2014 10-16 ALCHEMIST & HEAVEN IS FOR REASON HOSTED BY KATHY

Well Ladies and Gents if you didn't make it out for the appetizer book club meeting for Kathy's Books
"Heaven is for Real" by Todd Burpo and the second book to read is "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho and Alan R. Clarke  you missed a very pleasant evening and some tasty morsels. Very tasty. Thanks for opening your home to this crowd.

You know how we all tend have these perceived notions of what books we will or won't read and some more than others....

Well Suz had already rolled her eyes at the announcement of the books and said "nope" not gonna read that". So much for that thought. Suz decided to read was very happy she did. It made her think of that fateful Easter Sunday when Rachel her daughter disappeared.   Suz had looked out the door but didn't see anything and was about to close the door. But something stopped her and a little voice said "look again" and so she did and that's when she saw Rachel who was a toddler back then headed down the street to a very busy intersection. Guardian Angel was with Rachel and Suz that day.

Kathy picked these books because they were inspiring and gave her

hope that one she will be reunited with her own baby. She said that as her faith tends to waiver these books were uplifting and inspiring.
I like these kind of books myself. I like to think I'll get to see my grandparents and many other loved ones I've lost.

It was a fun and relaxing evening with friends who enjoy reading.

One of the tasty treats Kathy served was water chestnuts wrapped in bacon and dipped in a homemade sauce. OMG so good. 
RECIPE:
2 cans of whole water chestnuts and one pound of bacon cut into thirds. Wrap and bake until bacon is done.
 Sauce:

Oh get this Cindy actually got Suzanne to Blush. Big time. I don't think I've ever seen that happen. LOL 2 points for Cindy.
Cindy took the picture here.

Suzanne was at the meeting and thought she was ready to announce a book but suddenly forgot the name. Hate to tell you Suz that's a sign of aging. JK
Suzanne's book choice is The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver. Our next meeting is Thursday December 18th at Freda's Restaurant on Ella.

Next to choose::: Kris, Lauren, or Lisa Rhodes, Lisa Roper, Naomi, or Pam. Be ready Ladies!

Also !! It was discussed at the last meeting about removing some people off the email list so I will be removing a few names off the email list since you haven't been to a meeting in over a year. You can always check the blog page for book, meeting dates, times and place should you want to join us. Just let me know. We've tried to maintain the membership to around 20-22 people or it gets to big if even 70% show up.


So Here's who will be removed  :o(
Lauren Rose
Naomi Bonte
Angie McVay
Dawnie Hebert-Tyler
Lisa Roper

*Sandy I will leave you on as per our discussion since you are now in a position to start attending again. Is there anyone else

***Also please be considerate to a book club host/hostess and be sure to RSVP to the EVITES.
If for some reason you can't RSVP to the EVITE please email me and let know whether you plan on attending the meeting. I can edit invitee's responses.
It's really hard to plan for seating and food especially if we're having it in our home. 
It only takes 3 minutes tops to click YES NO or MAYBE.

That's it for now.
Happy Reading

Your unofficial Secretary/Photographer
Carla

2014 8-21 The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein Hosted by Cindy

Thanks Cindy for hosting the meeting in your home! It was great seeing Cindy again. She was just as energetic as ever. And look lookie It's Patrick! He came back. It was great seeing him too.
Cindy hired him as security for this unruly group and 
Kathy was hired as the kitchen but was fired as the evening wore on. Denise your forgetfulness was your loss but my gain. I ended up getting the pan of Chicken Alfredo. Yummy yummy.

It was as always a great night with food, friends and lots of talking. Might have even discussed the book.

Cindy had a great method in picking her book.... She went to the library and there was the section that said "Book you should Read" LOL and she grabbed this book. Well great choice Cindy everyone loved the book. 

Cheryl was apprehensive at first. She didn't want to read anything with a sad ending but she loved this book and was even hopeful.
The weekend before Cheryl started reading the book a friend of hers told her about racing her Porsche and how to race in the rain and how each car has it specialty.

Patrick said the dog sounded like a Buddhist monk. Then we got into a discussion about dogs being able to smell illness for example on 20/20 there was a story about dogs smelling cancer.

Kathy found it to be a thoughtful book. 


