Joe's Book Cafe 10

Painting by Mark Adam Webster

Welcome back to the cafe! Book discussions, life discussions, food and beverage discussions, and who knows what discussions, all featured here. We've got comfortable seating, plenty of room, and a skilled, responsive chef. Come on in!

January

1. Ghost Ship by Sharon Lee
2. Cannery Row by John Steinbeck
3. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
4. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
5. Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick
6. Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader by Anne Fadiman
7. The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen
8. Fall Higher by Dean Young
9. Habibi by Craig Thompson
10. The Swerve: How the World Became Modern by Stephen Greenblatt
11. Malice Aforethought by Frances Iles
12. Logicomix by Apostolos Doxiadis
13. Tales from Ovid by Ted Hughes

February

1. Mister Blue by Jacques Poulin
2. The Chronicles of Harris Burdick by Chris Van Allsburg
3. Cinder by Marissa Meyer
4.. A Distant Neighborhood by Jiro Taniguchi
5. The Coroner's Lunch by Colin Cotterill
6. All I Did Was Shoot My Man by Walter Mosley
7. The Book of Basketball: The NBA According to the Sports Guy by Bill Simmons
8. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
9. The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken
10. Strangers in Paradise Pocket 6 by Terry Moore
11. The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht
12. Thirty-three Teeth by Colin Cotterill
13. Iron and Silk by Mark Salzman

March

1. Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale
2. Echo The Complete Edition by Terry Moore
3. Don't Look Back by Karin Fossum
4. The Siege by Helen Dunmore
5. The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett
6. Fault in Our Stars by John Green
7. A Zoo in Winter by Jiro Taniguchi
8. Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo
9. Disco for the Departed by Colin Cotterill
10. Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson

April

1. Running the Rift by Naomi Benaron
2. David Copperfield by Charles Dickens

Hey, this is one of the benefits of being off, I can be first once in awhile! Yah! Love the painting. Perfect opening.
Have not read Alice in Sunderland but will get to it soon. I started Aya, recommended by someone on the neglected GN thread. It's good.

Nearing the end of David Copperfield, as secrets are revealed, uppances come, and realizations dawn. Halfway through Anarchy and Old Dogs, which sent RD down the negative rabbit hole, and about 3/4 through Finder Library Vol. 1 by Carla Speed McNeil, an oddball collection of drawn sci-fi stories.

>2 msf59: Hi, Mark! As number one, you get the seat of honor at the counter, looking into the kitchen - or the alternative of your choice. I've heard of, but not read, Aya, so I look forward to your take on it. What happened to that neglected GN thread? I thought I had it starred, but I haven't seen it in ages.

Enjoy the day off!

Whew! much easier loading here and a lovely picture, too!
Your last thread was kicking my computer's butt. Very weird :P

Ah, I'm glad this one is easier, Kath. It does have a lot less kbs than the previous one. I'm glad you and Mark like the painting. I like others of his, too.

lovely painting!

I really like that painting, Joe! Lovely!

>>7 Whisper1:,8 Thanks, Linda and Roni! Good to see you both!

Joe - congratulations on taking the cafe into double figures already. Modern art is not really my bag mate but the nice straight lines suit the gaff. My favourite eatery in KL is possibly Nero Vivo selling largely exquisite Italian fare. It is also noted for its collection of Sandr Knuyt paintings including:

ditto the painting and love your 'uppances come.' :)

>10 PaulCranswick: Woo, that's a dramatic painting, Paul! I'm glad the one at top suits the gaff, which sounds like it's a good thing. :-)

>11 mirrordrum: Thanks, Ellie! I was reading a particularly volatile uppance in DC this morning on the train, and had to finish it before digging into work this a.m. Luckily crises held themselves in abeyance. Sounds a bit like an O'Neill play, doesn't it: "The Uppance Cometh".

hi Joe
your threads are going fast, but I am proud to say I am still keeping up, mostly luking of course ;-)
I like the painting at the top, very suitable for the Book Cafe!

I would like to have a Hot Chocolate, one drink and then it is bedtime over here!

Good for you for keeping up, Anita! I have a hard time doing that myself sometimes. :-) I'm glad you like the painting. Seems like a cheery entry to the cafe.

I imagine we have more than a few folks here who like to sit quietly at their table, reading their book and occasionally listening to what's being said around the cafe, or looking over to see whether they want to try whatever their neighbor is having.

One HoCho coming up:



Sweet dreams!

Yup, that would be me *leaning in from the table in the corner, in the back*... I would like a cup of that HoCho! Yummy.

Bought a new book today: The Sisters Brothers - western fare set in my part of the world.

Hi Joe, just claiming my spot... can't decide between a counter seat or a booth today.

#15> Oooh, I really liked The Sisters Brothers!

Joe, thanks for the recommendation of The Tale of One Bad Rat, although now I'm rather regretting letting a biography of Beatrix Potter (The Tale of Beatrix Potter, I believe) slip through my fingers... It was powerful stuff, and I'm glad our library has it shelved with the teen fiction, in case there are any teens in my neighbourhood who need to stumble across such a story. I th

And I'm terribly excited, my (final) birthday present to myself turned up in the mail yesterday: Daytripper. Woohoo!

I'll be reading David Copperfield one day, I'm just in the thrall of another chunkster, Testament of Youth and then have to read the April book for the Steinbeckathon...

i'd like some Mexican hocho made with almond milk instead of moo squeezins, please. the way to make it is at the hyperlink. ask the chef to throw in just the least little pinch of cayenne as well. i used to drink this all the time when i was an undergrad at Cal. haven't had any for years.

it's cold here tonight compared to the past month and something hot and spicy would taste oh so good.

Oh Ellie, isn't that the *best* hot chocolate! I've even managed to find it in Australia, much to my surprise. (Although I'm happy with cow juice.)

Cold here in Sydney too. Perfect autumn weather over the Easter weekend (sunny, quite warm, one spectacular thunderstorm that I was NOT expecting or I wouldn't have worn my nice new blue shoes out that day, grumble grumble), and then temperatures plunged as soon as we were due back at work. Positively nippy this morning^, luckily I remembered to bring a coat (I forgot yesterday).

^ It was about 12C when I left home. That's pretty cold for a Sydney autumn. :)

Hi Joe, just checking out your nice new thread. That's a delicious looking cup of hot chocolate, but I am celebrating submitting a huge paper with a glass of wine. If you make it to Santa Fe this year (or any other) do not miss the mocha at Cafe Pasquale's. French press coffee + Mexican hot chocolate... I will never be the same.

OOOOOH, that sounds good. *putting on water, grinding Peet's French roast, prepping pot* i'm going to make two Oggi insulated carafes of coffee for those who don't have time, or patience, to wait for a fresh cup.

the Mexican chocolate doesn't take that long and there's a bowl of chocolate whipped cream for anyone who wants to be seriously indulgent. dust it with cinnamon if you wish.

now, back to my booth, my iPod and Thérèse Raquin narrated by Kate Winslett.

Whoops, missed the new thread and posted on the old, so I'll make my request here for some macaroni and cheese, comfort-style. And I'll take some of that HoCho with it while you are at it. Pretty please? I have a bunch of homework to do today and need the sustenance.

oooh! I will have what Ellie is having!

Morphy, I am making mac and cheese for dinner today, come on over :)

It is a HoCho parteeee! Woo hoo! I am so ready for this. Dogs woke me up this morning at 4 am! Not fair. RA aches and pains are particularly insistent on getting my attention this morning, too. I am glad to note I have a day with no obligations and plans ahead of me.

Finished reading At Home in Mitford last night so I can spend some time today deciding which of my many TBR I shall spend time with today....

The HoCho may help me figure this out...

That HoCho is giving me ideas, but also a bit of sugar shock. I'll stick with coffer, thanks.

I'm rereading two Sherlock Holmes novels for one of my f2f groups. The first one is A Study in Scarlet, which is when Holmes and Watson meet. The second is The Sign of the Four. Reading them back to back, I notice the flagrant continuity errors. For instance, Watson was shot in the shoulder in the first book, but complains about the aftereffects of being shot in the leg in the second! Nevertheless, cozy classics. The Kindle edition even has the appropriate drawings included.

>258 (from the alternative universe prior cafe) Morphy, here's the house specialty mac and cheese:



>15 maggie1944: Hi, Karen! HoCho coming up. I liked The Sisters Brothers a lot, on a tip from Mr. Mark.

>16 Smiler69: Hi, Ilana! We've got a spot for you either way. Pretty day out there.

>17 wookiebender: Good to see you, Tania! Yeah, I really liked The Sisters Brothers, too. I'm glad you liked The Tale of One Bad Rat. It rekindled an interest in Beatrix Potter for me, too. Daytripper is excellent. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

Testament of Youth looks good. I'm going to take a chunkster-break. I finished David Copperfield and it was a fun ride, but I'm ready for something a little shorter!

>18 mirrordrum: Some Mexican Ibarra HoCho sounds good, Ellie. Prepared as requested, with almond milk and a smidge of cayenne. I may try some - it's on the chilly side here, although clear and pretty, and hot and spicy would hit the spot.

>19 wookiebender: On the chilly side in your part of the world, too, Tania? We've got some of Ellie's Ibarra HoCho ready for you, with cow's milk, if you want a warm-up.

>20 AMQS: Hi, Anne! Congrats on submitting the huge paper. What was it about? I'm making my Santa Fe notes: mocha at Cafe Pasquales. Got it!

>21 mirrordrum: Thanks for making the Peet's French Roast, Ellie! Thérèse Raquin - I'm Zola-deficient, so please let me know what you think.

>22 Morphidae: There you are, Morphy! Yup, your mac and cheese is up above. Ellie's HoCho coming up. Good luck with the homework. Yikes, it's hard to even hear that word. What's it for?

>23 mckait: Hi, Kath! Ellie special coming your way. I don't know about Morphy, but I could do mac and cheese twice in one day, easy.

>24 maggie1944: HoCho party is right, Karen! It's caught on like wildfire. An Ellie HoCho coming up. Sorry to hear your RA is hassling you, and that your enthusiastic dogs have trouble telling time. A good HoCho can make a rough day better, that's for sure.

How did you like At Home in Mitford?

>25 ffortsa: Hi, Judy! A cuppa Peet's French Roast coming up.

I've read about those continuity errors in the Sherlock Holmes books. "Cozy classics" is a good word for those books. They're fun to read - and re-read. The old-fashioned drawings are part of the charm; I'm glad the Kindle version has them.

Joe, I confess I ended up liking some things about the book At Home in Mitford but generally it was just too sweet, too good, too perfect. All the tragedies had their soft side and all the characters were lovable.

Honestly, I was looking for one description of a person who was not redeemed or one occurrence which had no silver lining. I like books which reflect "real" life and which show people who somehow are able to survive their hard times and tragedies, and who are wounded and yet carry their pain with some dignity and authentic emotion.

Oh, well, I'll go hit the TBR pile and I'll bet I'll find something a little more bleak.

Happy to see that there's a HoCho party going on in here!
I'd like some of Morphy's Mac&Cheese too, please.

>28 maggie1944: Sounds fair to me, Karen. I know those have been popular, and some readers have more of a sweet tooth than others, for sure. I think I'd fall into your camp. I will say it seems a whole lot easier to find well-written bleak than well-written happy.

>29 scaifea: Hi, Amber! It may be turning into a HoCho and Mac&Cheese party! Both are coming your way. Hope you're getting some of this pretty weather up there north of the (IL) border.

