Joe's Book Cafe 21

Painting by Mary Cassatt

Welcome back to the cafe!

Books to date:

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

14. Mister Blue by Jacques Poulin
15. The Chronicles of Harris Burdick by Chris Van Allsburg
16. Cinder by Marissa Meyer
17. A Distant Neighborhood by Jiro Taniguchi
18. The Coroner's Lunch by Colin Cotterill
19. All I Did Was Shoot My Man by Walter Mosley
20. The Book of Basketball: The NBA According to the Sports Guy by Bill Simmons
21. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
22. The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken
23. Strangers in Paradise Pocket 6 by Terry Moore
24. The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht
25. Thirty-three Teeth by Colin Cotterill
26. Iron and Silk by Mark Salzman

March

27. Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale
28. Echo The Complete Edition by Terry Moore
29. Don't Look Back by Karin Fossum
30. The Siege by Helen Dunmore
31. The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett
32. Fault in Our Stars by John Green
33. A Zoo in Winter by Jiro Taniguchi
34. Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo
35. Disco for the Departed by Colin Cotterill
36. Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson

April

37. Running the Rift by Naomi Benaron
38. David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
39. Force of Nature by C.J. Box
40. Trail of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz
41. Anarchy and Old Dogs by Colin Cotterill
42. Finder Library Volume 1 by Carla Speed McNeil
43. Wonder by R. J. Palacio

May

44. The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection by Alexander McCall Smith
45. Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
46. The Luck of the Bodkins by P.G. Wodehouse
47. Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore
48. Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said by Philip K. Dick
49. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
50. The Spies of Warsaw by Alan Furst
51. The Great Cake Mystery by Alexander McCall Smith
52. Insurgent by Veronica Roth
53. A Rage in Harlem by Chester Himes
54. Among Others by Jo Walton
55. The Moon is Down by John Steinbeck

June

56. Desolation Road by Ian McDonald
57. The Cricket and the Hearth by Charles Dickens
58. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed
59. The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt
60. The Incal Classic Collection by Alexandro Jodorowsky and Moebius
61. Starters by Lissa Price
62. Naked in Death by J.D. Robb
63. Glory in Death by J.D. Robb
64. Immortal in Death by J.D. Robb
65. Mort by Terry Pratchett
66. Photo Finish by Ngaio Marsh
67. Zoo Station by David Downing

July

68. Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
69. A Breath of Eyre by Eve Marie Mont
70. Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
71. Rapture in Death by J.D. Robb
72. Selected Stories of Philip K. Dick by Philip K. Dick
73. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
74. Ceremony in Death by J.D. Robb
75. In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson
76. Istanbul Passage by Joseph Kanon
77. The Paris Detective by Gerald Jay
78. Turkana Boy by Jean-Francois Beauchemin
79. The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
80. A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs
81. Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine
82. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
83. Second Son by Lee Child
84. The Age of Doubt by Andrea Camilleri

August

85. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
86. Parker: The Score by Darwyn Cooke and Richard Stark
87. Curse of the Pogo Stick by Colin Cotterill
88. Dream Team by Jack McCallum
89. The Lost World by Arthur Conan Doyle
90. James Bond: Dr. No by Ian Fleming and others
91. horoscopes for the dead by Billy Collins
92. Any Human Heart by William Boyd
93. Moby Dick, or the Whale by Herman Melville
94. 420 Characters by Lou Beach
95. Love and Freindship by Jane Austen
96. Shadow Divers by Ron Kurson

September

97. Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George
98. Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck
99. The Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny
100. Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi
101. A Wanted Man by Lee Child

Favorites So Far in 2012:

Cannery Row by John Steinbeck
Unbroken by Lauren Hillenbrand
Ex Libris by Anne Fadiman
The Siege by Helen Dunmore
Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo
Running the Rift by Naomi Benaron
Wild: From Lost to Found by Cheryl Strayed
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
In A Sun-burned Country by Bill Bryson
Turkana Boy by Jean-Francois Beauchemin and Jessica Moore
Shadow Divers by Ron Kurson
Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck

My fave 2012 young adult books are:

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Wonder by R. J. Palacio
Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore
Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Favorite Nonfiction from the Last 10 Years

1. Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder
2. War by Sebastian Junger
3. The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
4. Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo
5. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba
6. The Mold in Dr. Florey's Coat by Eric Lax
7. Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick
8. Unbroken by Lauren Hillenbrand
9. The Judgement of Paris by Ross King
10. Lost in Shangri-La by Mitchell Zuckoff

Runners-up: The Swerve and Will in the World by Stephen Greenblatt, Michaelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling by Ross King, Strength in What Remains by Tracy Kidder, The Lost Painting by Jonathan Harr.

I don't think #6 is very well known, but I thought it was fascinating.

Favorite Fiction from the Last 10 Years

1. Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
2. 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
3. The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway
4. Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson
5. Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes
6. No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy
7. The Road by Cormac McCarthy
8. Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier
9. Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie
10. Old Filth by Jane Gardam

Runners-up: The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes, Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen, The Blind Contessa's New Machine by Carey Wallace, After the Quake by Haruki Murakami, The Kite Runner and Life of Pi.

Wait a minute!!!

You made GINGERBREAD pancakes?????

GINGERBREAD???

PANCAKES????

(scrolling back attempting to lick the screen)

and congrats on your new thread

>2 jnwelch: Hah! Thanks, Jim. And you win a whole stack of gingerbread pancakes for being the first in the door at the new cafe:



No worries re the screen - that's what screen wipes are for. :-)

Good morning Joe! The ever expanding cafe is a wonderful place to be. What a great contractor you have. These expansions come out right on time. If only RL were so easy. I'll have the coffee of the day and whatever pastry is readily available.

I have another library book in transit to my branch, Odd Apocalypse. Poor Inspector Sejer will be pushed back once again. Dean Koontz is usually a quick read so the Inspector will wait only another few days.

Books are so like our true friends. They understand when something else comes up and they don't mind to pick right back up when we meet again. Only in RL I don't dare leave my friends in the closet for two or three months at a time. :)

Hey, you'd better be sharing that with me!

Checking in at the cafe. Large black coffee (no sugar) for me. I think I'll sit at that back booth; I can't put down The War of the End of the World.....

Congrats on 100 books already!

I would love a quesadilla please!

mmmmmm. foooooodalicious. i'd like some peanut butter and banananana popovers and a cuppa Sumatra blue batak wiv cream, pliz. and a glass of freshly squozzen OJ.

congraters on the new thread.Joe. love the Cassatt. i'm soooooo glad i don't have to dress like that to listen to a book.

>7 EBT1002: War of the end of the world not available on audible but maybe just as well. i'm about 2/3 done with Open veins of Latin America and would need a break before more Latin American atrocities, however well-written the book.

cheers!

>5 luvamystery65: Hi, Roberta! A good contractor indeed. Our RL one is pretty darn good (he's become a pal), but even he couldn't do it like our LT contractor. It seems almost instantaneous, doesn't it?

I love that Dean Koontz Odd series. He's not my cup of tea otherwise, but for some reason the tales of Odd really work for me. I'm looking forward to reading it; I should probably put in an order at the library, but I'm so late the paperback will probably be out before it's my turn.

You're right, books are very patient, and will quietly wait for us even when we've forgotten about them. No wonder we like them so much.

>6 ffortsa: Hah! The chef says there's plenty more, Judy!

>7 EBT1002: That's a Vargas Llosa I haven't read, Ellen. Can't wait to hear what you think when you're done. We'll bring your no-sugar black to the back booth pronto.

>8 seasonsoflove: Thanks, Becca! Hmm, aren't you supposed to be working? Hey, wait a second. Aren't I supposed to be working? What kind of family are we, anyway?!

