Well it's Holiday Time and that always means lots and lots of food...most of it made with lots and lots of butter and sugar... not to mention the appetizers, the gravy, the stuffing ...you get the picture. So what's a person to do!!??  Most of us eat too much and don't move around enough anyway, and now this! Again!!

Winter is a great time for outdoor activities with your kids – from skiing to skating, to snow fort building, even a good old snowball battle is bound to keep everyone entertained. But if you are like me, outdoor play is only a small part of the day. What do you do the rest of the time? There are some great resources available in the library as well as online that can help fill those days when you need inspiration.

One of the great pleasures of reading  a good novel is the anticipation of settling in, studying  the cover, turning the title page, reading the dedication, the title page, the quote if there is one, and then embarking on the journey.  I've learned to add another step to this process from a friend who facilitates my book club.  Last year, she suggested reading just the first sentence of a novel, then closing the book and lingering over that first sentence for a few days before moving ahead with the read.  I've been doing that for months now. 

• You've discovered our wonderful collection of downloadable audio books but you can't listen to them on your iPod.

• You are ready to watch a movie but you can't skip the annoying trailers and commercials at the beginning of the DVD.

• You purchased an e-book and you are unable to print a chapter even though the book's copyright is expired and the work is now in the public domain.

So why is this?

Today's morning news, with talk of flooding in London during this (so far!) strangely mild January, reminded me of the wonderful book "The Knowledge of Water" by Sarah Smith.   I decided to share the word about this book, and some of the other memorable books I've read over the past year.    "The Knowledge of Water" is set in Paris, France, during the great flood 1910 - the year the Seine overflowed its banks, causing havoc and devastation in the great city.

Yes, it is a cold and wintry January but it is not too early to start looking for your summer job. The City of London advertised their 2008 summer jobs last November. Other government postings will be available soon. Many large companies also start looking for their summer students in the winter or early spring.

Want to do an effective job search? Here is a check-list of things to start thinking about:

At this time of year,  gift giving abounds as we search for the "perfect present" for a family member or friend. How about thinking bigger - how about a gift for everyone?

Douglas Coupland's 2006 novel jPod is being produced as a TV series and will premiere on January 8th on CBC. 

One of the many hurtles working parents face each day is what to serve their families for supper. Providing a nutritional meal can become a chore and almost an impossibility when it has to be done F-A-S-T! My kids are always hungry when they get home from school and boy, supper needs to be on the table but quick, or the grumpiness emerges. One of my speedy meals is the President's Choice thin crust pizza. It is ready in 8 minutes (yes!

By all accounts, the recent Led Zeppelin concert in the other London was a huge success.  If you missed it, check out Mothership, a compilation of previously released songs from 1969-1979.  If you are hungry for more Led Zeppelin, you may want to read Led Zeppelin: the origin of the species: how, why and where it all began by Alan Clayson. And for something completely different, try