Karen--a similar, but far better, book is Philip Gulley's Home to harmony. the book is a series of well-drafted sketches from the life of a new Quaker minister in the small town in Indiana in which he grew up. it's certainly not bleak but it is full of believable characters: obnoxious, quirky, fractious, unmanageable, surprising and sot (set) in their ways. these are, for the most part, folks in whose mouths butter would rapidly melt and to whom uppances often don't come--or if they do come, aren't recognized and have no discernible effect.

//eta i found a quote from the book that gives you a sense of his characters. this is a quote from Frank, the minister's 70-year-old secretary:

"I can only make one person happy each day.
Today is not your day.
Tomorrow doesn't look good, either."

Of all my books, I like this the best. It will be easily believed that I am a fond parent to every child of my fancy, and no one can ever love that family as dearly as I love them. But, like many fond parents, I have in my heart of hearts a favourite child. And his name is DAVID COPPERFIELD.

Charles Dickens in the Preface to the 1867 Edition of David Copperfield

Sentimental, full of tears and elation, oddball characters, prolixity, villains and heroes, angelic women and sinning men, oppressors and oppressed, con men and their victims, the steadfast and the persevering, the eloquent, the grandiloquent and the tongue-tied, all abetted by a multitude of monumental coincidences - David Copperfield is a sprawling wonder, pure addictive reading. We meet Dickens' favorite character as a baby, when his aunt Betsey Trotford is so annoyed he isn't a girl that she takes a swing at the doctor, and follow him as a young boy as he outlasts an abusive stepfather, a school where he is subjected to mockery and mistreatment, "cold neglect", a grinding warehouse job at age 10, and much more. There are periods of happiness, particularly idyllic days in Yarmouth by the sea with his mother's maid Pegotty and her earthy family, but his life turns in the right direction only when he manages to change the mind of aunt Betsey and she begins to see his redeeming qualities.

Our narrator, David C., makes fun of his propensity to desperately fall in love, and recounts wonderful tales like the warm rapprochement between a cart-driver and Peggoty initiated by David who, at the cart-driver's request, informs Peggotty that "Barkis is willing". We meet the impassioned, voluble, good-hearted but perpetually destitute Mr. Micawber and his equally impassioned wife, sincere but always put upon Traddles, heartbroken Mr. Whitfield and his angelic daughter Agnes, the Achilles-like but misguided Steerforth, and many others, including of course the poker-stab-inviting Uriah Heep. (Throughout the story is enhanced by the old-fashioned illustrations by Hablot Browne). Repulsed by unctuous Uriah, Betsey Trotwood, in one of her many on-the-money comments, says, "If you're an eel, sir, conduct yourself like one. If you're a man, control your limbs, sir! I am not going to be serpentined and corkscrewed out of my senses!"

David eventually falls for pretty little Dora, who adores her dog Jip: "if we were not all three in fairyland, certainly I was." The scent of a geranium reminds him of an early meeting with her: "I see a straw hat and blue ribbons, and a quantity of curls, and a little black dog being held up, in two slender arms, against a bank of blossoms and bright leaves." There are sore trials ahead, and nefarious doings, with romance gone awry for some and delayed for others, while our favorite continues to doggedly press ahead and maintain his well-balanced outlook. If his good sense ever begins to fail him, Agnes and Aunt Betsey come to his aid. When one relationship falters because David seeks too hard to "improve" his paramour, Aunt Betsey reminds him, "You have chosen freely for yourself, and have chosen a very pretty and very affectionate creature. It will be your duty, and it will be your pleasure, too . . . to estimate her (as you chose her) by the qualities she has, and not by the qualities she may not have." Sound advice for a healthy relationship. I'd give a lot to have an Aunt Betsey come visit our family. She's a wonderful character.

Does everything come right in the end? Not everything, and there are tears throughout, but also triumphant successes. David's character has often been viewed as autobiographical, and we know some of what he endures matches Dickens' own early travails. Some of Dickens' success also comes to David. While the breadth of the story and the number of memorable characters is staggering, in the end there is an almost fairytale-like quality to the book and its paths that all lead to one another. Not just David, but the reader, is happily drawn into that fairyland.

>31 mirrordrum: That does sound like a good one, Ellie. I love the quote from Frank the secretary - "Tomorrow doesn't look good either." Hah!

Hasta manana, mi amigos.

*phew* Stinks like anything in here. Ugh. Horrifying miasma! *coughcough*

Nice new thread, Joe!

Love that quote, Ellie!

"to each his own"

who said that any way?

Joe- You are a heck of a reader my friend! I can't believe you knocked out DC already. I have several more days, at least. I'll come back and read your review, when I finish.
Did you see this in the paper today:



They are opening a brewery in Chicago! Hooray! They have many fine beers.

Sorry, RD! All I smell is hops!

>32 jnwelch: hey, i read, well, listened to, the beginning of DC at least up to the 'Barkis is willing' part. wonder what happened. and i got to go look up prolix to be sure i had it right. i did, sorta.

>37 maggie1944: well, you just did, for one. ha! ;)

>38 msf59: a brewery in Petaluma? get outta town! actually, we used to say that all roads lead to Petaluma. isn't it the chicken capital of the world or some such? funky little place that one kept running into endlessly trying to get from Berkeley to, say, Guerneville or Bodega Bay. possibly because one and one's amigas were often one toke over the line and kept driving in circles. ah well.

Brilliant review, Joe. Earned a thumb from me. I read David Copperfield a few years ago and quite enjoyed it. Glad to see you liked it so much.

Skipped your review of David Copperfield as I'm hoping to start it soonish, and I am spoilerphobic. Testament of Youth is a chunkster, so I don't know when I'll be able to start DC! Testament is a great book, but I will be reading it for some time to come.

I actually finished part 1 on the bus this morning (*sniff*, I think I had something in my eye there), so thought I might quickly knock out a library book before I get stuck into part 2. (I have too many library books and they're all due back rsn.) It's The Vesuvius Club by Mark Gatiss, who is responsible for some excellent recent TV, like "Doctor Who", "Sherlock", and "The League of Gentlemen" ("this is a local shop, for local people!").

Oh, mac and cheese sounds good. Do you have one with bacon and mushrooms in it as well? Would go well with a nice glass of wine, only I am at work. Bother. Just some nice chilled water thanks (tap water is fine).

i'm invoking that rule about quitting books. i don't remember what it's called, but i'm 68 and i don't care if Thérèse Raquin is a classic. i don't like any of the characters at all, i don't like the writing, or perhaps the translation, it's already come to naught and i've only just begun and i can't be having with this at my time of life! it's 86ed from my list and there's an end to it.

Joe, have you heard of McMenamin's? It's a unique chain of brewpubs in Oregon and Washington, each of the venues very different from one another, but all funky and with the same brew options.

I'm taking Intermediate Accounting II - Second Semester. Whoo hoo! Okay, more like UGH, but one needs to stay positive!

>42 mirrordrum: It's the Pearl Rule, Ellie, it was popularized by librarian Nancy Pearl...read 50pp to be fair to any book; if you're over 50, subtract your age from 100 to get the number of pages that are fair to read.

I myownself take it as blanket permission to abandon books that aren't doing it for me. So liberating for me

I've also found that, once you get over the hurdle of abandoning a book once, it's far easier to do it from then on. I felt immense guilt the first time I abandoned a book (even though it was truly awful), but now I'll abandon willy-nilly if it's not grabbing me by about 50 pages in!

>34 richardderus: Time to get out of your car and come into the cafe, RD.

>35 EBT1002: Thanks, Ellen!

>36 mckait: Me, too, Kath!

>37 maggie1944: As far as I can tell, Karen, "to each his own" is attributed to Cicero. "Charles Dickens sucks" is commonly attributed to RD.

>38 msf59: I did see that, Mark! They're new to me, but I'm looking forward to trying some Lagunitas beer.

D.C. was great, but I'm ready to change up with a spare, fast read! I'm reading the latest Joe Pickett/Nate Romanowski (Nate's big in this one), Force of Nature.

>39 mirrordrum: You can tell, Ellie, I loved all of that "Barkis is willing" courting.

Good to have the smoky, spacy history of Lagunitas. Seems like a logical place to make beer.

>40 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky! I know a lot of people are reading David Copperfield right now, and will avoid reading the review until they're done (as I probably would). Good to have someone who read it say they liked the review. Yes, that was a fun and well done book.

>41 wookiebender: "If Ian Fleming and Arthur Conan Doyle somehow had a baby, and then sent it off to be raised by Oscar Wilde and Edgar Allan Poe, it might have grown up to be Lucifer Box, the hero of Mark Gatiss's The Vesuvius Club." That's the beginning of lycomayflower's review this year. Sounds intriguing, Tania!

Mac&Cheese with bacon and mushrooms coming up, and we've got your chilled water. Stop by after work and we'll find you a good glass of wine.

>42 mirrordrum: Good for you, Ellie! Life is too short to read books we don't like no ways, no how.

So, that's not my Zola book. Still searching.

>43 EBT1002: Hmm, McMenamin's is new to me, Ellen. I'm guessing there's a drinking game there where if you mispronounce the name you have to down a shot. I'd sure hate to have to call home from there and explain where I am. Reminds me of the famous old Lucille Ball episode with "Vitametavegamin", an elixir with 20% or so alcohol.



I'll have to try some of their beer (Mark? Any comments?):

>44 Morphidae: Ah, my sympathy, Morphy. I took an "Accounting for Idiots" type course many years ago - you're obviously way beyond that. We'll have treats ready when you need them to survive all them revenues and expenditures.

>45 richardderus: I rarely abandon books, RD, but there have been some that clearly were not what I like. And there have been some I wish I had abandoned rather than waste time finishing them. Bonfire of the Vanities comes to mind. I liked a lot of his books prior to that one, and have never read him since.

How does that rule work if you're 100 years old? If you don't like the cover, you can abandon it?

>46 dk_phoenix: Yeah, I'm like that, too, Faith. I'll try to give it 50 or so pages - if it ain't working, off it goes. This usually happens when I take a flyer on one from the library, or someone gives me one. I can't remember the last time I gave up on one I bought.

They wouldn't let me into the Accounting for Idiots class..
I feel certain that they would bar the door.. as I am a fan of rounding up
and dropping odd amounts now and then..

That is my all-time favorite episode of "I Love Lucy"!!! It can still make me laugh so hard I cry.

Now, get the quote right, Joe: "Chuckles the Dick sucks."

>50 mckait: Even after Accounting for Idiots I'm checkbook pathetic, Kath.

But years ago I was treasurer for two organizations, so let's keep that between us.

>51 EBT1002: Yes, that one gets me ROFL, too, Ellen!

>52 richardderus: Darn it! I told myself to check Bartlett's and I should have listened!

> 42, 48: I have two Zola books I want to read: The Beast Within and Germinal, both are not on top of the TBR pile yet ;-)

thanks, RD, for helping me in my dotage. you'd think i'd be able to remember Pearl, wouldn'tcha? but then, you're probably too young to remember Janis 'take another little piece a my heart now, baby' Joplin.



Joe, hon, i've been rejecting books based on their covers and/or titles for ages--sometimes to my later astonishment and regret. so wtf am i supposed to do should i reach 100, Lachesis forfend?

i've completely flipped onto my other side and am preparing to begin Stiefvater's The scorpio races. love the cover, as best i can tell. it's minuscule. liked the teaser on audible and took the plunge.

>54 FAMeulstee: Keep us posted, Anita. I'm still hoping for some contagious Zola enthusiasm.

>55 mirrordrum: My much better half went to a Joplin/Big Brother and the Holding Company concert and said it lit up the universe like none other, or words to that effect. Lucky gal. I sure remember "take another little piece of my heart now, baby."