While we mull that over, we'll bring you your quesadilla:

>9 mirrordrum: Hiya Ellie! I'm glad you like her painting - I know, it must have taken a long time to get dressed up like that, and I can't imagine it was all that comfortable. On the other hand, it looks great, doesn't it?

Five centuries of pillaging a continent? I can see why you might need an atrocity-break from Open Veins of Latin America. But you remind me that I know way too little about Latin America.

All right, let's get those popovers and delicious coffee and some freshly squozzen for you:

So excited! I just got The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making from the liberry!

In honor, I'll be needing a hummingbird cake and a vat or two of coffee to sustain me as I flip pages in rapid succession.

Good morning Joe! Gingerbread pancakes sound delicious. It is cold and very wet and rainy here, which is welcome after so much heat. Both girls said on the way to school (I take them separately because their schools start at such different times) that this is a good day to stay in and read, curled up with a blanket and some tea. Callia suggested we turn around and do just that -- and tell her teachers were simply obeying the weather.

Hope you have a good day.

>12 richardderus: *shh, no one tell RD the main character is around 12 years old*

Page-flipping sustenance for your enjoyment:



>13 AMQS: Good morning, Anne! *resets the time jiggerererer* Those pancakes do sound good, don't they? I may slip into the kitchen and try a few. I like Callia's idea a lot - there are plenty of days when I think we should obey the weather, and stay home for a comfortable read. Cold and wet and rainy certainly qualifies. I'm sure her teachers would understand.

So far so good where I am. I got to read some of my new Reacher book at lunchtime, so I'm a happy guy. I hope you're having a good day, too.

Previous thread 254> loved Pump six and other stories - you can see the Genesis (or linked stories) to Windup girl here in Calorie man etc .....

>11 jnwelch: mmm mmm good! i love to come here and eat things i'd never eat anywhere else. :)

in re: Open veins of Latin America, i've found it an excellent read. it's out of date, indeed, but i expect things are worse not better since then. it's pretty ghastly. there's one small bit on, essentially, the Lake Maracaibo version of the Deepwater Horizon only over a long period of time and with nobody on the Lake's side* and the money all going out of the country. Pres. Hugo Chavez gave a copy of the book to President Obama in 2009. i'd like to think he's read it but i rather doubt it.

well, enough with reality.

i too was wondering whether RD realized what he's getting himself into. a young person's book. ewwwwwwww. he'll be in the loo 'unswallowing' till morning! all that hummer cake gone to waste. *sigh*

*eta when i say "on the lake's side" i'm referring not just to the befouling of the lake itself but the impact of that destruction on all the beings, sentient and non-sentient, who live(d) there and depended on the lake.

Joe, I went to a wonderful Mary Cassatt exhibition at the MFA in Boston a few years back but this one at the top of the page is new to me. Lovely!

Cassatt's story is one of many in David McCullough's The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris. It's a great book made even better by Edward Herrmann's narration.

I love the works of Mary Cassatt. I never saw the one you posted. Her colors are soft and muted. She captures the beauty of children in an incredible way.

Thanks Joe for your presence on my thread these weeks when I'm recovering. It means a lot to me.

oh! I have The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris somewhere, awaiting my rap attention. Dang, must get to it!

I adore Mary Cassatt! Nice new thread Joe - and congrats on reading 100 books so far. I'd like a latte and a hazelnut biscotti, please.

Hi Joe- Congrats on the new thread and another lovely Cassatt! BTW- I have my library copy of Underwater Welder. Hopefully, I can get to it soon.

Look, I blink and you started a whole new thread. :)

Does the cafe only serve breaky food? I'm looking for some good snacks to keep up my energy in preparation for the monkey having another rough night!

Hi Joe, new thread, new you? Nah! I like the old you just fine! I'll just have a glass of water, had a very late dinner and I'm stuffed to the gills!

Stopping in for some french toast please. But ensure it has only sugar on it - this weird way of eating it with maple syrup and fruit and stuff is far too odd for my taste!

French toast?! Pass it over. And the coffee too. I need another cuppa my fave: Ancora d'Oro from a roaster in Madison, Wisconsin: http://www.ancoracoffee.com/Index.aspx

A favourite cafe of mine used to do French toast with maple syrup and fried banana. Awesome.

And I'm drooling over the very idea of gingerbread pancakes. Scrumptious.

>15 roundballnz: Thanks, Alex! Onto the tbr it goes.

>16 mirrordrum: Sounds like quite a book, Ellie, and that lake looks like a nasty piece of business. Obama's a reader, but I doubt he's read that one either - particularly not from Hugo Chavez.

I know, I'm waiting for the pot to boil over when RD realizes what he's reading. But he's surprised us before.

>17 NarratorLady: I'll bet that was a great exhibit at the MFA, Anne. This is a good one of hers, isn't it? I particularly like the colors of the mother's clothing.

Oh, I really want to read that McCullough book. Maybe we can get a group read together after Team of Rivals. I didn't realize Mary Cassatt was in it. Now I'm even more intrigued.

>18 Whisper1: Hi, Linda! How great to see you here! I hope you're feeling better. We've got a comfortable chair right there in the corner for you.

I love Mary Cassatt's paintings, too. You're right about her paintings of children. Here's a pretty well-known one:

>19 maggie1944: Me, too, Karen! He writes so well, and The Greater Journey sounds awfully good.

OK, can't resist: does "rap attention" refer to a song you plan to do about it?

>20 Crazymamie: Hiya, Mamie! Loving the Cassatt love. Latte and hazelnut biscotti coming up:



>21 msf59: Hi, Mark. Thanks! Man, I want to get a hold of that Underwater Welder. Let me know what you think.

>22 jolerie: We do snacks, too, Valerie. Sorry the monkey's got you up at all hours. Everything okay? Hmm, okay, here you go:



If that's too healthy for the middle of the night, just let us know.

>23 Smiler69: Hi, Ilana! Yeah, same old me, but spiffy new cafe. A glass of water? Coming up:

>24 lunacat: Hey, good to see you, Jim! That coffee site looks good. Here we go - French toast and Ancora D'Oro coffee:



>25 drneutron: I know, it all sounds (and looks) so good, doesn't it, Tania? Hope all is going well in your part of the world. How was the Star Wars Burlesque?

Well good morning cafe folk!

Any thing painted by Cassatt seems to be smooth, soft and delightful

Morning Joe! The latte and biscotti look excellent, thanks! I'm loving all the Mary Cassatt talk.

>30 mckait: Good morning, Kath! *cafe sounds like Cheers bar when Norm walks in*

>31 Whisper1: That's a beaut, Linda. Yes, smooth, soft, and delightful is a good description of her style. Here's another one I like:



>32 Crazymamie: Ah, good, Mamie. There's more where that came from. I'm loving the Mary Cassatt talk, too. Now Anne has me wanting to read more about her. Being a woman painter in her time must have been challenging. Not to mention an American labeled as an Impressionist.

Among my favorite Cassatts:

I love this one:

Wow! I feel like I'm back at the MFA exhibit!

>>34 richardderus: - 36 Loving it!

I'm loving all of the Mary Cassatt paintings here. A quick little book I enjoyed a few years ago (and I think many others here have read as well, but it bears mentioning in case anyone has not) is Lydia Cassatt Reading the Morning Paper by Harriet Scott Chessman.

I've added Lydia Cassatt Reading the Morning Paper to my tbr list.

opps, just discovered Stasia recommended this back in 2010. I guess I better get to it!

>37 jnwelch: That's a new one to me, Anne. Thanks so much for mentioning it. I'm putting it on the tbr.

>>38 AMQS:, 39 Me, too, Linda. Stasia and Anne recommending it = need to read.

Chiming in as another Cassatt fan - I've a framed print of the one in #35 on one of our walls. Love her.