Enzo was a different kind dog. He didn't chase a car but raced it. He learned by watching TV, listening to his best friend Denny a wanna be race car driver. Enzo wants so badly to communicate but knows that won't happen until he dies and comes back with thumbs. yep this dog believes he will be reborn a human.

I guess you'll have to read the or finish the book to find out what happens...Does Denny make it as race car driver or does Enzo become human.?



So are you ready for your next reading assignments. Yep I said assignments. Kathy's choice is rather short so we all chose to add her second book. There's enough time to read both books honest so here goes..... first book to read "Heaven is for Real" by Todd Burpo and the second book to read is "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho and Alan R. Clarke.

Get your books now and get to reading. Our next meeting is October 16. Kathy will let us know where when the date gets closer.

Next to choose will be Kris, Lauren, Lisa Rhodes, Lisa Roper, Naomi, or Pam Holdrup. Be ready ladies

Happy Reading
Your unofficial Secretary/Photographer

2014 06-19 Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith hosted by Jan Hughes

A good crowd showed up at Jan's for her book Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith. So just how or why did she pick this book. She had never read the book but was impressed that it had been made into a movie by Hitchcock. Plus the author was from Dallas.  The story line made her think of "Throw Momma from the Train". It's a take off of the book and during the movie they were actually watching the 1951 Movie of Strangers on a Train. But she wasn't impressed with her own choice and kept apologizing but no apologizing needed. That's what this book club is about. Reading and learning. We've all had our share of duds and really I didn't think it was that big of a dud.

I do know I may think twice about taking to strangers when I travel by public transportation. LOL

Brenda wasn't impressed with the book at all and couldn't believe something like this would actually happen. In today's world I could. People are weird and crazy.
Suz liked it but said it did get a little creepy. She hated Guy because he was such a wimp. Her favorite character was Miriam but she didn't last long.. With that said she didn't feel she would recommend it to others.

Suz had a new friend during the discussion that caused some excitement. Suz was moving fast and slung the damn thing towards Pam. That damn thing was A large tree roach crawling on her arm. LOL

What are the chances you meet a stranger on a train and a plan is devised to murder someone for each other?  Hopefully very slim.

We missed everyone that couldn't make it out to the meeting. Angie I hope your pup is okay. 

Kathy and Lisa Rhodes were off the hook because Cindy had actually given her book choice to Jan before heading off to Michigan.

So here's Cindy's Choice.... The Art of Racing in the Rain  by Garth Stein.  This book is narrated by the I believe the family dog. Well I know a dog narrates it.
Next meeting is August 21. Location to be announced.

Run out...Shop on Line...or check out your book soon.

I was told it's been long enough I could be called the official secretary but it just doesn't have the same ring.. LOL

Your unofficial secretary and photographer

Oh Jan guess what they made into a lamp today on Mega Dens.  A print plate just like yours!

2014 04-24 I Remember Nothing by Nora Ephron hosted by Ed

I just want to say Thanks Ed for always being ready with a book and picking great books.

As always it was a great meeting. Great book, conversation and great friends. It’s hard to imagine that we’ve been together since 1997. I’m not sure many book club groups can say that.

Sorry some of you couldn’t join us. You were missed and maybe even talked about. Hehe  Sorry for the juggling around of the dates. First I made a mistake, tried to fix etc. but finally we got a date!

When asked why Ed picked this book he said “Because Gaye’s was so depressing”. Said with a twinkle in his eye and a smirk. He found this book light, intelligent and easy to read.

I can feel Nora’s pain or lack there of because she can’t remember why she walked into the kitchen or get in the car and forget where she’s going. So far I still recognized my daughter, family and friends. Nora wrote that most authors know when and how they came up with the inspiration to write a book but as the title says “I Remember Nothing” She think of this great idea for a book and then forget it but she guesses that at some point the idea stuck. It is sad that parts of her life slip away but she still has her sense of humor.

Everybody present and a couple who weren’t present said they loved loved the book. I was reading some of the reviews and some people weren’t happy with the way the story just stopped, they wanted more. Well our group loved it and thought it made you feel like you were sitting across the table with a friend just chatting over a drink.

And next to choose was Ms Jan. She wasn’t able to make it but I did get in touch with her and got the name of the next book.

Jan’s choice is Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith.  So don’t waste time so get that book and start reading. Our next meeting will be Thursday June 19^th.

