Dear Abby - Videos Abby Likes - Andy The Dachshund Walks Again, Thanks to 3-D Printing

Dear Friends,

Happy Friday to you!  I hope you are having a good week.  My week has been nice, but unexpectedly chilly.  I think it jumped ahead to winter temperatures here.  Brrr!

As a result, I've had extra time to enjoy some dog videos on Youtube.  I found one that I particularly like, and thought you might find it interesting too.

This short video tells the story of Andy the dachshund.  When Andy went down with his back, he needed emergency spinal surgery.  The doctors were able to make a model of his spine with 3-D printing so they could have great success.  You will love the scene of Andy walking and even running afterward!   This video is from The Today Show.  I really liked Andy's story a lot.

You'll find Andy's story here:



Thanks for visiting today, and have a great weekend!

Love,

Abby xoxoxo

Book Review - The Other Windsor Girl by Georgie Blalock

Book Synopsis
In a historical debut evoking the style of The Crown, the daughter of an impoverished noble is swept into the fame and notoriety of the royal family and Princess Margaret’s fast-living friends when she is appointed as Margaret’s second Lady-in-Waiting.

Diana, Catherine, Meghan…glamorous Princess Margaret outdid them all. Springing into post-World War II society, and quite naughty and haughty, she lived in a whirlwind of fame and notoriety. Georgie Blalock captures the fascinating, fast-living princess and her “set” as seen through the eyes of one of her ladies-in-waiting.

In dreary, post-war Britain, Princess Margaret captivates everyone with her cutting edge fashion sense and biting quips. The royal socialite, cigarette holder in one hand, cocktail in the other, sparkles in the company of her glittering entourage of wealthy young aristocrats known as the Margaret Set, but her outrageous lifestyle conflicts with her place as Queen Elizabeth’s younger sister. Can she be a dutiful princess while still dazzling the world on her own terms?

Post-war Britain isn’t glamorous for The Honorable Vera Strathmore. While writing scandalous novels, she dreams of living and working in New York, and regaining the happiness she enjoyed before her fiancé was killed in the war. A chance meeting with the Princess changes her life forever. Vera amuses the princess, and what—or who—Margaret wants, Margaret gets. Soon, Vera gains Margaret’s confidence and the privileged position of second lady-in-waiting to the Princess. Thrust into the center of Margaret’s social and royal life, Vera watches the princess’s love affair with dashing Captain Peter Townsend unfurl.

But while Margaret, as a member of the Royal Family, is not free to act on her desires, Vera soon wants the freedom to pursue her own dreams. As time and Princess Margaret’s scandalous behavior progress, both women will be forced to choose between status, duty, and love…

 

Purchase Links

HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

My Review
The Other Windsor Girl begins in 1949 with Vera Strathmore, a British woman who lost her fiance in the war, and who is writing romance novels.  Vera lives with her family - titled but far from wealthy. When she unexpectedly has the opportunity to become a lady-in-waiting to Princess Margaret, she jumps at the chance.  Although this means giving up her own aspirations, she finds herself in the middle of a lot of excitement and drama, including Margaret's love affair with Captain Peter Townsend.

I wanted to read this novel because I am a great fan of The Crown and a casual royal watcher.  I was curious about a novel involving Princess Margaret.

At first I was not as interested in Vera's life, and found myself reading quickly to get to the Princess Margaret sections.  After a while though, this reversed and I was much more interested in Vera's life.  It was very interesting seeing her perspective on palace life as an outsider.

Princess Margaret is seen as a very volatile and impulsive personality.  At one point she throws her vodka and orange juice in the face of another lady in waiting and fires her on the spot.  As a result, Vera is always on edge and concerned about her position at the palace.  As Vera gives up more and more for her position, she particularly feels the precariousness of her place.

This was a fascinating read and a real peek into Princess Margaret's life over a pivotal decade (1949 - 1960).  The author does a fine job at drawing two strong and different characters, Princess Margaret and Vera, and telling their personal and interrelated stories simultaneously.

Anyone who is interested in the life of the royal family will enjoy The Other Windsor Girl.  I found it fascinating and unique, and feel sure other historical fiction readers will as well. 

Author Bio
Georgie Blalock is an amateur historian and movie buff who loves combining her different passions through historical fiction, and a healthy dose of period piece films. When not writing, she can be found prowling the non-fiction history section of the library or the British film listings on Netflix. Georgie writes historical romance under the name Georgie Lee. Please visit www.georgieblalock.com for more info about Georgie and her writing.

Follow Georgie on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

I received a copy of this book from HarperCollins and TLC Book Tours.