Healthy is good, Joe! At least it's not chips and pop in the middle of the night. Since I don't have any energy to work out during the day the last few days, something nice and light is just perfect. :)

>42 scaifea: Ah, good to hear, Amber. Sometimes I think she's not as well known as she should be, but that's obviously not true here!

>43 jolerie: Excellent, Valerie. Yeah, chips and pop in the middle of the night just doesn't sound appealing, does it?

It's tough with young kids. I can remember days when I stumbled around work, barely able to remember my name.

What delightful thread, Cassatt and photographs of delicious things to eat.

Congrats on 100.

Hiya Joe! I'd love a hot chai, if you don't mind. :)

What a sweet afternoon in the cafe! Lovely paintings on the walls. Isn't it nice how a humble "little" place like this can afford to put such masterpieces up for our pleasure!

We had 1st grader melt down this afternoon and I am way tired of crying 6 yo; luckily I came home to find 1492 The Year The World Began had arrived at my mail box! It is the October selection for our F2F book group, and I am excited to start reading it, even though I am totally entranced by The Night Circus too. What to do? What to do? Luckily I have a 3 hour break tomorrow with no painter in my house and all the kiddlets attending school.

I'm going to retire to the corner table, in the back, with the good reading lamp. Having some mango juice and maybe a fruit and nut bar. Thanks.

Oops, thought I had checked in when I visited your thread yesterday, Joe, but it doesn't look like it. Love the Cassat!

Forgot to mention, I've always had a soft spot for Mary Cassatt. Berthe Morisot, her French counterpart, is also a favourite of mine:



I'm starving, haven't had dinner yet and would ask you for some tasty dish, but I have leftovers to take care of... I could drop by for dessert though!

Lovely painting.

I love the Mary Cassatt paintings you're showing in the cafe. Just lovely but how could you afford to acquire them Joe?;-)

*waving* at Joe

I enjoy the Cassatt paintings too. I may not know much about art, but I know what I like!

Joe - just caught up mate.....gingerbread pancakes look to die for; any crepes Suzette?
The topic of a Chicago meet-up next year cropped up yesterday during my dinner with Caro and we were both very enthusiastic. All you Chicagoan 75ers do a great job of selling the hospitality of your municipality.

Hi all! Sitting in a little corner enjoying the chat in the cafe. Cassatt is one of my favorites too. Love this one:

Oooh, love the one in #49.

And now for something completely different. How about some lasagne, garlic bread and chocolate cake? With my weight loss efforts, I so rarely indulge nowadays so must depend on cyber versions.

>45 sibylline: Thanks, Lucy. Good to see you! Yes, Cassatt and delicious things to eat - I'm liking this place, too. :-)

>46 LauraBrook: Hot chai in the City, Laura, coming up (was that a hit song?)



>47 maggie1944: I know, Karen, we're really lucky that the museums are willing to lend the great paintings to us for the cafe walls. Probably their high esteem for the clientele.

Those sound like great reading choices. Sorry you had a 6 yo meltdown. Poor seasonsoflove is going through that with pre-Kers. She seems to have a particularly challenging group this year. Mango juice and a fruit and nut bar are making their way to your table as we speak.

>48 ronincats: Hiya, Roni! No prob. It's good to see you today. Happy Friday!

>49 Smiler69: Thanks for posting that Berthe Morisot painting, Ilana. That's a beaut, and not one I'm familiar with.

We'll be ready with some dessert when you are. I was just visiting over at your place, and that's a beautiful new painting you've done.

>50 maggie1944: 'Tis.

>51 brenzi: I know, Bonnie, I could never afford them, unfortunately. They're on loan from various institutions via some amazing online jiggery that I don't fully understand. They sure jazz up the place, don't they?

When my wife and I go to museums we often pick the ones we'd like to take home with us. If only we could!

>52 alcottacre: *waving at Stasia* I know, great art can generate such a good feeling. It's fun to know some of the background - rumor on the street is you're one of the recommenders of Lydia Cassatt Reading the Morning Paper (along with Anne AMQS). It's on my tbr now.

>53 PaulCranswick: Hiya, Paul. Great photo of you and Caro over at your place. Sounds like a great meet-up.

We'd love to have you visit here in Chi-town! On your thread I tried to allay any fears about frogs - ours are largely docile and easy to elude.

Crepes suzette? Mais oui!



>54 plt: Oh my, what a beautiful one that is, Peg! Thanks for posting it. Glad you're enjoying the cafe chat. Nice to hear from you.

>55 Morphidae: Me, too, Morphy. That Berthe Morisot is a keeper.

This is the perfect spot for low (no) calorie food, and you've picked one of my faves:

Hi Joe, congrats on 100 books and going strong! Since your thread has turned into a Mary Cassatt love fest, let me recommend Lydia Cassatt Reading the Morning Paper. My edition has deckle-edged pages, end flaps, and several color illustrations of Cassatt paintings. Here is the one featured on the cover:



My husband and I were thrilled to stumble onto a Cassatt exhibition at the small art museum in Savannah when we were there a few years ago. It makes a huge difference seeing the works in person. I need to get out to more art museums if I ever get out of Dodge again!

What an educational thread you have going here, Joe! Loving all the paintings as I'm not familiar with the artist or any of her paintings.
I'm a happy camper today since Caleb was able to sleep through the night last night so that means I got some sleep as well! Happy Friday to you!! :)

>59 Donna828: Thanks, Donna! That Lydia Cassatt book is sounding better and better. I'm going to try to track down a nice copy that matches what you describe.

Stumbling upon a Mary Cassatt exhibition in Savannah sounds like a little bit of heaven. Sometimes it's the unplanned gems that really light up a trip. I've grown to love art museums - not something my folks were very much interested in when I was a kid, but the more I saw, the more I wanted to see.

>60 jolerie: Thanks, Valerie! She's an artist worth knowing, so I'm glad you're enjoying what's gone up on the walls here.

Glad to hear you got some sleep - I know that becomes a highly prized treasure when you have young 'uns. Sometimes my wife and I reminisce and wonder, how did we do that?

Good morning Joe, I love the art exhibition that is currently here in the cafe. I need something high energy to get me off to a good start for the weekend. The two grandkids are coming to stay while their parents take a much needed romantic weekend away. I think that Karen has the right idea, maybe a glass of mango juice and a fruit/nut bar will be just the thing.

I'm not convinced that the food here is calorie free.. I swear I can gain 5 pounds here over the weekend!
I'll just have some ginger ale and sit in the corner to watch the fun :)

Heh. Kath has it right...I will go calorie free and abstain.

PSYCH!

Bring lots and lots of cake!!

I'm going to have another glass of mango juice, over lots of rocks!

>62 DeltaQueen50: Glad you're liking the cafe's Mary Cassatt exhibition, Judy. Some more may turn up, we'll see.

Good for you for giving some beleaguered, romance-starved parents the weekend off. Plus you get to return the gremlins to sender once the weekend's over - not a bad deal, as I suspect you probably like them a bit.

Energy boost headed your way:



>63 mckait: Would you believe looking at the Cassatt paintings is like a 5 mile walk's worth of exercise, Kath? Ah well, we'll keep working on it. A ginger ale is on its way to your fun-watching corner:



>64 richardderus: Got me, RD! I thought for sure the magnetic poles had tilted, and I was falling off.

*deep breath* OK, now, lots (and lots) of cake makes sense (with a tip of our hat to our friends at DQ):



Hmm, may not be enough. Calling in strategic team:



>65 maggie1944: Thank goodness we have your health sense to help balance out the ginormous cakes, Karen:

Is that healthy food I see here?
Ill take one of each, need to kick start the good health again, too may bugs going through our place lately.

Nice new thread Joe, and 100 books! WOW, congrats.

>67 LovingLit: Thanks, Megan! It's been another great reading year. Very few clunkers, too.