Woo, nice Lachesis reference. I had to do some digging on that one. Yeah, I've been anticipating 100 with cover rejections, too. I did eventually find this one with a different cover, and the story turned out to be pretty good:



I've been seeing a lot of LT love for Stiefvater's The Scorpio Races - if you like it, I'm going to be sold.

Clotho has already decided. And don't forget that Janis was voted "Ugliest Man on Campus" at UT Austin...where I spent my entire adolescence. The whole 1970s. (goddesses, disco sucked)

>57 richardderus: That's some nasty Janis trivia (at least, it sounds nasty). Clotho, Lachesis and Janis. What a thread! I'm glad I hang out here.

Joe- No I have not heard of McMenamin's but it sounds tantalizing. I'll have to ask my daughter if she has seen it around.
If you have started stocking Lagunitas, I'll take a Hop Stupid Ale!
Read another sizable chunk of DC, down to 200 pages.

Ha! We are so beyond revenue and such. Try:

The prospective approach should be used when retrospective application is impractical such as when switching from the FIFO method of inventory costing to the LIFO method, when mandated by authoritative pronouncements such as when changing from the equity method to another method of accounting for long-term investments, and when changing depreciation, amortization and depletion methods such as from sum-of-the-years’ to straight-line depreciation.

>59 msf59: I love the name Hop Stupid Ale, Mark! With a name like that, the cafe has to rise to the occasion:



Not sure how the Sam Adams glass snuck in there. Sounds like you've got the end of DC in your sights. I can see the crowd urging you on as you enter the last lap . . .

>60 Morphidae: After that one, Morphy, I'm going to need a couple of Hop Stupids. If that's Intermediate, I'm definitely an Inter-Idiot.

>60 Morphidae: ...sooo...boooooooorrrrrrriiiiinnnnnnggggggg...

Definitively NOT boring, however, is the old friend of a novel I've reviewed, The Summer Isles, which is an alternative history about the England of 1940 after the British defeat in the Great War (that's WWI to most of us). It's over in my thread...post #171.

Catching up I see the usual beer and food abounds, along with art and music now too. Getting your culture on eh Joe!? I like it. The cafe just gets better and better! (I know you're working on that free creche....)

>62 richardderus: Another good review, which is not boring, too, Mr. D.

>63 LovingLit: Oh, yeah, we've got a kids' room over there, Megan! *pointing* Not only is it no-charge and denizen-friendly, but the soundproofing let's them whoop it up while we all quietly enjoy our books and such. With seasonsoflove as a consultant, the little Einsteins seem to like it a lot.

I'm taking off a little early today, so there's pie on the counter and the chef is ready for action. Going to meet Walklover and seasonsoflove for dinner (why they didn't want to eat here I can't tell ya), and then we're seeing a one man show at Victory Gardens by Chicago poet Kevin Coval. He's got gumption; we'll see if he can pull this off.

I hope you enjoy your evening!

Oh, have a great evening, Joe'nfamily, and thanks for leaving the pie out. It is just what I need this evening. Long day: Kindergarten Art lesson given with great success! and then regular babysitting duties until well into dinner time. I did get to read a little in The Brothers Sisters and boy howdie, it is more bleak than my last book. Woopiee!~ I love old gritty westerns.

>64 jnwelch: soundproofing let's them whoop it up while we all quietly enjoy our books
Thats it, Im moving in!

>56 jnwelch: OHMIGAWD! how too, too Barbara Cartland. er, not that i've ever read any of hers. i'm inferring. here's the salt if you'd like to take what i say with a grain or two. or toss some over your shoulder. whatever.

>64 jnwelch:

i had never heard of Kevin Coval
so checked him out to see
what you were
in
two with walklover you
tube showed me The crossover-L-Vis
lives and i said
yeah!
and watched it again
and again.
then ordered the book.

say, i can write doggerel as good as anybody. ;)

Hey, Joe, your Bulls pulled it out tonight! Let me buy you a beer of your choice to celebrate.

>65 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita. It was fascinating, and well done. I've only known Kevin Coval as a stand-up poet - this had him acting in a one man show, and doing a pretty darn good job of it. Basically, it was the story of a white suburban boy growing up loving black hip hip music to the perplexity of those around him, and the effect on his thinking of the lyrics as he looked at the world around him. It included the impact and tension created by Elvis and other whites venturing into what was considered black music, and the mixed feelings created by white hip hoppers like Vanilla Ice and Eminem, and the influence of Islam . . . It was wide-ranging!

You can get an idea from the Youtube video Ellie found: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRai1y4kKdg

Imagine him prowling around a stage filled with stacked TVs and old-fashioned microphones and a small living room and various props like a tape recorder. Good stuff.

>66 maggie1944: Sounds like a demanding day to me, Karen. Glad we had some pie waiting for you. You make me think of seasonsoflove, who teaches pre-K and tutors older kids and babysits and nannies during the summer. I wouldn't last more than a day doing what she does, or you do, I imagine.

>67 LovingLit: All right, Megan! We've got your booth ready and plenty of acreage in the kids' room.

>68 mirrordrum: That cover's hilarious, isn't it, Ellie? I like Austen meets Madison Avenue: "Mom's fishing for husbands, but the girls are hunting for love . . ." :-)

Good for you for tracking down the Kevin Coval video! That's him. He's very good, and a good teacher of kids, too. He's the co-founder of that Louder Than a Bomb teen poetry slam festival I mentioned. We picked up the book, too. That was a whole lot of information compressed lyrically into less than an hour and a half!

>69 ronincats: Thanks, Roni! We missed the Bulls-Heat game for the show described above, but I have it on tape, so I'll watch tonight after we get back from dinner out. It sounds like a great game - overtime after C.J. Watson hit a 3 pointer with 2 seconds left. Gotta love it!

What a wildly inappropriate cover for P&P. But hey, it might get some romance readers to try the tougher stuff.

One of my cousins was just like the character in the Coval play, as you described it. He even passed for black when he was young and hung out on the 'other' side of town - to the great distress of my uncle!

32: FANtastic review of David Copperfield, Joe. I was a big fan when I read it many years ago. I'm going to do my reread later in the year and will follow along with the GR at the same time. I'm still mulling over last month's read of Our Mutual Friend. A little Dickens goes a long way!

49: You asked my burning question about the 100-yr-old reader and the Pearl Rule. Lol. I do my due diligence before reading a book so that I don't have to abandon them. Charlotte Simmons was the last Tom Wolfe that I want to read...actually liked Bonfire of the Vanities but maybe I was less discriminating back in 1987.

All caught up again. Whew! Joe's World moves too quickly for me.

>71 ffortsa: Isn't that cover a hoot, Judy? I've seen a lot of repackaging of P & P to try to attract readers, but this one takes the cake. You're right, it looks like it's directed to romance readers.

Your cousin does sound like the character in Kevin C.'s play - and like Kevin! Because my son has performed slam poetry on his college campus and has been active with racially diverse groups there, he got (mis)identified in one campus publication as "an emerging black leader". After we stopped laughing, we told him it was a very proud moment for us. :-) We still kid him about it.

>72 Donna828: Thanks, Donna! You know, that review was harder than most simply because of the physical hugeness of the book. I enjoy reading Dickens, including Our Mutual Friend. This one (David Copperfield probably jumped to the top for me as my favorite of his so far.

You know, a lot of people liked Bonfire of the Vanities, but it just made me want to cringe. Nobody likeable in it was part of the problem for me. I liked his nonfiction, and wish he'd go back to that.

I know, this thread does seem to move fast. It's a fun ride though. I never expected this when I decided to try living the 75er thread life.

well, here's one for ya



home of the piddle beer

pint of piddle, please. oh, so sophomoric. ;)

"Come in and have a piddle". Oh, sophomoric, but very funny. :-)

Per Ellen, with Paul's strong support (and mine!), our featured wine today is Panther Creek Pinot Noir:

Cheers!!

Hi Joe! I am terribly behind again ... I know, not really a surprise!
Good job on getting through David Copperfield! I am a slacker and haven't even started it yet.

>77 EBT1002: Thanks for the tip, Ellen!

>78 ChelleBearss: No problem, Chelle! It's always good to see you when you can stop by.

You're going to enjoy David Copperfield, I'm pretty sure. It's hard not to.

Hi Joe- A Piddle please! I'm on the homestretch of DC, less than a 100 pages. There is so much good stuff in here but a liberal amount of cutting would have helped.
Have you been watching any of the PBS productions featuring Mr. Dickens? I watched most of Great Expectations and it's been very good.

A new day! Am I the first here, this morning? Well! I'll have a quick latte and plunk down in the corner. I finished The Sisters Brothers this morning, early, and am ready to make some more progress in some other small book. See my comments here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/129805#t

My hands are so swollen from my RA that holding anything heavy is totally out of the question. Coffee cup is about as much as I want to life.

Wow, you are really up early, Karen! Sorry to hear that you are in pain :(

Hi Joe.. just keeping up :) ( sort of )

>80 msf59: Do you want your piddle in a glass, Mark? Ah, the possibilities with this beer are endless.

I loved Bleak House with Gillian Anderson. Nicholas Nickleby was pretty good. We've Netflixed Great Expectations so we can watch it all at once. How are you liking G.E.?

>81 maggie1944: Good morning, Karen! Glad you liked The Sisters Brothers. Me, too. I agree, the humor helped leaven the dark parts. Really well done.

Latte coming up. Sorry about the RA. If we can get you anything else, give a holler.

>82 mckait: Good morning, Kath! Seems like you're keeping up fine. You're awake and making sense, and the proprietor and the chef are still prying open their eyes. Peet's New Guinea Highlands is up and ready for thems that want it.

I'm reading Force of Nature by C.J. Box, a Joe Pickett mystery, and as usual, it's a pageturner. I'm going to grab a cup and read a bit.

Thanks, Joe. I've started reading Massacred for Gold: The Chinese in Hell's Canyon. It seemed like quite the appropriate follow on after The Sisters Brothers. Gold fever in the West! And the setting for this book is in a part of Oregon State that I love and hope to visit again soon.

What an interesting-sounding true crime book, Karen. It does seem appropriate after the obsession-with-gold driven The Sisters Brothers. Who thinks of a gold rush in Oregon? Wild west is right. Unbelievable, some of the unpunished things that happened.

Well I don't usually read "westerns" but I don't think I've seen a book mentioned so much as I have The Sisters Brothers. Now it's become a must read.

I'm the same way, Anne. This isn't a "western" in the way I think of that genre. Mark is the one who convinced me it was worth the read, and I'm glad he did.

One added thought: the style of writing is interesting, and makes up a good deal of the book's appeal, IMHO.

I think I'll go out back of the cafe and drink some drain opener. The Teapot Dome Scandal is the most depressing book I've read this month. Warren Harding was no patch on Shrub Bush as a horrible president, but the sameness of the crimes committed by the men makes me want to lie down and let the ants and the birds eat me.

>88 maggie1944: Yes, I agree, Karen. It's an interesting style and the book is very well-written.

>89 richardderus: Ah, too bad, RD. You know somebody's a voracious reader when he says that's the most depressing book he's read this month. Just remember, there are plenty of fish in the sea, there's always another trolley car coming along, and we've got plenty of food and drink.

OK, I'm off to join Walklover to see The Hunger Games. Can't wait!

Joe- A Piddle in a frosty mug sounds great! Yes, I finished Great Expectations on PBS and I think they did a wonderful job. I'll be recording The Mystery of Edwin Drood, (another one I've never read) on Sunday and will attempt to listen to the audio before I watch it.
Have a great time at the movies! I'm sure you'll love it.

