2017 04-20 The After Party by Anton Disclafani.. hosted by Jennifer

The first 3 to reply to the EVITE were suppose to get a door prize at the meeting but dum-dumb here left the bags at home on the office floor. So Jan, Cheryl and Brenny.... Maybe I can remember to bring next time I see you. It was meant to make the meeting special. I mean we are in our 20th year of existence Thanks to Jan. 

Thank you Jennifer for sharing your home with us and the great food. Many of you haven't met Jennifer yet but she's a teacher and a cater'er. We told her that from now on she was doing the cooking for all our meetings. LOL   The theme was 50's night at the Shamrock. 



Gaye and Kathy came dressed to reflect the era and a night at the Shamrock.  

They looked perfect. Sorry I didn't get a good picture of Kathy. She brought some lacy white gloves for Gaye and she had some dainty pink ones for herself.






Now in the next couple of pictures you'll note the 3 -4 girls on the left were having a good ole time while I was getting my timer set up. LOL But you notice the 3 on the right was looking an smiling at the camera.  
There's always those people who just won't behave.   Just kidding. It was a great evening. And believe it or not I had my tripod, my camera battery was ready and I had my self timer half figured out.  It took a minute to get it working but YAY I did it.


Okay now the 3 on the right aren't paying attention.  I tell ya it's hard to find good photo subjects. LOL

First question at the start of dinner from Jennifer was "What did you think the book was about?" The answers I heard was dysfunctional family/friendships. The 2 main character Joan and Cece(also named Joan) became buddies that day in kindergarten.. Joan Fortiers was blond and beautiful while Cece was dark haired and good looking but she wasn't Joan. After Cece's mother died the Fortiers took Cece in. The girls remained friends into their 20's. While Cece married well, Joan remained wild and uncontrollable. They bought their clothes at Battlestein's and Sakowitz and went to the Shamrock Hotel regularly. Okay so I shopped at Battlestein's and Sakowitz and I spent some time at the Shamrock pool with my one of my boyfriends in college but I never tried the high diving board. The boyfriends family had membership at the pool or club. That was many years ago and I don't remember which or how but I sure didn't have the money that the girls had. I even worked at Sakowitz. The discount allowed me to shop there. LOL
Anyway Cece seemed to be obsessed with Joan and her secretive wild life. Joan was known to do what she wanted, when she wanted and however she wanted and was always the center of attention. Their friendship tended to be one sided once they hit their teens but Cece just couldn't fly on her own it seems. Cece's life was all about Joan. Worrying about her, thinking about her and cleaning up Joan's messes. I kind feel Cece may have had a girl crush but did she act on it? I haven't finished the book so you tell me.

How many of you figured out what the big issue was between Joan and her football boyfriend and why she disappeared? mmmmm
Some at the meeting never even thought about it and others knew exactly what was going on.
I believe everyone really liked this book and of course everyone loved the mention of familiar landmarks in the Houston/River Oaks area. 

Tidbits Club: 

• Remember Jan wanted to know why her friend ever recommended her book choice Accordian Crimes.... well the friend liked the wording and how it all came together..
• Not our next book but Cheryl said we should read "Crimes Against a Book Club" by Kathy Cooperman.  sounds fun!

And now for Brenda's book choice for the June meeting....

"The Sharper the Knife the Less you Cry" by Kathleen Flinn.

Back row l-r  Brenny, Jan, Diana, Jennifer& Harlow, Gaye Cheryl, ME
Front and Center Kathy

And look my self timer did work. See all present and account for in the picture. Including me. 

Next to choose will be Carla, Cheryl, Deborah, Denise, Diana, Ed or Gaye... My Hope  is that one of us will be there and/or ready to announce the next book. 

**I'm not going to continue keeping up with who missed their turn to chose and go back.  I'll just keep going going down the list and you'll have to wait until we come back around to your name. Those present agreed.

That's it for now.. Until June