Next to choose will be Cindy, Kathy, Kris, Lauren, or Lisa Rhodes. Be ready Ladies!

Happy Reading

Your unofficial secretary/photographer

Carla

2014 02-27 Last Chance to See Hosted by Gaye

For those of you who didn't make it you missed Duck gumbo and chicken noodle soup. Homemade! Gaye was the hostess with the mostest for her book "Last Chance to See" discussion.
She starts off the discussion recommending another book by the Father of Conservation called "A Sand County Almanac" by Aldo Leopold. Gaye likes to read for a purpose. Not that she don't read for fun too.

Gaye set the table with a theme. Feathers and very pretty ones too.

Douglas Adams with his zoologist friend Mark Carwardine travel across the world to document animals that are becoming extinct. And once that happens the world will never be able to recover them. He writes of their finds and travels with humor and with warning. The komodo dragon and the kakapo bird were maybe the most memoriable but then someone else says no it's the fruit bat.

Everyone had their cause that tore them up. For Gaye it was the dolphins that are now extinct per wikpedia. For Cindy it was the kakapoo bird. As Jan says the bird was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
But then who knows if these animals are really extinct as Diana stated theres still so many areas that haven't been explored for wild life or people that haven't been discovered but technically they are extinct until that magic find.

The guys when traveling to these various countries were sometimes greeted with hostility because to the natives these guys were a threat as far as they were concerned. When explorers come in and made people aware of the extinct animal then others would follow, exploit the country, or cause disruption and possibly destruction of their homeland.

Jan was slightly disappointed because she was hoping they would do something to actually save but was happy they were making people aware of the situation.

Everyone enjoyed the discussion and the book. Not to mention the good food and friends.

So our next book was announced by ED....... His choice is
"I Remember Nothing" by Nora Ephron. He already knew he wanted to have the meeting at Tampico on 45 and of course the date is Thursday 4/17.

Next to choose will be Jan, add Cindy back in, then Kathy, Kris or Lauren.

Now Get to reading!

 

2013 12-19 An Irish Country Christmas hosted by Diana Davila

Our finally meeting for 2013 was no exception to the rule...It was great food, friends and conversation. Thanks Jan for allowing folks to use your lovely home as a meeting place. Love all the renovations. The place looks great.

Now those of you who didn't make it You missed Diana's scum-dilli-umpious stew. I mean it was really good. And cornbread by Diana and Kathy went great with the stew. Oh and you would have been gotten a cute little candy mouse that Kathy and Barbara created. Aren't they cute.

Diana picked this book because she thought it was a lite and easy read but even she had to admit it was rather wordy. Suzanne said she had to force herself to read this book. It was definitely not her cup of tea. Jan and Cindy were the only two to completely finish the book. 
We didn't hear Cindy's take on the book but Jan thought it was warm and about easier times. Barbara said she wanted to hire Kinky. Kinky coddled everyone.
An Irish Country Christmas by Patrick Taylor was set in 1962 in BallyBuckaroo a rural Northern Irish Village. This is the 3rd book in the series that features Dr Barry Laverty and his senior Dr Fingal O'Reilly. 

Many found the book hard to get into but after about a 100 pages it started to take hold. This book did have humor, odd village ailments and romantic troubles. Just as everyone got really into it the book ends and you don't know who Barry ends up with. Was it Patricia or Sue the music teacher?
Thanks Scotty for taking our pictue.

And in case you didn't realize it the book has a map, a glossary and recipes.

Now I would like to THANK everyone for my lovely gift. Y'all shouldn't have but it made me feel very special. THANK YOU

The suitcase and bag inside was used that very weekend. It was perfect for our quick get away.  

Our next meeting will be Thursday February 20th. And our next book was announced by Gaye. Her choice of reading for you is.................. 

Last Chance to See by Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine

Don't dally, get your book and start reading. Gaye will let me know later where our meeting will be.

Next to choose will be Ed, Jan, Kathy K., Kris or Lauren. Everyone be ready you never know if the person in front of you will be ready.

Until then... Happy Reading

 ~ The greatest gift is a passion for reading. It is cheap, it consoles, it distracts, it excites, it gives you knowledge of the world and experience of a wide kind. It is a moral illumination. ~

Here's to 2014 and 17 years of reading. Amazing  

Your unofficial Secretary/Photographer

Carla