Hope you enjoy The Hunger Games, Joe!

re # 27, I am taking an action research course this semester, so every assignment has been a portion of the big research project and paper. First I submitted the proposal, then the professional literature review, and this last portion was my data analysis and findings. Next is the final, final paper, but the good news is because the way the class is structured, I am mostly done. Good thing, too, because the other good news is that I have been offered a long-term substitute position at my research site school (also my younger daughter's school) through the end of the year!

Oh, and wonderful review of David Copperfield! I have not kept up with the GR, but I do intend to read it.

Oh, it's been an exhausting weekend, even with today being an "at home" day (I haven't even bothered getting out of my pajamas). A glass of that pinot noir you were offering above would be lovely, thanks. And some cheese and crackers to go with it.

I did read The Vesuvius Club this weekend and I didn't like it as much as lycomayflower did from your quote of their review above, Joe! I thought Lucifer was too much of a nasty man to make the book appealing and the plot was all a bit over the shop. It could have been so much more.

I did get out to see "The Hunger Games" last weekend (did I mention? it's been so flat out I don't know whether I'm coming or going at the moment), and I thought it was a spiffing adaptation. I hope you like it too.

>91 msf59: We did love The Hunger Games, Mark! They told the story well and handled the violence tactfully.

Good to hear re Great Expectations. We'll look forward to that. He never finished The Mystery of Edwin Drood, so it'll be interesting to see how they handle that. I've never read it because I don't know how to deal with its just stopping.

>92 AMQS: We loved it, Anne! Jennifer Lawrence is a terrific Katniss, and the whole cast is good. Stanley Tucci is a standout as the TV host.

What an interesting class! I'd never heard of action research before. Congrats on getting the long-term substitute position at your daughter's school! You can go together some times, sounds like.

Thanks re the David Copperfield review! I'm hoping some of the other GR readers will finish and be able to read it soon.

>93 wookiebender: Some Panther Creek Pinot Noir coming up, Tania! We've got Holland smoked gouda, Le Gruyere premier Cru and croccantini crackers to go with it.

Interesting to hear on The Vesuvius Club. I suspect my reaction would be more like yours. Yes, I did think that was a spiffing adaptation of The Hunger Games!

Hope everyone's having a good Sunday. I have to put in a plug for a book I'm reading in bits and pieces and no doubt won't finish for a long time. It's called The Western Lit Survival Kit by Sandra Newman, subtitled An Irreverent Guide to the Classics from Homer to Faulkner. As far as I can tell, she's on the money, and very funny. Ex: "While Aristophanes can be surprisingly contemporary and clever, it is always in a way that adroitly avoids humor. (Some people claim to find Aristophanes funny. Best to avoid these people. Whatever they may claim, they are probably actors involved in a production of Aristophanes)."

I can remember being required to read The Clouds in high school and being mystified by it, particularly as to why it was considered a comedy. I wish I had Sandra Newman in my class.

But Joe...when *you* were in High School, classes were in outdoor stoas and Clouds was taught in your Contemporary Lit class. How could a nice 20th century lady be there?

No living man can, or possibly ever will, understand the instinct of preservation that we share with our raptorial servant. No man-made machine can, or ever will, synthesize that perfect coordination of eye, muscle, and pinion as he stoops to his kill."

- Aldo Leopold, quoted in Force of Nature by C.J. Box

Ex-Special Forces soldier Nate Romanowski, omni-competent and ruthlessly effective, has made critical appearances throughout this Wyoming-based action mystery series featuring game warden Joe Pickett. Now he gets to take center stage. In this falconry-infused entry, Nate's hinted at past comes to light, and with it a whole lot of bad guys looking to take him down. As those who know Nate start to disappear or die, Joe Pickett has to figure out how to help his friend while still protecting his own family. Meanwhile, the stupidity of Pickett-hating Sheriff McLanahan manages to turn bad situations even worse, and those seeking Romanowski seem to have infiltrated everywhere. New characters join the already enjoyable cast, and as usual the author does a great job of building the excitement and keeping the pages zipping along. Joe, of course, remains the epitome of integrity. When a baddie accuses Joe of "trying to get the drop on" him, Joe responds, "I'm not that clever", and when the same baddie accuses him of lying, Joe says, "I don't lie. You know that." That's our guy! If you're looking for a fun, action-packed diversion, this series, including its latest, supplies it.

>96 richardderus: You got me there, RD. We all thought Ari was pretty lame at the time, and never would've guessed he'd get known as the Father of Comedy. He kept saying, "There's no business like stoa business", whatever that was supposed to mean. I guess it would've been too much time jiggery to get Sandra Newman to join us.

Heh. "Stoa business."

Ummm...Joe...your links are all wrong...the title goes to a nature book (yours is FORCE of Nature not FORCES of Nature!) and C.J. Box goes to Blue Heaven because you left off a bracket...

Still, not bad for a guy who knew Phidippides!

>99 richardderus: Oops, thanks. Going to fix it now. Yup, still learning all this new-fangled gadgetry.

sorry I've joined this late - can somebody explain the "cover rejections" thing? sounds interesting... I have been guilty on more than one occasion of replacing books (some I've read, some I've not) with alternative editions simply because I didn't like the cover, a problem that arises when I buy books on ebay that have no accompanying photo. sheesh

#101> I must've skimmed, because I'm not sure what cover rejections refers to in this context. (Mea culpa, I've been BUSY.)

Must admit, I tend to get cross if I buy a book in a series whose cover doesn't match the others in the series. (Very peeved that Harry Dresden changed cover designs halfway through.)

Urgh. Early Monday morning. (Well, it was when I turned up and started making my way through my inbox.) A large flat white, please, and some turkish toast with jam. That should get me started. Oooh, first yoga class today at lunch. That should be good!

>101 feca67: Welcome, feca67! Cover rejections: we went from the 50 page rule (read 50 pages and, if the book ain't doing it for you, drop it), to the Pearl(?) rule that if you're over 50, you subtract your age from 100 and only need to read that many pages before dropping a book, to speculating about what do 100 year olds do - read the cover and drop it if it doesn't strike them right?

If you followed that, that took us to discussing the times we've rejected a book based on its cover (yeah, I know, there's an old saying about that). You've added a twist - books you've liked where you sought out an alternative because you didn't like the cover.

I like your twist - what are some of the books you've done that for?

>102 wookiebender: Large, flat white coming up, Tania, and some turkish toast (your jam is on the side):



or this way:



Enjoy your first yoga class. That should be mighty good for you. I admire your discipline for doing it at lunch time.

Off to a 50th birthday party. Chef's on the alert if needed.

Joe, you see a lot of theater in Chicago. Have you ever seen an actress by the name of Kim Martin-Cotten? We just saw her blow the doors and roof off the theater in a production of 'Moon for the Misbegotten' here in NYC. Amazing performance. And I see she's done some work in Chicago, so if you've come across her, let me know what you've seen, will you?

I must now join Jim in recuperation mode. Wow.

Joe - catching up after too much travelling around. Chuckled at the marvellously named Piddle beer and thanks for the Pinot Noir. David Copperfield is also among my favourites - I am starting Dombey and Son very shortly and Charlie's popularity continues almost unabated.

Oh, both those toasts look awesome! The second is the sort that I was expecting, but I'll help myself to a serve of both, I think. Thanks!

Have to do my exercise at lunch, the mornings & evenings are filled with kid stuff. (Don does shift work, so some days I get in late because I'm dropping the kids off at school first, and other days I get in early so I can leave early to pick up the kids from after care.) It's a crazy schedule, mainly because it's not consistent (he's got some stupid scheduling). Luckily my managers have never minded, being sensible people who are more interested in work being done to a certain standard than in fixed office hours.

These two weeks aren't so bad though because it's school holidays so Don's off work and I have very little need to get in at 8 (big day today, so I did anyway) so I can rush off at 4. I *like* school holidays.

Hi Joe. Thanks for the Pinot Noir; it was very yummy. I have ten bottles of the '08 Momtazi Vinyard Pinot Noir in my basement now...... I'm happy to share.

I hope you are having fun at the 50th birthday party. Who hit the half-century mark today?

Aristophanes *is* funny. Hilarious, in fact. And I'm *not* a theater person. :)

*shuffling in* Hi, everyone. I'll have some coffee, please. Had a very busy weekend and need to just sit for a bit.

Good morning to the western hemisphere. Joe, think you could get me a cafe mocha? I'll just hide out in the corner and finish up New York to Dallas}, which kept me up far too late last night.

>105 ffortsa: Hi, Judy! Unfortunately, no, I haven't seen Kim Martin-Cotten in theater here. I didn't see King Lear at the Goodman, and she was an understudy in August: Osage County, but didn't perform when I saw it. You've certainly piqued my interest in her with that huzzah! I'll keep my eye out for her.

>106 PaulCranswick: Yup, we're always good for a Piddle, Paul! Or a Pinot Noir, for that matter.

Dombey & Son is one of his I haven't read, so I look forward to your comments.

>107 wookiebender: Glad both kinds of Turkish toast were worth the serve, Tania!

That does sound like a crazy schedule. I'm glad you have sensible managers, although it still sounds like a big challenge. Yes, I'll bet you love school holidays!

We love being empty-nesters, with only an occasional reach out from the kiddoes!

>108 EBT1002: Glad the Panther Creek hit the spot, Ellen, and yes, we'd love to try the '08 Momtazi Pinot Noir! Oregon wines - I know nothing, but this one sounds good.

It was our friend Paula celebrating her 50th, and she did it in a big way. We met her as our son's martial arts teacher, and she's since done personal training with Walklover and become part of our extended family. She rented a space filled with a lobby and small theaters on Belmont in Chicago, had food brought in, and had friends perform - and wow, does she have some talented friends! A highlight for me was Swing Hakim, http://swinghakim.com/, which teamed up with a tap dancer who had performed earlier, for "All of Me." It was so good! Walklover's a professional storyteller, as I no doubt mentioned, and she performed a great story involving two artists competing for the favor of the king. The whole night was about the creative process - in which Paula includes the martial arts. Debbi helped her pull the whole thing together, and it was really something.

>109 scaifea: But you're performing in an Aristophanes production anyway, right, Amber? :-) Ah, Sandra and I are probably just too grumpy or unschooled to appreciate him. But it's still fun to know there are others who are the same way.

>110 maggie1944: You got it, Karen. We've got Major Dickason's back on the menu today, and a cuppa is coming your way. Sit as long as you like. What packed the weekend?

>111 ffortsa: Cafe mocha for you, Judy:



I still haven't read any J.D. Robb/Nora Roberts. Caro and Stasia recommend her "In Death" series, and I'm waiting for seasonsoflove to give me her expert input on that.

Coffee, so much coffee please ;) First day back from Spring Break, and while I could not be happier to see my students again, hearing that alarm go off this morning was brutal. I'm grabbing a quick minute while my Pre-kers finish up with their Reading Buddies.

I will definitely check out that series for you-I have some books from my shelf I want to read first, but then I will grab the first one from the library.

I heard this was the place to grab a coffee - double mocha, please!

I have a couple of S.J. Watson's books on my Kindle awaiting my attention. Did you enjoy "Before I Go to Sleep"? Should I move the Watson books to the top of the queue?

>114 seasonsoflove: Thanks, Becca! No problem, I've got a few ahead of it, anyway, including that latest Spellman mystery that's due at the library!

So much Major Dickason's coming your way that you may want to get some to-go.

