The Feast Nearby, Author Robin Mather

“The cottage was chilly. It stood unoccupied over the winter, although we kept the furnace running at its lowest setting to keep the pipes from freezing. Bumping the thermostat up to sixty-five degrees, I heard the ancient oil-fired furnace kick in reassuringly. Because the cottage is so small--just 650 square feet, encompassing an L-shaped living room, a good-sized kitchen, a modest bedroom, and bathroom--I knew it would be warm in short order.

Boon, big even for a standard poodle, sniffed around for a few minutes.”