We've got a lot of healthy food requested today, as long as you don't include those two humongous cakes. So I think we're talking about mango juice, fruit and nut bars, crepes suzette, lasagna, garlic bread, surprisingly healthy chocolate cake, and ginger ale. One of each heading your way.

One last Cassatt for the day:

Hi Joe- Wow, I think I gain a pound every time I stop over. I think we need more beer action around here. A Two Brothers Bitter End, please!
I adore all the Cassatt paintings! Gorgeous.

*belch*

aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh

*snore*

As every good birthday should end: #70....... shshshhhh

Carrot cake to celebrate Richard's birthday, please!

Joe - loved the crepes (where was the conitreau?) and the Cassatts.
The frogs are a fear for Caro only mate - they could be ten foot tall and it wouldn't stop me from visiting Chicago.
Surely it has to be chili-cheese fries for RDs birthday?
Have a great weekend.

Another Cassatt fan checking in. Thanks for the surprise art show (and all the yummy goodies, too, of course)!

Did someone say carrot cake ??????

Geez.... I guess if you're ordering in 10ft tall frogs to party with you when Paul comes a-visiting you must clearly be keeping me off the Chicago MeetUp invite list. *sulk*

>69 msf59: Hey, Mark. I know, it's like being at a restaurant and seeing the next table over order something great. Hard to resist!

Glad you're liking the Cassatts. I was just thinking about Underwater Welder. The Chicago libraries don't have it (darn it), so please let me know what you think of it. I may have to raid the piggy bank.

Two Brothers Bitter End coming up:



Still trying to find Stone Levitations. One store carried it but was out.

>70 richardderus: The chef gives a tip of the hat, Richard, figuring all the work was well worth it. Pillow?

>71 maggie1944: Hah! You're right, Karen. We're turning down the volume on the Mozart. Looks like RD had a good birthday.

>72 ronincats: Ah, you're speaking my language, Roni.



>73 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. I thought that was probably the case (Caro was the one with ranidaphobia). We're used to placating the big frogs - if it gets dicey, giving them one of Mark's favorite beers usually does the trick.

When Richard wakes up, we'll give him a complimentary mess of chili cheese fries, and mention it was your idea.

>74 Copperskye: Good to see you, Joanne. We should probably throw some kind of special event here, as it's wonderful to see how many Cassatt fans we have.

Here's another good 'un to start the day:

>75 roundballnz: I believe I did hear carrot cake mentioned, Alex, and I'm guessing you wouldn't mind a piece:



>76 cameling: You are the #1 visitor on the Chicago Meet-Up list, Caro! (With Paul as 1A - I know he won't mind that). Not to worry, we have our ways of making sure the frogs are entertained and not too rambunctious. You know, Robert Frost wrote that poem about Chicago:

The frog comes
on little cat feet.

It sits looking
over harbor and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on.

I'm not sure what a frog is doing with little cat feet, but they do move on. No worries. We look forward to seeing you!

huh! I thought I was familiar with all of Frost's work. Goes to show....

Aaah lovely Cassatts everywhere. I just keep scrolling up and down.

May I please have a croissant while I browse?

LibraryThing is so dangerous. Not only does it give me ample stimulus to buy books, every day, (I do resist on many days, and fall for it on others), but now it is making me want to travel... to London to see some of the shops Darryl is seeing, to Chicago for a meet-up, and Atlanta for Dragon Con (The Green Dragon buddies are to blame for that wish). Maybe Portland to go back to Powells again, and dthen there's Victoria B.C. for its wonderful book stores.

I must make some more money. Or maybe today I'll win a Lottery!

*snorp*smack*smack*

...mmm...smells like chili...Ooo! Chili cheese fries for breakfast! Yummers!

aaaah

It's international book week. The rules: Grab the closest book to you, turn to page 52, post the 5th sentence as your status. Don't mention the title. Copy the rules as part of your post.

"You see? That's what I'm saying: you give no weight to words."

(anything inside quotes counts as one sentence for this meme)

Lee Child's new Jack Reacher novel, called A Wanted Man, was another delicious bag of chips. I do have a couple of non-chip comments as to why I didn't think it was one of his best. I don't think these are Spoilers, but feel free to ignore them.

First, the plot seems overwrought. A number of characters turn out not to be who they seem to be, and it feels like a plot device. There also are middle of nowhere sideshows that for me went beyond the suspension of disbelief endemic to this genre (in particular, one in a re-purposed motel). Maybe Lee Child wanted to set himself a difficult puzzle and see it through, but I found it pulled me out of the story when all I wanted was to stay in it. Second, Jack Reacher is a wonderful character, living as a homeless bum while exceptional both mentally and physically, but in this one his mortar of insightful knowledge seems troweled onto the story's bricks with an inartful hand (much like that metaphor?)

For example: As they near Marshall, Missouri: "Reacher knew his American history. That particular field had seen a nine-hour duel. The Kings of Battle. With observers. And crude incendiary rounds. The Confederate gunners had heated their cannonballs in fires, hoping to set things ablaze. The Union gunners had worn red stripes on their pants." I can just see the author looking all this up. And Reacher comes up with this same kind of information for a number of places they go. Even his running buddy in this one, an FBI agent named Sorenson, can do it. As they're trying to figure out how to find a suspect farm, she says, "There are just over two million individual farms in the United States, working almost a billion acres, for an average farm size of close to five hundred acres. Statistics. We find them useful." Statistics. The author likes them. Figuring out how to gracefully introduce them, not so much.

I suppose this is a bit like complaining the dip for your favorite chips wasn't quite up to the tasty standards of the last party. Reacher gets picked up hitchhiking and quickly finds himself in the middle of three people with very different agendas, all of them capable of leaving him six feet under. How he manages to improvise his way through this, like Houdini chained upside down in a tank of water, is great fun, and the book eventually features another classic Reacher face-off against way too many bad guys. Toward the end of the story he gives a simple and compelling reason why he has to behave the way he does, and his fans will all say, "Of course". Then they'll join me in eagerly waiting for the next one to come out.

I am completely and utterly sure that Joe has not read A Wanted Man.

He has read A Wanted Man.

>79 mckait: Not many know about Frost's lifelong fascination with frogs, Kath, but you can see the depth of his feeling in this poem.

>80 NarratorLady: Ah, please browse away, Anne, and we'll bring you that croissant, still warm:



BTW, I'm finally starting Crossing to Safety, which I'm pretty sure was your recommendation, yes?

>81 maggie1944: I know what you mean, Karen. Walklover and I often dream of having a flat in London for a couple of months. And I'd love to visit Powells in Portland. And a Kuala Lumpur meet-up with Paul and SWMBO and Caro. And on and on. Guess we generally just have to be grateful for the wonderful online connection, and take the RL when we can get it.

But I'm hoping this is your day to win that lottery!



>82 richardderus: First, let's get your breakfast, Richard:



OK, let's give this a try. It's international book week. The rules: Grab the closest book to you, turn to page 52, post the 5th sentence as your status. Don't mention the title. Copy the rules as part of your post.

"You never worked in a bar, did you? We established that, right? The owner had already gone home. The cat was away, so the mice could play."

(anything inside quotes counts as one sentence for this meme)

Does this mean the cafe denizens are free to play and have a good time when the proprietor goes home? Most definitely.

Some irony in yours, Richard, that says you give no weight to words!

P.S. I did work in a bar way back when. As a bouncer. Managed to talk problem folks out the door without ever (thank goodness) having to fight. Walklover and I whiled away many an hour there when we were yutes.

>84 richardderus: Hah! Crap. Why won't these touchstones psychically obey? Should be all right now.

>85 jnwelch: Yeah, that made me grin...no weight to words, HA!

What book is yours from?

Oh and I FINALLY thumbs-upped your Reacher review. Now that I can navigate to the correct book.