>115 mjs1228: You bet, Maryann. Good to see you! Double mocha coming up - I'm not sure whether we can squeeze two bear designs into the cup, but there'll be at least one.

I did indeed enjoy Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson. I described it as Hitchcockian - you can see my review if you click on the title in the preceding sentence and go to the book page. Mine is now at the bottom of the second page.

To the top of the queue? It would, for me, depend on what you've got in front of it and your mood. It's a well-done diversion, with creepy tension and an effective build-up to the ending.

just popping in with some Maggie Stiefvater November cakes as they appear in The Scorpio races. food porn!



"Finn finds my left hand, opens my fingers, and puts a November cake in my palm. It oozes honey and butter, rivulets of the creamy frosting joining the honey in the pit of my hand. It begs to be licked."

should be scrumpsheeeus with Maj. Dickason's blend. :)

Last Days by Brian Evenson is one of the most chilling, grisly, terrifying books I have ever, in 52 years on this planet, encountered.

>117 mirrordrum:: Oh my Lord, Ellie ... I've just gained five pounds!

Oh, my eyes! my Eyes! Those look so good!

Joe, my busy weekend looked like this 1. hours of office work on income taxes and rental house accounting and filing and you know..... and 2. started laundry.

Then on Sunday: 1. worked with Eldest Niece to buy materials and build a framework for the floor of gravel under new little plastic green house; 2. worked with same Niece and her hubby to put "tinker toy" green house together and ride herd on their three kids; 3. mowed and weed whacked in back yard, 4. made soup for friend who then 5. joined me to watch episode 3 of season 2 of the "Game of Thrones" on HBO.

And, oh, cleaned out refrigerator while making soup, finished up laundry while making soup, and tried to put clean clothes away before falling into bed to read Massacred for Gold: The Chinese in Hells Canyon. It is a slow, but steady, book. Author went to huge lengths to document a piece of history that the locals spent 100 years denying and hiding.

>117 mirrordrum: Oh my, those do look good, Ellie, and the description in the book makes them sound good, too. Why "November" cakes, I wonder? That photo makes it look like you could reach in and pinch a piece off - or just grab one.

>118 richardderus: Intriguolating, Mr. D.

>119 NarratorLady: If it's five pounds for you looking at Ellie's November cakes, Anne, then it must be at least 10 for me. Treadmill here I come. (Does it have any calories if you eat it while walking on a treadmill?)

>120 maggie1944: I'm worn out just reading about your weekend, Karen. Java's on us today!

Your niece better appreciate you, and I'm sure she does. Taxes took up some of our time over the weekend, and I worked a bit at the office, but other than that I was way lazier. Plus we went to a really good restaurant Friday night (Charlie Trotter's) and feasted.

Looking forward to your take on Massacred for Gold when you're done. Sounds like it's holding up well so far.

So,hi everyone.. I think a double camomile and a crumpet, toasted just right, with butter.
It has been a long morning, I need to relax :)

Double chamomile tea (we just got in some from Egypt) coming your way, Kath, with a just-rightly toasted crumpet with butter (hope this fits the bill):



Take a load off and relax a while!

No Joe, no calories at all while eating and working out in tandem. Also, did you know that crumbs have absolutely no calories?

>124 NarratorLady: This is most excellent news, Anne, as Bill and Ted would say on their excellent adventure. *starts breaking November cake into crumbs*

Hi Joe, did my best to catch up with all the goings on at the café. I was overdue for a stopover. Loved your review for David Copperfield, you did it justice my friend! I don't think I'll be able to do so myself, if anything because I have such a terrible memory and SO MUCH did happen in that monster book (in fact, your review reminded me of bits and pieces I'd already forgotten about!)

The Western Lit Survival Kit sounds like lots of fun. I looked it up at the library, but no such luck. Mind you, it's just as well because it does sound like the kind of book one wants to have longer than your average library lending period to pore over.

I don't think I've ever tried reading a book that was unfinished before and would only consider doing so if I'd read an author's complete bibliography more than once and absolutely had to get my hands on every single scrap or writing he or she had ever produced. Hasn't happened yet, but you never know.

I should have come before helping myself to a huge serving of apple crisp. I see so many goodies on offer here. There's always next time!

>126 Smiler69: Good to see you, Ilana! Thanks re David Copperfield - that review was challenging because it was such a monster of a book!

Yes, I know it's going to take me quite a while to work through The Western Lit Survival Kit, much like Beowulf on the Beach did. I like reading this kind of book in small chunks.

I know what you mean about unfinished books. I read Jane Austen's Sanditon (which received a so-so finish by someone else), but for the reasons you give - I like her writing that much.

We'll have plenty of goodies on hand for your next visit, I can promise. Apple crisp sounds mighty good, actually. Wish I had a huge serving of it.

Off to the train. I'll try to get in early enough to put that first pot on, but probably will end up thanking someone again. :-)

Those November cakes look truly scrumptious, and that 50th birthday party sounds like a blast!

I made an apple crumble yesterday - do you have those in America? Basically like an apple pie, but with a oatmeal biscuitty (cookie-y for you Americans) topping. I didn't put quite enough butter in the topping so it didn't have quite enough crunch, I think the oats were slightly stale, AND I undercooked it slightly, and it was STILL delicious. That's how great an apple crumble is.



Might give it another whirl tomorrow night (potentially have a friend coming over for dinner, and we still have a fridge full of apples), and this time fix the previous errors and add in sour cherries. (Other friends moved interstate and gave us the contents of their freezer and pantry. I also cooked couscous for the first time in my life last night, thanks to a box of couscous from their cleanout. Needed more salt, but dead easy and delicious.)

Got eight hours sleep last night. And if I woke up at all, I didn't remember it. Woke up this morning to rain (lots of it, I'm wearing my gumboots in the office today), but feeling remarkably perky. One should have eight hours sleep more often.

Just a pot of Darjeeling, thanks, Joe.

I'll be over in the corner reading The Somnambulist by Essie Fox. You can't miss the hot pink cover.

Apple crumble is called apple crisp in my house, and I love, love, love it. Sour cherries would be a fine addition.

Apple crisp with vanilla ice cream. Happy sigh.

"All of Me" is one of my favorite numbers for performance. I still love the version Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin did way back when (I hope I'm remembering that correctly).

"Apple crisp", eh? Rather excellent name as well. Although mine was definitely more crumbly than crisp! (More butter next time!)

And, yes, absolutely with vanilla ice cream (or a splodge of cream).

Those crumpets look much better than the US version, English muffins. Isn't that funny that we call our "crumpets" English muffins? Heh.

Ooooh, apple crisp! I *love* it when the crisp is still hot and the ice cream gets all melty. Sigh. To quote one of my favorite movies, "Yes, have some"!

Morphy: I bet they taste better when they're called crumpets. Sounds so much better that English muffins to me...

ET *wave at Joe*

I am still scared *witless* by Last days and need comfort food. The most Velveeta-laden mac and cheese the chef can produce, please, with four hot dogs on top. Shiner Bock to drink. Make it two. No, three.

And bring a carrot cake for dessert. A seven-incher ought to do the trick.

Now that is my definition of Comfort, too.

>128 wookiebender: I LOVE apple crumble, Tania! I've never had it homemade, just in restaurants. Hmm, may discuss this with Walklover. Might make a good Sunday project. We make our own applesauce, which is excellent, IMHO.

Essie Fox's The Somnambulist is a new one to me. Looks like it's harder to get ahold of here in the U.S. Let us know what you think of it.

Pot of Darjeeling coming up for you:



>129 maggie1944: Mm, I'll take it under either name, Karen. I'm not as sure about adding the sour cherries, but I'm willing to try.

>130 EBT1002: Yes, we'll put some vanilla ice cream on that, Ellen. Great idea!

I remember the All of Me movie with Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin, which I thought was really good. This version of the song was two guitars, a clarinet, and a tap dancer improvising. The tap dancer had done a separate performance, and Swing Hakim invited him to join them on the song. We told them they should stay in touch and perform together professionally some time.

>131 wookiebender: We've got cream splodges as needed, Tania. Anything for a good cause.

>132 Morphidae: I know, Morphy, "English muffins" seems like an odd name to come up with, especially as they really aren't, as far as I can tell. There's probably some British counterpart, like "American fried stuff."

There seems to be some difference between the two. One site, wisegeek.com, says this:

"Crumpets are flattened round breads which are cooked on a griddle or in a skillet. They are closely associated with English society and culture, and are sometimes confused with English muffins. Although the crumpet and the English muffin share some characteristics, the two foods are in fact very different. Furthermore, because of the cultural associations with crumpets within England, many British people will not appreciate people who lump the two foods together.

Classic crumpets have a smooth round bottom, and a top riddled with small holes. They are served fresh from the griddle or toasted, and can be topped in jam or clotted cream, although butter is the traditional crumpet topping. Crumpets are never split, unlike English muffins, and they have a slightly bland flavor and spongy texture which absorbs butter remarkably well. The concept of toasting crumpets over a fire is often associated with companionable rainy days in British fiction."

Any elaboration on that from our Brit denizens?

I wouldn't mind a companionable rainy day with crumpets over a fire. That sounds pretty darn good.

>133 scaifea: Good to see you, Amber! *waves* Yes, apple crisp/crumble with vanilla ice cream, that's a keeper. The chef is making a bunch of it because it sounds so darn good.

>134 richardderus: Woo, the chef tips his hat on this one, RD. Coming your way: mac and cheese that is extraordinarily and tastily Velveeta-laden, with four hot dogs on top, and three Shiner Bocks to wash it down. And when you're ready, we've got your seven inch mongo slice of carrot cake (I might have a piece, too). If you're still hungry after that, we've got some excellent apple crumble/crisp with vanilla ice cream. That should help shake the witless scaredom.

>135 maggie1944: There's plenty more of it if you're so inclined, Karen. Sounds good, doesn't it?

>128 wookiebender: Yum!

I actually had time and energy to make myself a real breakfast this morning (had to cook spaghetti this morning to bring to the classroom-we are studying water, including what happens to food made with water when left in the open air vs. kept in the plastic bag)-a really yummy scrambled egg with cheese and veggie bacon sandwich-so I will just take my second cup of chai for the day please.

During my six months in England, I discovered crumpets are amazing and way better than English muffins! Actually changing my order to a fresh pot of Tetley Tea with milk and sugar please.

>137 kidzdoc: Well said, Darryl!

>138 seasonsoflove: Hold the chai, pot of Tetley with milk and sugar coming up, Becca. Sounds like you had a great breakfast. Good luck with the rugrats today. That science experiment is one I'm familiar with - my advice to the kids would be, it's not a good idea to leave that food out in the open air too long!

Love the new, very interesting, information on crumpets. Makes me wonder where the heck I can go to get some good ones. I'll check at the higher end grocery stores. We shall see. As I am a great lover of butter, real dairy butter, I am sure I want some of those crumpets.

I first had crumpets in Wales. I adore them . Toast is one
Of my favorite foods. ( really) crumpets are 2 steps above. What we get here is not quite the same crumpet wise :) yum!

maggie: Any British tea shops in your area? They may have them...

I will take a Diet Pepsi to go, please. . .

>140 maggie1944: I know, Karen, Becca and the others have me wanting to have a crumpet right now, and there's nary a crumpet store near me. Reports of any sightings appreciated.

>141 mckait: I need to get to Wales, Kath. My last name traces back there, although my great-grandpa on my dad's side came over from Pilsdon, England. Maybe I can convince Walklover that we need to go there soon to have crumpets. Of course, I'm already pushing for Santa Fe and Portland, so maybe we just need to take a year off and travel.

