They piled into the kitchen and smothered Addy in hugs and kisses.

“Auntie Ads you made oatmeal!” Thalia was a beauty, even at the age of eleven and her smile would shame the sun for brightness.

“Yes Tally I did, just.for.you. You know you’re my very favorite adopted niece!” She winked at Tad over Thalia’s head.

“Let’s eat, I’m starved!” Zeke reinforced his presence in the room and Addy made the introductions and started dishing up the porridge.

Thalia put a tiny sprinkle of sugar and a bit of cream on hers, Tad added two heaping spoons of sugar and poured on the milk and Zeke waited to see what Addy was going to do.

“Cream, no sugar, just like my coffee. The peaches add more than enough sweet for me. If I make it plain, maple syrup, of course!”

Zeke decided to split the difference and added cream and sugar to his.

They all went into the front room to eat, Tad and Tally racing to see who got seconds first.

Once they were done the children offered to do the dishes but Addy just had them rinse them and leave them in the sink.

“We’ve got virgin snow out there kids, let’s destroy it!”

Zeke looked at her; questioning.

“Virgin snow is what it’s all about, if you can be the first on virgin snow, you are King!” She shook her head at the snow virgin and grabbed his hand. “C’mon, you have to EXPERIENCE it to understand.”