*chomps more chili cheese fries*

>86 jnwelch: Mine is from that now thumbged review (thank you very much!) book A Wanted Man, a lovely historical romance, I mean, thriller. What is yours from?

*signals chef for more chili cheese fries*

It's from Persecution: The Friendly Fire of Memories by Alessandro Piperno. An ARC I got from Europa Editions.

Woo, I'm seeing comparisons to Proust - and I'm not talking about Lee Child! I look forward to hearing your reaction to the book when you're done.

The latest Jack Reacher has not reachered these shores yet and I'm glad to see it will be up to form.
No problem conceding pride of place to Caro she ought to be appointed to the UN as international LT 75er Ambassador.

>91 PaulCranswick: A Wanted Man should get to you soon, Paul. Lee Child was just here promoting it, but I didn't have a chance to see him, unfortunately.

I like your idea re Caro - the UN would benefit greatly from an international LT 75er Ambassador, and she'd be just the one for it.

Okay, thanks Richard for a great laugh!

Joe, are you saying that you don't read Linda Lael Miller? Please give Richard his choice of beverage on me as it made my day. I'll have a latte and a pumpkin chocolate chip muffin, please.

I know, Mamie. He's so darn quick he catches me. No, I haven't read the esteemed Ms. Miller, although I'm sure her historical romances are delightful. We'll get that scalawag his beverage of choice when he stops by.

Latte and pumpkin chocolate chip muffin to make your day even better:

Delightful - thanks, Joe! There is a coffee shop in Muncie, down by the university that is called The MT Cup, and it serves the most fabulous pumpkin chocolate chip muffins- but you have to get there really early because they always sell out.

Those muffins look quite good! You are making me hungry!

I'll share, Lori, pull up a seat.

Hi Joe- Have not had a chance to start Underwater Welder. Sad, I know. Thanks for the Bitter End. Two Brothers Domaine Dupage is first-rate too!
And add The Yellow Birds to the list. It's terrific.

How I am enjoying these conversations regarding art and the lovely photos posted.

Last year a local art museum in Allentown, PA had a special exhibit. I confess that I hadn't heard of Berthe Morisot before seeing this incredible painting.


This image doesn't do justice to the sheer beauty of the brush strokes and the way in which everything seemed to pop right off the canvas in a soft, delightfully precious way.

I traveled around the room looking at other paintings, and yet always found myself right back at Peasant Girl Among Tulips. Look at how she blends the colors and then observe that she showed the brown dusty earth on the hands of the peasant girl!

Joe - yes, I did recommend Lydia Cassatt Reading the Morning Paper a couple years back. I enjoyed the book, so I hope you get a chance to read it.

Could you spare a Diet Pepsi to go? I have to go to work soon!

*runs around behind counter to the frog, grabs a diet soda for Stasia on her way out the door* Have a great day!

ETA - I meant "frig" and the autocorrect tried to convince me that the frogs were guarding the sodas!

Frogs need the work

It's a fortunate thing that all the treats you post are virtual!

Still stuffed to the gills from last night's amazing birthday feast, but I'll make some room if there are some pumpkin muffins with butterscotch chips instead of *gag* chocolate.

Oh, and since it's coolish here, perhaps a Peppermint Stick to drink. Ask chef to scald the half-and-half?

*proprietor sheepishly slips in after a slow, lazy start to Sunday*

>>95 Crazymamie:, 97 We may send the chef to The MT Cup to study those fabulous pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, Mamie. We're always looking to get better.

>96 thornton37814: Hi, Lori! We've got plenty. We'll bring another round to you and Mamie. How are things in Tennessee?

>98 msf59: I saw your comments on The Yellow Bird, Mark, and it sounds mighty good. Don't know how you're holding off on Underwater Welder. On the other hand, I've got a slew I want to get to but my attempts to create three more brains and lots more time have failed so far.

>99 Whisper1: That really is a beautiful one, Linda. Thanks for posting it. The blending of colors is terrific, as you say. I suspect we'll have a Morisot exhibit going at some future cafe.

Hope you're having a good, healthy day.

>100 alcottacre: Great, Stasia. I'm definitely going to read the Lydia Cassatt book.

I hope this time jiggery works. You need that Diet Pepsi in quite a different time zone (and we got a little exuberant with the pouring):

>101 maggie1944: LOL! Don't let Caro know we've got a frog working behind the counter! She's a sweetheart though.

And thanks for getting the Diet Pepsi for Stasia. We just time-jiggered her another one just in case.

>102 ffortsa: Ain't that the truth, Judy. And giving frogs work helps keep them from scaring restaurant-going LTers from Boston.

>103 sibylline: I know, Lucy. Virtual treats have a lot of advantages. I know Walklover prefers I enjoy the virtual ones, as she hopes to keep me somewhere this side of The Incredible Bulk.

>104 richardderus: Glad the birthday vittles were amazing, RD. Let the birthday week celebration continue!

I like your idea of pumpkin butterscotch muffins - I'm not much on chocolate either. Coming up with your Peppermint Stick with the scalded 'af & 'af:

Hiya Joe- I did read just over 60 pages of Underwater Welder this morning and plan on reading more later. This is great stuff. It's spare, dark and haunting. Lemire is a master.
I wish you could tag along with us on In Dubious Battle. This is Mr. Steinbeck at his best. Grapes territory.

>107 msf59: Good to hear on the Lemire, Mark. I may do the Steinbeck later. I can believe it's a good one - I've liked all of his I've read this year. For now I've got others that are clamoring for my attention.

E.g., I've been trying to get to Crossing to Safety for more than a year now, and I've got others like that. And I've been reading (and loving) The Western Lit Survival Kit in bits and pieces for about a year, and now I'm getting close to finishing it. But I'll be following the reactions to In Dubious Battle with avid interest.

Joe- Crossing to Safety is excellent. I'm sure you will love it. Stegner is another author I NEED to get back to and I have 2 or 3 of his books in the stacks. I broke down and bought the new Junot Diaz collection, which has been getting great reviews.

loved Crossing to safety. listened to it twice and still felt i had missed much so got it in LP (large print, that is, not long play) to reread certain bits with mis ojos. hope you're enjoying it, Joe. really must read more Stegner.

finally getting ready to read a Jack Reacher novel. my HSO dotes on them and adores Reacher who really does sound just so very, very Tom Cruise. NOT! i told my HSO about the cruise casting and she was dismayed, to say the least.

crashing now. *THUD*

Mmmm what a delicious thread!! I wonder if there is any of those gigantic cakes left over ....

Chelle - exactly right.

I am intrigued.... what exactly is a 'Peppermint Stick' drink... and... do you have more on offer? The one you prepared for Richard looks delicious! ;-)

Jack Reacher always sounds very enticing to me Joe, although I know you didn't think this last one you read was one of his best. I think I may have to give him a try.

Any more of that carrot cake left?

#109: I agree with Mark about Stegner! Crossing to Safety and Angle of Repose are both excellent IMHO.

I need some cinnamon tea .. and something comforting.. I am feeling on edge today.. toast would do, I think? I'm nearly finished with Moloka'i and I have loved it.

>109 msf59: So far it's very good, Mark - and not at all what I expected. I had him pegged as a western U.S. outdoors-y writer, and here we are in Wisconsin among a bunch of professors!

I was impressed by Oscar Wao, although I didn't enjoy it as much as others have. I'll look forward to hearing what you think of this new one.

>110 mirrordrum: Ah, glad to hear it, Ellie. Crossing to Safety has more fans than I realized. I'm glad I'm finally reading one of his. I'll keep you posted.

How great that your HSO is a Reacher fan! Please give her a high five for me. Some day I want to go back and re-read the whole series. Yes, Cruise=boos.

I hope that thud was a thud of great comfort - a pile of quilts, maybe?

>>111 ChelleBearss:, 112 Hi, Chelle and Paul! Hopefully this one is big enough to split:



>113 lkernagh: You betcha, Lori. Plenty more of the peppermint stick drinks on hand.