>142 scaifea: Hmm, British tea shops is a thought for our area, too, Amber. Becca, are there any? (She's much more likely to know than her coffee guy dad).

>143 alcottacre: Yay! Good to see you, Stasia! Glad you're on your well-earned break. Diet Pepsi on the house!

Cool beans! I will take it!

My great Grandfather was from there too, Joe.
William Williams was his name :)

#113 : Joe ... is that a cup of coffee you poured and creamed? That's an awesome froth picture. Me want!

Crumpets, toast ...anything served warm with lashings of butter ....... mmmmmm mmmmmm good.

>145 alcottacre: You bet, Stasia. There are plenty of comfortable spot, so feel free to settle in for a while. As you can probably tell, it's Crumpet day at the Cafe, so just let us know if you'd like one of those gratis.

>146 mckait: Intriguing, Kath! My understanding is Pilsdon was/is a small town, so they might have known each other, or each other's family! Mine was another WW - William Welch. He was a sailor, and supposedly my great-grandmother wisely got him to move from the Boston area to Iowa, which was a dry state, causing him to settle down from somewhat rambunctious ways.

>147 cameling: Oops, I was typing in the back and didn't see you come in, Caro! Yeah, isn't that great - it's a cafe mocha per Judy's request. What an artist our chef is!

It's Crumpet Day here, so we've got plenty with lashings of butter when you're ready.

Your barister chef is an artist indeed, Joe. What other designs has he made on coffee? You should start up a little collage of his coffee art.

I tried maple butter once with crumpets and it was absolutely delicious!

#148: I will take my crumpets with lemon curd, please. I love that stuff!

My paternal grandparents were both from Pontypridd in Wales. I'd love to visit there one day. (I've been to England twice, but never made it to Wales.)

And I'm still absorbing the shocking news that crumpets do not exist in America. Best rainy afternoon snack ever: cup of tea, toasted crumpets with lashings of butter and honey. If the butter (and honey) doesn't soak all the way through the crumpets and leave a sticky mess on your plate and fingers, you haven't put enough on.

Butter & honey is the standard Australian topping for crumpets. Of course, we have been known to put Vegemite on them too, but that is an aberration, IMO. (A deliciously salty aberration, mind you. But such a waste of honey potential.)

We usually buy them pre-made in packets (from any supermarket) and toast them up, but I once actually made them from scratch.

And they are NOTHING like an English muffin, which is just round bread, really. (And very very nice with Vegemite, too.)

Joe, I *adore* that elephant teapot up above! I need one of those!

How do you make apple sauce? I generally just cook up a whole lot of sliced apple with enough water to stop it sticking/burning, and then purée the lot. Great with pork, and I fed a lot of it to the kids when they were small, too. (Now they'll only eat their apple raw. Plenty of crumble left for me that way!)

APPLE CRUMBLE TOPPING:
4 Tablespoons butter (Mum's written a "+" next to that, so feel free to add in some extra butter!)
1/2 cup plain flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed (it's that dark and somewhat sticky sugar)
1/2 cup rolled oats (I usually use those fast-cooking porridge oats)

Rub the butter into the flour, then mix in sugar & oats. Squish into biscuitty (cookie-y) bits and dot over ~6 peeled and sliced apples. Cook for 25-30 min in a moderate (180C, 350F) oven.

Serve warm with cream or ice cream.

One can add spices, other fruits, etc. I made a killer one once with leftover poached plums on the bottom layer.

You know, apple crumble is a fairly popular ice cream flavour at some of Sydney's swisher gelato/ice cream shops...

The Somnambulist was a bit messy - too much plot, could have simplified it particularly towards the end when it overstayed its welcome rather. (But I was up until 12:30 reading it, so still a good read.) Ticked almost every Gothic Victorian pastiche tickbox (missed the "mad woman in the attic" trope). I wouldn't particularly recommend it (unless you're already a lover of Victorian Gothic pastiche), but I am looking forward to her next book to see if she can produce something tighter.

My goodness gracious! My family comes from Wales, Scotland, and England, too! I've got some ideas where specifically but it is all written down in some files which are not at hand. Boo

Crumpets. They do exist in the US of A! Yes, they do. Because I have eaten real crumpets. I just can't find any right this week.

Maybe someone could point us to a recipe?

Ah, long day, no more chatting. Off to read.

Maggie, I find this site usually has reliably good recipes: http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/13124/crumpets but I don't know what "bread improver" is. (Back in my day, we just used flour!)

Not Quite Nigella has a good looking recipe, and her blog is always worth a read: http://www.notquitenigella.com/2008/07/15/ahhhh-crumpets/

In Australia, any supermarket worth its salt has several different brands of crumpets. They even come in square shapes now, easier for toasting. We (and England, I am sure) obviously take our crumpets seriously.

Hm, I might try making some this weekend, if the chance arises...

>113 jnwelch: Just how did your barista get a picture of me in the cafe mocha????

Coming to this thread makes me so-o-o-o hungry so I'll have a double order of #117. Wow!

Lovely review of David Copperfield Joe. I'd like to get to it before the end of this year of Dickens. Next one up for me is Our Mutual Friend.

*wanders in, sleepily looking for the morning cafe au lait*

I've put Massacred for Gold down temporarily when I realized I need to attend to the library books. So, last night I read a chunk of Atlantic: Great Sea Battles, Heroic Discoveries, Titanic Storms, and a Vast Ocean of a Million Stories and he has me hooked.

Thanks for all the information about crumpets, wookiebender. I'll check those out.

>150 cameling: A collage of the chef's coffee art? Hmm, nice idea, Caro. We'll work on that one.

Maple butter on crumpets sounds delicious. I'm up for maple just about anything.

>151 alcottacre: Crumpets with lemon curd coming up, Stasia, on the house. How are you enjoying your break from school so far?

>152 wookiebender: The continuing crumpet deficiency in the U.S. is a shocker to me, too, Tania, particularly after hearing so much crumpet lore yesterday and today. Where are the crumpet hawkers on the streets? Where are the crumpet sections in the stores? Where are the crumpet specials on the menus?

You know what, we have high end grocery stores in Chicago called Treasure Island, featuring foods from around the world. I wouldn't be surprised if they have crumpets there.

I'm glad you liked that teapot. It looks really cool, doesn't it?

Walklover would give you a better answer on the applesauce than me, but we keep it simple - peel and core a lot of good apples - I think we've used McIntosh, Granny Smith and Pink Lady. Cook them down and add only cinnamon. Woo, really tasty.

Victorian Gothic pastiche - I think of Northanger Abbey, which I did like, but it's not Victorian and it's a parody, not a pastiche, seems to me. So I'm clueless on that one.

>153 maggie1944: Can't wait until you find that William to William letter in the files, Karen. :-) I often get moody and start trying to walk the moors, the wind blowing my cloak, but moors are tough to find in Chicago. Cloaks aren't easy either.

I knew there had to be crumpets in this great polyglot (what's the word for made up of many foods? polygrub?) country of ours. The search continues.

>154 wookiebender: Thanks for the crumpet recipes, Tania. For me a "bread improver" would have to be that special friend who's a good baker. But that's probably not what they mean.

When we get to Australia, I'm going to convince Debbi and the kids to go to a crumpet feast, a revel of crumpets. They're going to be easy to convince, I imagine.

>155 ffortsa: I thank our lucky stars every day, Judy, that we have the skilled barista that we do. Family coffee portraits are available upon request, although we have to break out the really big cups for that. Good choice in wearing the bear ears for yours.

>156 brenzi: You got it, Bonnie. You wouldn't believe how challenging it is to make good November cakes in April, but our chef, as always, is up to the task.

Thanks re the David Copperfield review! I liked Our Mutual Friend a lot, too. It was the last complete one he wrote (The Mystery of Edwin Drood was unfinished). I remember BBC did a good production of it that I saw a few years ago.

>157 maggie1944: I love your varied reading palate, Karen! I'm trying to finish a library book, too, and keeping others to the side. It's a fun "mystery", The Trail of the Spellmans, so I can't complain. This series is based on a family-run private detection agency and is played for laughs. Hard to really call them mysteries, like the Janet Evanovich series.

Hi Joe, I'd like a cup of tea, Earl Grey and take a quiet place to continue reading Meneer Beerta, I am at page 341 :-)

Hi Joe- I'm off today so I'm stopping by early to say hi, before I head out and do some lawn work. It's going to be a perfect day for it. I finally drew up a mini-review (if you want to call it that) of DC, more random thoughts than anything. I plan on still listening to Edwin Drood next, to prepare for the current Masterpiece version.

>160 FAMeulstee: Earl Grey hot (as my wife's favorite Star Trek captain would say) coming up, Anita! Sounds like you're rolling along with the first part of that series.

>161 msf59: Thanks for stopping by, Mark. Enjoy the day off! It does look like a good day for lawn work. I'll get over to your thread and take a gander at your DC mini-review. Work here keeps jogging my elbow and demanding attention. Go figure. Looking forward to your reaction to the Edwin Drood.

I am so wishing I had some crumpets!

If only it were so easy in real life, eh? :-)

All right, Australia/New Zealand denizens. The book I'm reading just extolled the virtues of this:



Is it that good? Like crumpets, apparently Tim Tams are not easily found here in the U.S.

Crumpets. Mmm hmmm.

I, on the other hand, am *desperately* in need of more comfort food. Nothing says comfort like the mac-and-Velveeta dietetic choice. Double order, please, still only four hot dogs, though. Ask the chef if there are any smoked beef/jalapeno hot dogs lying around. I miss them.

It's killin' me to review a fantasy novel in fanboy gush mode. I hate like poison to admit that a *fantasy* novel, that genre only a step above Dickens and Hemingway in the abyss of my disregard, has made me quiver with delight and warble with pleasure.

Maybe I'll just lie and say I hated it.

Next step for rd will be an enjoyable reread of a David Copperfield or the like....

Joe, true.. if only..

>166 richardderus: My suggestion, Richard, is you post the fanboy gush fantasy review under Darryl's name. Then we can sit back and watch the shock waves spread through LT.

We've got your double order of mac and Velveeta, with 4 smoked beef/jalapeno hot dogs on top (the chef says, "but of course, my friend").

>167 mckait: Maybe Darryl will post a David Copperfield review under RD's name, and we can watch those shock waves?

I know, real life, it really needs to get its act together on crumpets and in a multitude of other areas.

I like the way you think Joe... beautifully devious.

OK, everyone! I have an announcement. (shameless self-centeredness) I just made reservations for a week in Hawaii in one year. I can't afford many vacations so I'm tempted to not bother, but a friend just flew to Hawaii yesterday, and I've been GREEN. So, I did it. But it is a year away....

Brava Karen44! Good for you!

> 170: time flies Karen ;-)
Sadly on vacation it flies even faster.

Karen that's great!

I just added The Somnabulist to my TBR board on Pinterest-I love the Victorian gothic genre, so I'm hoping I would love a pastiche of it.

I would love a big pizza, extra cheesy, with garlic butter dipping sauce please.

speaking of coffee art, these peeps paint using only coffee. check out their gallery. great fun.



and in re: crumpets, i used to buy those at the co-op in Berkeley in the 60s. i never could make them properly, having had no tutelage but i enjoyed the ones i bought and toasted. and yes, the secret was several oodles of butter and, of course, marmalade. :)

//eta i believe there are 1.867 oodles in a lashing.

>169 mckait: Thanks, Kath! Balance in the universe is what it's all about.

>170 maggie1944: Good for you, Karen! A week in paradise sounds great. A year of happy anticipation has some value, too.

