There are few things in life as satisfying as the feeling you get when you think you've discovered something - a book, a movie, a musical group - of which the vast majority of people are still unaware.
   I got that feeling a couple years ago when I read a little book with the unlikely title, "A Girl Named Zippy." My wife actually got it as a Christmas
   gift from our daughter-in-law, and I found it a delightful read. With nearly missionary zeal, I would tell my friends, "You've never heard of this book or author, but you really should read it. You will love it."
   Only later did I learn the book made it onto the New York Times bestseller list and far more people knew of it and it's author, Haven Kimmel, than I realized.
   Kimmel, a uniquely Hoosier writer, is back with a sequel to "Zippy," and you can read a review of "She Got Up Off the Couch" on page 13 in this month’s edition of Elkhart County Living. Satisfying is not a word I would use to describe my first experience on snow skis. I grew up in New Haven where the countryside is as flat as a table top, so skiing was not an activity my friends and I ever considered.
   I was past my 50th birthday when I first tried it, but I had water skied for years and figured, "How hard can this really be?" The massive bruises I had on both hips for several weeks after that first ski adventure were all the answer I needed.
   Skiing, and where you can go to enjoy it within an easy drive of home, is this month’s cover story.
   If you are more inclined to look for indoor fun during these cold winter days, check out our story on "Wana Waves," Shipshewana’s indoor water park, the Kalamazoo Air Zoo, and Science Central in Fort Wayne.
   And of course, February is the month for sweethearts, and we have tips on how to keep you Valentine's Day flowers fresh so you can enjoy them longer and recipes for a romantic dinner with that special someone.
   We hope you enjoy this edition of Elkhart County Living. Please let us know what you think and what you would like to see in future issues.
   JIM KROEMER
   Publisher