Here's one way to make them at home, although the chef adds a special cafe touch:

1 1/2 oz. White Creme de Cacao
1 oz. Peppermint Scnappes
1 oz. half and half (for RD, lightly scalded)

You can shake it up with ice beforehand, and the garnish is up to you - candy canes are good.

Morning Joe- Coffee please! I'm enjoying my day off. Mondays are my favorite day off. The mail is usually the heaviest that day. I have to take my son to get a root canal this afternoon, which sucks for him but he's been in intense pain since Thursday night. I'll bring my book.
I also LOVED Angle of Repose, speaking of Stegner. I'll let you know about the Diaz collection, I hope to get to it by the end of the month.

>114 brenzi: The first Jack Reacher is Killing Floor, Bonnie. All I can tell you is when I finished I was delighted that there were a whole bunch more in the series I hadn't read yet. For me that's one of the best feelings as a reader.

Carrot cake? Yes, we keep well-stocked, as that's a surprisingly (to me, anyway) popular item:



I might have mentioned, on my birthday my two favorites are carrot cake and key lime pie. My family has always thought me a bit odd not to go more traditional. I can tell you and a lot of others here would be right on board with one or both of those choices.

>115 alcottacre: Ah, good, Stasia. It helps when I'm in terra incognita with a new author to know readers like you and Mark and Ellie have liked the book.

>116 mckait: What an interesting-looking book Moloka'i is, Kath. Makes me think of Gail Tsukiyama's The Samurai's Garden, which I liked a lot.

Cinnamon tea and toast coming up. Hope that edge relaxes as the day goes on.

>118 msf59: Happy day off, Mark! I can imagine Mondays are big days for mail. If they ever cut out Saturday delivery like is sometimes discussed, Monday's really going to be a big day! Sorry about your son needing that root canal, but he'll be glad to get rid of that pain, no doubt.

Some Sumatra Blue Batak coming up. Can't remember whether you take it black, but we've got creme and sugar if you need it.

*ngurmph* Colds abound chez moi, except (blessedly) for me. I'll have about 6gal of cranberry juice cocktail, please. And a bottle of cheap "champagne" to make it go down easier. Oh, and also three biscuits and sausage gravy to make the whole thing worthwhile.

Love Among the Greats is another Pearlman collection that's just...well...oh wow, I really love her stuff a lot!

Morning Joe! I'd like a latte and a pumpkin spice bagel, please. Hope you had a great weekend, and that your Monday is off and running in a good direction. This will be my last week that resembles anything sane until after the move, so I plan to enjoy it.

>121 richardderus: Good morning, Richard. Glad you're avoiding the colds circulating around chez yours. Edith Pearlman is new to me. I'll look forward to your review.

Some sustenance on its way (sure is hard to make biscuits and sausage gravy photogenic, isn't it?):





>122 Crazymamie: Morning, Mamie! Hmm, your last week of sanity until after the big move (and the Great Unhaving) - let's make it a good one. Yes, I loved that weekend. We had to go to a shiva Saturday night for a friend who lost his father, but he was glad to have support from us and so many others. Yesterday was beautifully lazy, with great weather, long walks, and some good reading (although sometimes I wish we subscribed to fewer magazines - jeesh).

As my wife said, both our kids are employed and have their own apartments that they can afford. That's huge. So life is pretty good. I go to my *mmph muffled sounds* high school reunion at the end of the week (the number is so high only dogs can hear it clearly), so that should be interesting.

Anyway, I digress. Let's get you those comestibles:

Joe - even my prodigious capacity for food would flounder upon that gigantic cake.

>123 jnwelch: Good thing we can count on Chelle to pick up the slack, Paul. :-)

Edith Pearlman is new to you, Joe? Run out and get yourself a copy of Binocular Vision - you won't be sorry; it's fabulous!

Your weekend sounds full of fabulous - good for you. Mine was full of football and family, so also fabulous. And I managed to unhave a desk, a set of dishes, and a refrigerator/freezer. Soon as I finish my latte and bagel (which look delicious, so thanks), I'll go back into the trenches to see what else I can find to unhave.

>126 Crazymamie: Hah! You're inspiring me, Mamie. I'm sure there's some unhaving we could benefit from - and others could, too. Football and family, what's not to like? It's a good time of year, idn't it?

Binocular Vision - now you've got me situated. I have indeed heard about that one, on LT and elsewhere. OK, onto the tbr it goes.

>128 jnwelch: BTW, congratulations to Burma's Aung San Suu Kyi, who's now visiting the U.S. and was still under house arrest as recently as two years ago.

"It is not power that corrupts, but fear. Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it."

high school reunion? My 50th is this month; and I am not going. I was part of a huge graduating class and the few folks with whom I was friends are still friends and I see them elsewhere. I do not need to spend a great deal of money to wander around a posh country club and realize I know none of these people. I'll stay home and read. Practicing being a curmudgeon.

I've haven't gone to one of these for ages, Karen, but I had a number of people I haven't seen in a while let me know they hoped I would. So I'm giving in. No posh country club to wander around, I'm glad to say, just the local beer joint that we all frequented and (remarkably) is still there.

I'm going to start out the visit with a number of guys I've stayed in touch with - I'm looking forward to that in particular because we're all over the map now and just don't get to see each other as much as we'd like.

Hi Joe: I'm seeing educated guesses that the NHL labor dispute will last til about December 1st. Looks like I may have to start following the Bulls, instead of the Blackhawks, after all.

I had Salty Hog Pie for the first time ever last week. Liked it though the sugared bacon on top seemed a bit odd. Tasted good though. Can I have another slice for dessert, please?

>131 lindapanzo: Hi, Linda! Jeez, I sure have a hard time understanding these labor disputes (NFL referees, too). Personally I'd be glad to have a job right now and want to get on with it. But I'm sure they have their reasons.

The Bulls should be fun to watch, even without Derrick Rose for a good part of the season. They're still probably a playoff team (but not a championship contender) without him. Still, I hope the NHL works it out quickly and we get the Blackhawks back on the ice.

Hmm, that's a new one for me, but the chef is smiling and nodding. Here you go:

Salty Hog pie is the pie of the month at Bakers Square. I'd never heard of it before, either. It's quite tasty but, even so, I took the bacon off the top first and ate it separately.

Something about bacon and pie just doesn't seem right.

This weekend is my 30th college reunion but I can't make this one. Enjoy your hs reunion, Joe!!

Samurai's Garden looks really good. I added it to my wish list... thanks Joe, and thanks for the toast :)

I should really remember to visit your thread AFTER I've had my meals already otherwise it's just way too dangerous!
I've never heard of that peppermint drink before. I wonder if it would work with a hot drink....

>135 jolerie: Substitute hot cocoa for the half-and-half and it's a Santa's Little Helper.

>130 jnwelch:

Drats! Best Friend Forever from high school called and she wants to go to the Country Club deal on Saturday night. OMG, she want me to join her, which I will do, but I have nothing to wear.

Oh, just shoot me now, and put me out of my misery.

I am going to go read The Night Circus and if I finish it, I'll be reading The Long Walk: A Story of War and the Life That Follows.

Good quote from Aung San Suu Kyi - and very true. We will no doubt experience that too in Malaysia soon as the ruling party is teetering towards possible electoral expulsion and is unlikely to go gracefully.

You're too late, Joe. I already had 8 fried dumplings for my (second) lunch. And by george were they good.

I love that you decided to decorate the cafe with paintings by Cassatt, Joe! Perfect for the reading atmosphere!

Good morning, all. BTW, I totally agree with EBT1002, as I've said before. I'm settling down in the corner to try to make some significant progress in The Night Circus. My books waiting in the wings are yelling at me. I really want to get to The Long Walk: A Story of War and the Life That Follows, and then for something completely different Louise Penny's A Rule Against Murder (#4 of the series). I am really enjoying reading right now.