>171 richardderus: Ditto from me.

>172 FAMeulstee: You know what they say, Anita, "Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana." It'll be Hawaii time before Karen knows it.

>173 seasonsoflove: I should have known we raised a Victorian gothic girl. And we've got you a big pizza, extra cheesy, with garlic butter dipping sauce. You sure you don't want a fried egg on that? I know you and your bro are big on the fried egg addition.

>174 mirrordrum: Cool beans, as Stasia said, Ellie! That gallery is fun.

I could use a crumpet tutor myself. Good to know the number of oodles in a lashing. I find this a very educational website.

>152 wookiebender: But such a waste of honey potential
lol, Wookie, you crack me up :)

>165 jnwelch: The Tim Tam is a heavenly creature indeed. Ill always favour the standard model, and can polish off the entire packet of 9 (!?) in a day easily. There is talk of people biting the end off, dunking in a hot beverage and sucking said beverage through, Im not a fan of that. I prefer the sip beverage/bite bikkie/repeat method of consumption.

I am so far behind.
Crumpets sound good, but I'd rather have a good scone with Devonshire cream, please.

Wow, two weeks away and a lot of catching up to do makes for a hungry and thirsty girl! I love Tim Tams but don't buy them too often as I would probably devour the whole package at one sitting.

I'll join Ellen with a scone preferably lemon and a cup of your excellent coffee, Joe.

Great review of David Copperfield, I've started on Gentlemen of the Road by Michael Chabon and I am enjoying a YA zombie book called Rot & Ruin which is exciting and keeping me on the edge of my seat! I have also started Fables Vol 1: Legends in Exile which looks to be another fun read.

Oh, yes, Tim Tams are *wonderful*! If you have any World Market stores in your area, check there - that's where I've found them before.

good morning, all! A mid-week day off is so lovely! I think I'll revert to cafe au lait and pain au chocolat, thank you.

Tim Tams sound nice :)

Still looking for a crumpet! lol

I prefer the sip beverage/bite bikkie/repeat method of consumption.
I am a cookie dunker.. and I too, use this method. I don't eat cookes very often these days...but
if I do, I want them dunked.

I myownself don't like soft cookies. I want baked goods crisp and snappy. It's why I don't eat a lot of cake.

>176 LovingLit: Thanks, Megan. Sounds like I have another treat for Walklover and the kiddoes when we get to Australia. We'll experiment, I'm sure, but sip/dunk/bite bikkie sounds like a winner.

>177 EBT1002: No worries (here, anyway) re being behind, Ellen. Just dive in when you can. It's all for fun, anyway. We're going away this weekend, and I'll have to practice what I'm preaching, I know.

Lemon scone with Devonshire cream coming up:



>178 DeltaQueen50: Good to hear more praise for Tim Tams, Judy, thanks. I'll report back in a couple of months.

A lemon scone with Ellen coming up, and its Sumatra Blue Batak coffee today, a cafe favorite.

Thanks for the compliment on the DC review; yours, too! Sounds like you've got an eclectic bunch of reads going, which is what I like, too. I'm not as big a fan of Bill Willingham's Fables series as some others, but it's well done. Look forward to hearing your reaction to it.

>179 scaifea: Hi, Amber! Hmm, World Markets, eh? That's a new one for me. I'll consult with my much better half. You're not that far from us, so maybe we have one around here some place. Do they have crumpets?

>180 maggie1944: A day off sounds great, Karen! Your cafe au lait and pain au chocolat will be here in a sec. What book did you bring today?

>181 mckait: Hi, Kath! Yes, the Tim Tams do sound good. In the book I just finished, Trail of the Spellmans, it's Tim Tams mint crisps that Izzy waxes rhapsodic about. Mint and chocolate are a great combo as far as I'm concerned.

I'm not really a cookie dunker unless it's biscotti or biscuit-like. It sounds like these are.

>182 richardderus: I'm a real cookie monster, Richard, so I'll take them in just about any form. My least favorite is the hard packaged kind like Chips Ahoy or something like that. Crisp and snappy sounds A-OK to me. Any cookie out of the oven is likely to suit me, unless it's beets and lint or something like that.

Joe, I'm up to my ears in procrastinated To Do list items: paying bills, making reservations for this and than, looking for puppies on line... you know... really important stuff. Off to a med. appt. in a bit, then some grocery shopping, then I am hoping to get into the yard. Reading.. well, maybe not until later. I'll still be working on Atlantic, hoping to read 35 to 50 pages a day. I'm already behind..

>184 maggie1944: looking for puppies on line

Beg pardon? You are WHAAAAAAT!?!?

I had to return it to the library, so I won't do a usual kind of review of Trail of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz, but I'll make a few comments about it. This is the latest in a humor/mystery series featuring Izzy (Isabel) Spellman and her aggressive, uninhibited family that runs a private detection agency. She's in her 30s now and her romantic life remains complicated. These aren't typical mysteries. The Spellmans surveil people (and often each other) and decipher their dirty (or not dirty) deeds. When Izzy mentions it would be nice to get a murder case, her mother says, "We can dream."

The dialog is always sharp and funny, and Lutz is particularly good at having characters act in bizarre, unlikely fashion, only to have the reader later learn why - and the why is always reasonable and logical. For example, Izzy's mother suddenly takes up a variety of seemingly unrelated hobbies and classes, like ceramics, Russian, crocheting, for no apparent reason. Turns out there is an amusing and very good reason.

In this one the Spellmans are surveiling a husband, sister and daughter, and keeping their clients and ethics straight is a challenge, not to mention the whys and wherefores of what their investigations disclose. Izzy sorts it all out in a questionably ethical, but unquestionably right, way. At the same time she's investigating what's going on in her own family and trying to determine whether she can ever have a long-term romance (she's up to ex-boyfriend #13). There are a lot of good laughs, and Lutz is adept with footnotes, including several improbably involving actor Morgan Freeman.

>>184 maggie1944:, 185 I'll join Morphy on this one, Karen. More about the online puppies please?

Now, you should know better than tempt me to tell more; but, OK. Driving home from The Niece's house one, or rather several, evenings I see a woman walking a good looking schnauzer. I stop, of course, to ask after it and discover a long story, ending with a referral to a breeder, who, after some reserach on my part I learn: does not live here any more. You really do not want the whole story.

But it put me in mind of when my eldest schnauzer dies, my other will be bereft and will need puppy companion. Always good to start looking for good, reputable breeders well in advance of the actual need for a puppy. So I'm web searching schnauzer breeders, etc.

Hopefully, someone near will reveal themselves to me.

I definitely want a fried egg on that pizza! Good call! I'm in a real pizza mood lately. Allergies plus pre-k students have me exhausted (though at least the pre-kers are a lot of fun-today we painted with ice cubes), so I would love a venti soy chai, no water, with gingerbread syrup please.

>188 maggie1944: Thanks, Karen! That all makes sense. It was irresistible to ask. You're smart to get ahead of the game.

>189 seasonsoflove: I thought the fried egg would appeal to you, Becca!

I don't know what Starbucks would say, so how about a humongous soy chai, no water, with gingerbread syrup, instead of a venti? That we can do.

Jeez, I was going to ask you what you thought of the Spellman book, and then remembered we had to return it to the library before you got a look at it. For what it's worth, your ma said she saw another one on the shelf there.

Humongous chai sounds absolutely perfect! I am really worn out today, need to get my second wind by tomorrow for my girls' night with Claire-fancy grilled cheeses and fancy drinks!

I will keep my eye out for the new Spellman book. I'm actually reading Hush Hush right now.

>186 jnwelch: Thumbs up!

Puppy story now being given, I can return to my normal activities without debilitating brain-drain from unsatisfied curiosity.

I'd like a cucumber salad, please, onions but no tomatoes, served over lashings of cottage cheese. (That's 2 lashings, or 3.73 oodles, to be precise.)

>191 seasonsoflove: Excellent, Becca. We'll do what we can to help you get another wind for girls' night. Hush Hush looks like one of those love it or hate it ones from the reviews.

>192 richardderus: Thanks for the thumbs, Richard! Yes, we now have satiated puppy curiosity, thank goodness, and can move on to books and food and the like. This may be the healthiest order we've ever gotten from you - is this for someone else? Coming your way: a cucumber salad with onions (hold the tomatoes), served over 3.73 oodles of cottage cheese.

Would you like any chili cheese fries with that?

Joe - the Tim Tams and Arnott's biscuits/cookies are also available here in Malaysia - great stuff. I also discovered ANZAC cookies in Christchurch which were fantastically coconutlicious.

Doesn't RD have chili cheese fries as a side with every meal?

Hah! Good point, Paul - maybe we didn't need to ask RD about the chili cheese fries, we should've just brought them. I'll add ANZAC cookies to our treats to look for; so far the positive regard for Tim Tams is unanimous.

Glad to be of service, gentlemen. I love cucumber salad, too. Absolutely no tomatoes!

Thanks, Kath! We've got the cuke salad sans tomaters whenever you're ready.

All right, the proprietor is getting ready to go, and I'll be out of touch for the next few days for the most part. We're visiting my dad in Ann Arbor for a long weekend and he doesn't have wi-fi. I'm going to have my hand gizmo smartphone, but it's not easy to read and post in teeny-tiny land, even though I can selectively enlarge it some. So I hope everyone has a good time frolicking about the premises and discussing books, etc.

We've got the chef on the alert, and an artistic barista who can pitch in, so all should be well. See you soon! I will try to check in.

Hope you have a nice visit with your dad, Joe, and safe travels! We'll keep the cobwebs at bay while you're away.

Have a wonderful time, Joe! I know your dad will.

Bon Voyage. I'm sure the Cafe will carry on.

*whispers* hey, guys! Party time!

*posts invite to facebook*

Absolutely LOVE TimTams, especially the double chocolate coated ones and the dark chocolate ones. I buy some every time I'm in Australia to bring home. This is my last packet ...


Good thing I'm heading back to Australia in May. :-)

Have a great time visiting your dad and enjoying Ann Arbor, Joe!

So, I guess that means: TimTam for everyone!!!

Good puppy stories. Thanks for elucidating, Maggie.

Hi Joe.

Hush puppies, anyone? Along with fried chicken? Southern (U.S.) style?

165 - those Tim Tams are divine - shortly followed by Chit chats ( dark chic peppermint ones sadly no longer made)

194 - Anzac biscuits -hope it was the unibic ones .....

all this biscuit talk makes me want a pot of tea

Naw, puppies. Saw a couple of cattle dog puppies at the Royal Easter Show and I regret that Miss Boo learnt to read because she turned to me with her big brown eyes saying "and they're FOR SALE"!! Oh, I wanted them too. But our cats would probably have different ideas. (Plus, cattle dogs need a LOT of space and exercise and attention, being working dogs.)

But oh, so CUTE:



Tim Tams aren't actually my thing, I'm not fond of the chocolate. (I am extraordinarily fussy about chocolate. M&Ms are the only cheap chocolate that I will eat.) Anzac cookies biscuits, however, SCRUMPTIOUS. Ooh, it's Anzac Day on Wednesday, maybe the kids and I can do some baking. I like my cookies (or biscuits, in this case I will use the Australian term) chewy and Anzac biscuits are beyond great.

Not reading nearly enough. I'm barely halfway through the brilliant Betrayals by Charles Palliser (a wonderful post-modern dizzingly great novel) and it's due back at the library tomorrow. And I have another three books to pick up (like buses, they all arrive at once). I think I can see a library fine in my near future.

