Tea & A Good Book Brewing- Installment 11, Shepherds Abiding

The rain began punctually at 5 o'clock, though few were awake to hear it. It was a gentle rain, rather like a summer shower that had escaped the grip of time or season and wandered into Mitford several months late.
By six o'clock, when much of the population of 1,074 was leaving for work in Wesley or Holding or across the Tennessee line, the drops had grown large and heavy, as if weighted with Mercury, and those running to their cars or trucks without umbrellas could feel the distinct smack of each drop.

And thus begins Shepherds Abiding, by Jan Karon, which happens to be a favorite Christmas novel written by a favorite author!!!

We have the whole cast of characters: Father Tim & Cynthia, Mule Skinner, Dooley, Fred, Emma, Uncle Billy, Sissy and Sassy, J. C. Hogan, Andrew and other favorites.

We have Father Tim trying out a new skill so that his wife gets a new creche for Christmas.

We have The Grill closing it's doors for keeps on Christmas Eve, leaving The Turkey Club to experiment with eating at a tea room.

We have Lew Boyd shocking the town by bringing a new wife, Earlene, around.

We have Hope Winchester trying to live up to her name.

We have talk of little Advent doors, grocery lists, bowls of Red Pepper and Tomato Soup and taking Barnabas for walks on the red leash.

We have a story built upon ordinary life, but sparkling with enough hilarity, mystery and sacred thought to keep it interesting...and to keep you chuckling! I know, because I have read/listened to it several times, as has Wesley, and we have both been known to break into spontaneous fits of mirth over the story.

What's not to love?

Since Jan Karon is such an apt writer, I will let her have the first and the last words in this review...

(As always, if you want to read the middle, get the book!!!)

She snuggled her head into the crook of his arm. 
"You know, Tomothy- since the table is set and most of the cooking is done, and since we got to bed so late and it's still so early, and since no one is coming until four, and since I hardly ever get to do it..."
"Spit it out, Kavanagh."
"...I am going back to sleep!"
"Wonderful idea! And since Barnabas went out at two-thirty, and since the ham is glazed and the fire is laid and the eggnog is done and the front steps are salted, I'll join you!"
He punched up his pillow and pulled the covers to their chins, and held is wife closer.
After all, it was Christmas.