And the weather here is super nice. The only problem is that we are seeing plants suffer for lack of rain. Can you imagine?

I hope everyone has a great Tuesday!

>133 lindapanzo: Thanks, Linda. I don't think I've been to one of these reunions since maybe the 10th one, so it should be quite something. Plus I'll get to visit with my dad, who still lives in Ann Arbor.

>134 mckait: Ah, you're welcome, Kath. I really liked Samurai's Garden. It's a quiet one that really stuck with me.

>>135 jolerie:, 136 There you go, Valerie. Thank goodness Richard has a wealth of food and beverage knowledge. These are new to me, too.

>137 maggie1944: Ouch, sorry about that, Karen. Hope you have a good time anyway. That's what got me started on going to mine - a friend from the old days pushing me to come.

The Long Walk comes Mark-recommended. Maybe there should be book stickers that say that?

>138 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. I had no idea Malaysia was edging up on similar circumstances. Hope it works out well. Please keep us posted.

>139 LovingLit: Ah, darn, Megan. I'm glad the fried dumplings were good, but we may have to do some maintenance work on the time jiggerererer.

>140 EBT1002: Thanks, Ellen. The Cassatts are great, aren't they? We should have another one.



>141 maggie1944: Good to see you, Karen. You'll see we put another Cassatt up. We'll leave you to your reading, but just give a holler if you need anything.

Hope you have a great Tuesday, too.

The Long Walk comes Mark-recommended. Maybe there should be book stickers that say that?
YES!! Mark would probably get some kind of commission. But a few others around here would, as well.

The Samurai's garden was a good one:) I also add my recommendation for Crossing to Safety. My book club read it a few years ago. This year we read Angle of Repose, which I confess I did not read this time around. I had read it fairly recently, and with my classes this summer I was not able to squeeze it in. At our last meeting we selected a new batch of books, and decided we wanted another Stegner. We'll be reading The Big Rock Candy Mountain soon.

Have a great day!

Mmmm...that does sound really good. I can't wait till it's cold enough here to try that out. :) I love the fact that you find out so many new things with this group, books aside!

Just stopping by to say hello, and see whats goin on in my favorite cafe :) So many of the nicest folks come here :) I had to throw the two Stegner books on my wishlist though.. if it isn't food lurking to lure you here, it's books! LOL

>143 EBT1002: "Librarything Recommended" would be pretty great, wouldn't it, Ellen? Not sure how you'd get the basis for that, but there are a number of books that are uniformly well-regarded on this site full of sophisticated readers.

>144 AMQS: Good to see a fellow Samurai Garden lover, Anne. I'm about halfway through Crossing to Safety, and I'm liking it but still unsure where he's taking me with these characters. It's helpful to hear you and others here have liked it. I'll have a better sense re reading more of him when I've finished this one.

>145 jolerie: I know, I learn something new here every day, Valerie. Now you've got some new options for the holiday season in particular (me, too).

>146 mckait: Hi, Kath! I know, nice folks, delicious food, delicious books. Gotta love it. Plus a bonus Mary Cassatt exhibit. :-)

Finally, a Cassatt that I like. I don't really like any of the 'complete' ones, but that sketch is rather nice!

>148 lunacat: That's a good one, isn't it, Jenny? I like them all, but I recognize that, like Renoir, the subjects of her paintings sometimes skate close to being too cherubic or overly sentimental.

Howdy, Joe! It's finally feeling like autumn around here (YAAAAAY!!!), which means longer nights filled with reading. Makes this Wisconsin girl happy, I tell ya! Just got back from a late lunch at a friends house where I had a heaping bowl of homemade chili, and I could use a little something to top it off - a cup of mint tea, perhaps? Hope your Monday is going well (almost over, at least!), and have fun at your 50th!

>150 LauraBrook: Hiya, Laura! I know, I'm loving the cooler weather, and soon we get the leaves changing. It's a great time of year. We've been spending a lot of time on our back deck, reading and talking and LT-ing.

I'm not up to a 50th reunion yet (that was another denizen), but that will come soon enough. I'm looking forward to it - a lot of good folks I haven't seen in a long time still live there or nearby, and others are coming in for it like me.

A heaping bowl of homemade chile sounds most excellent. Let's get you that mint tea:

Oops! This is what happens when you skim-read. I didn't think you had hit that 50 yr milestone yet (too young, for sure!), but what do I know?!? Thanks for the tea, it's hitting the spot!

>152 LauraBrook: Hah! No worries, Laura. It's all relative, as Einstein told us. I've got plenty of miles on the odometer. Glad you're liking the tea - that looks good to me, too, and I'm not much of a tea drinker!

All right, off I go to the homefront. Walklover's having a meeting of her board tonight, so I'll retreat to the basement.

Hey, I'm up for those stickers! As long as there is some sort of pittance to go along with it. Could you imagine someone picking up a book, spotting the sticker and saying- "Who's this know-it-all clown?" "An Oprah wanna-be!"

Yeah, Mark, I already get some glazed-over looks when I mention my on-line book-loving community of friends.

Hi Joe.

>154 msf59: Discerning readers would know, Mark. I bet even Jonathan Franzen would be okay with a "Mark-Recommended" sticker. :-)

>155 EBT1002: Hi, Ellen! I know, I kind of throw it out there like a fishing line with friends, to see whether there's any interest. It's rare that there is I do have other readers in my extended family that I have some hopes for. And I've got a goddaughter who's turning 13 who I'm hoping will join up. When, on our last visit, I saw her reading Tenants of Wildfell Hall, I knew she was an LT candidate. I'm not sure I knew what a Bronte was at that age.

I'm nearing the end of Crossing to Safety and finding it a pleasant read, but it's not rocking my world so far. Maybe the windup will put it at a higher level. Just finished an interesting Neil Gaiman graphic novel called Black Orchid. The art from Dave McKean, a longtime collaborator, was different and quite good, the story okay.

The Chicago Teachers strike ended, thank goodness, so the kids are back in school today. It'll take a while to sort out the details. Double digit raises over four years, wow. Who gets that in this economy?

>156 jnwelch: - The teachers are being asked to work over an hour more every day which may/may not help students do better in school. You know that expression: Crazy is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. In any case, I think the "raise" is actually more compensation for more work, and I do think there are people who do get those types of "raises".

I'm a little sensitive about beating up on teachers. Regardless of how hard it is for those who have never taught to understand it remains one of the most attacked and least appreciated professions in the country. And every parent (well, maybe not every) seems to think they know better how their student should be taught than all the educated persons hired to teach said student.

OK, I'll stop.

*homeschooling parent sneaks in wearing dark glasses, fedora and a trench coat. goes straight to the back corner booth, makes no eye contact*

Latte, please, Joe, and something to go with it.

>158 maggie1944: I know, Karen. I have teachers in my family, including my daughter. I was a public school kid and I taught as an adjunct professor for more than 20 years at a grad school here (for very little money, I might add!) I have a lot of sympathy for what teachers go through, and agree the pay often isn't what it should be. Among other things, there's a need for the teacher's focused attention throughout the day that isn't required for office workers and such.

I probably don't know enough to be fair on this one. Reporters here are saying it comes out to 20 minutes per teacher, not an hour. The average CPS salary, elementary and high school, currently is $71,000+, so that ain't too shabby. On the other hand, some of them have to teach in conditions you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy.

As to parents knowing better how the student should be taught, I see two big groups that are a problem - parents who don't help their child study, when so much depends on what happens at home, and the helicopter parents who help too much, so that they're writing papers for their child and over-asserting themselves in the school environment. We tried to be neither of those, and to raise kids who love learning and can look out for themselves.