Ten hour day today. Have given up even pretending to work as we wait for our code fixes to be pushed live. Apparently someone has some vodka upstairs...

Until I find the vodka owner (probably one of the mad Russians), I'll have a large glass of chilled white wine and some parmesan biscuits. And a taxi to take me home.

oh, puppy!

Hi, everyone. Thanks for all the good wishes. We're on the train, in the rain. *must resist further rhymes* reading Sweet Tooth #2. Mark will be happy to hear that. Also Dr. Siri #4.

Walklover is reading Dark Life by Kat Falls, who is in her writing class.

Hope all of you are having a good Friday.

206> That puppy isn't cute.

She's adorable!!!!!!

Poooopeeeeeeeeeeeeee awwwwwwwwwww wubbzywubbzysmoochsmooch

Ahem.

A fine looking young canid, indeed.

Cattle dog puppy is very cute!

But I wouldn't want an adult Cattle dog... friends had 3 of them. It is a LOT of work to keep them working and happy ;-)

Nor would I. My terrier schnauzers who like to look for squirrels, and mice, and rats, are busy enough for me.

I need something to-go since I have to head to work shortly. Any suggestions of the vegetarian variety?

Have a great trip Joe and will take Karen up on the idea of party time while you're away!

Wow. Good to see that I'm not the only one who falls for the charms of cattle dog puppies. But, yeah, a LOT of work, those busy little gorgeous bundles of energy.

*frolics*

*ponders bringing over her Roomba minions*

Oh, Ann Arbor - love that town. Hope you have a lovely time.

re: World Markets 'round here: I haven't found one here yet, but I suspect there's one in Madison (I know them from my time living in Ohio). I'd be really surprised if Chicago didn't have one somewhere...

*goes off to check WM website*

Yep, apparently there are 3 in Chicago: http://www.worldmarket.com/storeLocator/index.jsp

They don't have crumpets, but they may have a crumpet baking mix...

Have a great time! Don't worry, the cafe will be self serve while you are gone.

Oh... Mac and Cheese sounds so good. Can I place an order? I'd love an ice tea as well. Right now I am reading Stuart Little. A friend was telling me he just read Charlotte's Web, for the first time last year, and Stuart Little came up in conversation.

Joe, your self-serve counter is working well. I picked up the following and totally pigged out! Enjoy your trip.

Yes, I agree. The cafe au lait was perfect this morning; and scones, they were hot and butter was plentiful, with raspberry jam, even! Yummy.

I'm glad the selfserve is workingin so well. Scones with raspberry jam sound good. We had a couplegood of goodyou skillets this morning - potatoes,eggs, veggies. Good food, good walks, good talks, jigsaw puzzling, bookstore. Nice visit.

Finished Dr. Siri. Must find out whatof p-o'd RD. Started Wonder by R.J. Palacio. Please excuse typos.-

excused!

Hi Joe- Thanks for checking in. How was the train in rain? Sounds like a Clash song...oh wait that's Train in Vain.
I hope you are enjoying the 2nd Sweet Tooth. I think the 2nd one really kicked it into gear. I started the 1st Lone Cub. I like it but oh so tiny print, I don't wear glasses but I have to really squint.
Enjoy your visit with your Dad!

>222 jnwelch: Civilai.

We do love the number 12~ (oh, and bacon, of course)

Whew! Lawn mowed, some plants planted in dirt! Bathrooms cleaned, etc. etc. I am pooped. Must be time for a snack and a good book.

Let's see... I think I'd like a piece of Ricotta Cheesecake and a cup of good strong black tea! What do you suggest, tea masters?

Joe, you "non-review" gets a thumbs up from me! You make The Spellmans series sound irresistible! They happen to have all the books in our library system here, as I saw just now. Just a matter of time before I get to them now...

I was behind here as usual, and was delighted to see my offhand comment about my apple crisp sparked a whole discussion on the topic! It's always been my favourite dessert to make and I make it often because it's so easy. Just time consuming what with peeling and cutting all the apples. At one point I was making one every week. Now I'm down to one a month maybe. With yoghourt, it's a complete meal really!

Nice to see the joint running smoothly in Joe's absence (even talking about him in third person!)

Nice to see the Tim Tams are on Caro this time, my shout next time!

202: I had a friend who used to bring me Peppermint Crisps from South Africa - still my favorite way to eat chocolate and mint.

good grief! there's peppermint crisp pie and peppermint crisp fridge tart, the latter made with tennis biscuits. i had to look up 'tennis biscuit' and that led me to 'tennis biscuit cheesecake.' ohmigod. looks like instant quadruple bypass.



anyway, i whipped up some of each and put on a bottomless pot each of mocha java and Italian roast. help yourselves.

i'm going over to my corner under the hanging fern to listen once more to the totally tanked Dr. Siri and his friend Civilai talking about 'sovilist republicists' (sic) and similar in Cotterill's Thirty-three teeth.

hey Joe. :)

mmmmmmmmmm Bacon!

damn, bacon was what was missing this morning with brunch...

lost the shift key on our keyboard. can make do with the capslock to a certain extent - though what a pain - but the lack of emoticons is killing me. ;9

Good morning, all! Look at all the goodies left over from the party. And someone was kind enough to make some coffee. Alrightie, then, I'm ready to munch munch muncha some good eats, and drink my coffee. Preparing for a good day!

Thanks, everybdy! Looks like the cafe's running beautifully.

That tennis biscuit cheesecake sure looks delicious. I may take a piece for the train ride.

Thanks, RD. I understand re Civilai. Seemed unnecessary. We'll just have to see how it plays out.

Finished Wonder and it was wonderful. More comment when I get back.

Now starting an RD recommendation, Palace of Illusions.

please, oh please, don't talk about Civilai when i'm only on the second book. now i'm worried. doesn't Joe's have a spoiler room? i mean, you're being appropriately obscure and all (thanks, RD) but the very suggestion of, of, well, of something you both don't like having to do with Civilai . . . aaaaack!

Not to worry, ellie. Have no idea who you're talking about, but I'm sure whoever it iswill explain it to you when the time comes. I notice both of us plan to continue the series.

Obscurantism has its limits, Ellie, but be just and fear not: Dr. Siri and his mötley crüe shall continue to pass before my eager, anticipatory eyes.

Oh boy oh boy oh boy, Joe's gonna read The Palace of Illusions oh boy oh boy!

Panchaali!

Unfortunately this is not my computer, and it just ate my review of Anarchy and Old Dogs by Colin Cotterill, too bad. Suffice to say it's another good outing with Dr. Siri, his talented assistant Dtui, his fellow rebel and current party functionary pal Civalai, and cop Phosy. In 1977 Laos, there is some frustration with the slow pace of reform from the Pathet Lao, and there may be a conspiracy against the new regime. Dr. Siri is his usual fearless, sarcastic and cynical self in cutting through the bureaucracy, driving to the center of the problem, and helping resolve it, although Dtui and Phosy prove even more critical to the ultimate resolution. Looking forward to the next one.

Catching up a little bit:

>224 msf59: I read Sweet Tooth volumes 2 and 3 on the trip, Mark, and you're right, the story obviously has gotten into its groove. We're pulling for the little guy. Woo, this one is a lot grimmer than Essex County!

Joe- I hope your trip to see your Dad, went well. I'm glad you liked the next 2 Sweet Tooth books. The 4th is also pretty dark and starts moving in different directions.
BTW- The M & M thread is up and running.

Joe, sorry to hear the computer lost your review!!

The shift key on our keyboard at home suddenly decided to stop working over the weekend. All my postings looked like I was filled with ennui, unable to summon up the energy for a smiley, or even an exclamation mark (or three). Rather bizarre.

Coffee, please. Flat white, no sugar. I'll probably be back for seconds, *yawn*.

Hi Joe. We miss your more persistent presence here at the cafe, but the self-service is, indeed, working well. I am so looking forward to my first-ever by Colin Cotterill; my name is steadily rising to the top at the library.

While you were away, I helped myself to some key lime pie.

Oooh, I'm glad I popped back in for seconds! Another flat white, thanks, and I'll help myself to a piece of that key lime pie. I've never had key lime pie - looks like a delicious lemon tart to me. Only limey.

Real key lime pie is the best dessert on earth. If it's green, it's not real.

>245 EBT1002: I know! I moved from Florida to Minnesota and the first time I ordered key lime pie up here was a surprise. "What the he** is this?" "The key lime pie you ordered." "Key lime pie is not GREEN!"

Woe, I think I've gained about 50lbs just catching up on you thread, Joe.
Re: Key Lime Pie, it could be brought to me in any color at all and I will devour!

Have a great day, Joe and have a toddy on me.

#244! never had Key Lime Pie? Oh, boy, are you in for a treat!

and, Morphy? What color is Key Lime Pie in your world? It has always been green, like limes are, in my world.

Coffee and I'm off to hang out with the knee biters. See you all later...

>227 Smiler69: Thanks, Ilana! Hope the Spellmans hit the spot for you. If the very first part of the very first one makes you laugh, then the series probably will suit you well.

Yes, we all went apple crisp/crumble crazy thanks to you starting us off! One of the more delicious digressions we've had here.

>228 LovingLit: Good to hear you and Caro are on board the Tim Tams ship, Megan! I'm looking forward to trying them.

>229 magicians_nephew: Yeah, I'm a pushover for chocolate and mint combined, too, James - and I'm not much of a chocolate fancier in general. (Walklover, on the other hand . . .)

>230 mirrordrum: I'm game to try peppermint crisp pie, Ellie, and your tennis biscuit cheesecake looks tempting, too. I'm not much of cheesecake fan, normally - it seems kind of dry to me - but yours doesn't look like cheesecake.

>231 roundballnz: Succinct comments like that always make me smile, Alex. Couldn't begin to argue with you.

>232 wookiebender: The mysteries of computers, Tania. Sometimes they do things like that (no shift key) and you can only wonder why. For some reason, yelling at them seems to do no good.

>233 maggie1944: Good to see you, Karen! Thanks for helping to hold down the fort while we schmoozed with the pater familias.

>241 msf59: Thanks, Mark. Yes, the visit went well indeed. He's in good health and good spirits, and that's what's most important. His powers of concentration continue to amaze us. He can still give our chess-loving son a mighty battle (and sometimes win!), and he digs into puzzles of all kinds like nobody's business. He was in the Navy in WWII, and we got to hear some of his "sea lore", as he calls it. Including about the airplane bomb that went through one side and the engine room of a nearby sister ship, and then crashed out the other side to explode in the sea. Yikes.

We've got Sweet Tooth #4 on the radar (Walklover reads this series, too).

>242 wookiebender:, 244 Hi, Tania. I'm not much with emoticons, but I'd miss the exclamation point. Hope your shift key comes around and gives you more help.

Flat white, hold the jaggery, coming up, and a nice slice of key lime pie. Oo, you must try some. It's my favorite - I'm usually given key lime pie or carrot cake for my birthday. It's pie-licious.

>>243 EBT1002:, 245 Hi, Ellen! What a great idea to order up some key lime pie. I'm going to have some, too. I'm glad the self service went so well, because I've got more trips coming up, including one to NYC this weekend. I may take the computer this time, though.

>246 Morphidae: Amen to that, Morphy. It may not be the best even if it's yellow, but if it's green you know you're in trouble.

>247 Carmenere: Thanks, Lynda! I worry if the key lime pie is engaged in the wearin' of the green, but I love it, too. And thanks for the unexpected toddy - it's nice to be back!:

All right, everyone over to the parallel universe cafe, please. We'll grab your pie, scones, coffee and whatever and bring it all over for you.