I did more math homework in particular with each than I care to remember, and my much better half helped with more school projects with them than I'm sure she cares to remember. And we of course supported them at emotionally tough times. But we tried to let them handle their school lives themselves. We had to step in with a foolish gym teacher who had trouble understanding cough variant asthma (our daughter wasn't wheezing, so she must be okay - nope). And one year we got tired of my teaching more math than the school teacher, which many other parents were complaining about, too, but the principal just pointed to the kids' test scores, which were great, so we had to live with it.

OK, I should stop, too! Anyway, I know what you mean. I'll try to keep an open mind as we learn more about the deal that was reached.

>159 Crazymamie: Hah! I know from the discussions on your thread, Mamie, that you and your hubster have done the best job of home schooling I've ever heard of. Here I'm complaining about teaching too much math to our kids and you did the whole menu. Schooling, home and away, is just so important as we try to raise kids that can thrive in this difficult world of ours.

Latte, you say, and something to go with it? Let's start with some biscotti, and if you've got a bigger craving, you can give us the cafe wave. We won't let the media know that's you in the back corner booth wearing the shades.

That looks just perfect, thanks Joe! And thanks, too, for the kind words.

SO you just finished up a graphic novel, and are almost finished with another book - what's up next for you on your reading menu?

Thanks, Mamie.

What next? I'm torn between a longstanding want-to-read, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, a new one by an author I like that sounds great, The Garden of Evening Mists, and a mystery in that Dr. Siri series I enjoy, The Merry Misogynist.

On the graphic novel front, I've started one Laura Brooks liked, called Pyongyang, about a westerner's visit to North Korea. Very good so far.

On my Kindle I'm reading an urban fantasy called The Dirty Streets of Heaven. I've never read Tad Williams, and Jim (drneutron) made this one sound good.

It seems that you have a some great books at hand for you to choose your next read. I love A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. I think it's a sentimental favorite for many of us.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is one of the books I currently have going, loved The Merry Misogynist - and you will, too, as finally the gang's all back together again in one place for Dr. Siri's latest hijinks. i will be waiting to hear what you think of The Dirty Streets of Heaven as Jim got me that particular book bullet, too!

I don't think you could go wrong with any of those choices, Joe. I keep hearing such great things about ATGiB and TGoEM so I think you've got yourself some winners there! :)

>164 AMQS: Thanks, Anne. I know, so many LTers love A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, I've got to read it. But TGOEM and TMM call out to me, too! What's a reader to do?

>165 Crazymamie: Oo, can't wait on The Merry Misogynist, Mamie! The whole gang back together, now we're talking. And I bet Jim hit a number of people with that bb. :-)

>166 jolerie: I know, Valerie, they all seem like winners. I wish I could get my brain multitasking to the point that I could read them all at the same time, but they'd probably have to cart me away to the looney bin. We'll know soon, as I need to decide!

*Sits next to Mamie, with mouth firmly closed until next thread*

*grins* Joe, Kath and I would like some gingerbread pancakes, please.

>167 jnwelch: Joe, a reader is to celebrate having so many good books to choose!

Good books to be torn between. ATGiB is an old favourite, and I really want to read TGoEM. Have never heard of the other one :)

>>168 mckait:-69 Hah! Yes, a topic people get worked up about. Hope Kath speaks up on other topics before the next thread! You two would like gingerbread pancakes, Mamie? On their way:



>170 AMQS: You're absolutely right, Anne! I need a reminder once in a while. Having so many great books I want to read is a good thing, and I really am grateful. My tbr list has grown so thanks to LT that I want to open all my presents right now, darn it!

>171 lunacat: You're right, Jenny, good books to be torn between. The third is part of the Dr. Siri series by Colin Cotterill that gets much LT love.

All right, well, today's winner was: The Garden of Evening Mists! B & N downtown had a very nice-looking paperback. I'm psyched - I really like this author.

Thanks everybody for being patient and tolerant of my strong opinions. I do try to be quiet but sometimes I just bust out!

Oh, the joys of being retired

I just made reservations to head up to Orcas Island for a weekend in October. They are having "open house" at a half a dozen historic barns on the island. Sounds like a perfect photography opportunity. Plus, the place where I stay lets me bring my dogs!

Maybe Schelie and the kids can join me for one night, too.

>173 maggie1944: No worries, Karen. The Orcas Island trip sounds great! I probably mentioned this, but we (with the kids) stayed there at a B & B a few years ago. We loved it! We still talk about it as maybe our favorite vacation ever. What a beautiful and unusual part of the world that is.

After the "bloodbath" in the office today (3 of 18 positions in my dept cut), a drink of any sort is appreciated.

Glad I'm still employed but sad for those who will be gone.

>175 lindapanzo: Ay yi yi. And I know this isn't the first round of cuts, Linda, right? Ouch. I'm glad you're still employed, too, but that's got to be sad.

On us - how about a mojito?



It that's not your cup of . . . mojito, just let us know.

>175 lindapanzo: I'm so sorry.

Hi Joe- Beer please! I'm sure you will love A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. I read it for the first time last month and it was a joy.
I'm always up for a GN rec and Pyongyang sounds promising.

Hi Joe,

I got the audio version of The Coroner's Lunch, put it in the CD player and drove for two hours ... and almost fell asleep enroute! I noticed from audible that the book has been recorded three times. Unfortunately, my library version was done by a very monotone voice.

Having said that, the character sounds interesting so I'm off to get the print version. I'll let you know how it goes. Meanwhile, I'm curling up with Lydia Cassatt Reading the Morning Paper. Hmm...wonder where I got that idea?

Oh, thanks for the warning. Some narrators do encourage heavy eyelids, don't they?

Yes, Joe, I do think you mentioned you had visited Orcas Island back some months ago when I went up for Whale Watching cruise. This time I'm going by myself with my two little doggies and my camera (and ETA - my Nook, and Kindle, and some books, too). A history barns tour sounds like perfection to me! It will be a three day weekend for me, and I will enjoy the two days up there, no end. I think the next time I retire, I should retire there!

I will take a veggie pizza and a Diet Pepsi, Joe. It is going to be a long night for me - I have a 500 word report to write for Ecology.

Just a coffin, please, proprietor. I have a cold, and you know how frequently fatal those are.

Had a deliciously cold bottle of Naragansett tonight. Exactly what I needed after a long day at work.

Thought you might enjoy a picture of a tiramisu in a cup that I had at a restaurant in Singapore.

Glad you're liking Pyongyang so far, Joe! I need to read more of this guys' work for sure. Hope you are sleeping soundly, dreaming bookish dreams. :)

How about a nightcap, Joe?

I'm about halfway through The Garden of Evening Mists Joe and enjoying it. I see that the Chicago teachers settled for 30% of their evaluations being determined by student test scores and I know that was the sticking point for them. Here in Buffalo it was the same sticking point but they didn't strike which seldom helps in any way which I'm sure the teachers in Chicago have now realized. But I have to say, I agree with the teachers (I ended my career as an administrator so I've seen the problem from both sides and I'm a parent too) when you evaluate based on test scores you MUST have some way to compensate for poor attendance. How can you be expected to be responsible for the learning of a student who is absent from school excessively? I'm talking about an urban district where it is not unusual for students to be absent 100+/180 school days. No reasonable person could lay the blame on the teacher for the many students who, unfortunately, fall into this category.

Steps off of soapbox to order a cafe mocha and a cranberry muffin. Thanks Joe.

Joe - I would also be a supporter of a Mark Recommended sticker as it is a sure fire guide.

Hi Joe, your mention of finishing off a graphic novel has reminded me that I meant to let you know (if you didn't already) that Hannah Berry has released another one. It's called Adamtine. Supposedly darker in tone than Britten and Brülightly.

A " Mark Recommended sticker"! A "Mark Recommended sticker"!

Oh, morning Joe!

There needs to be some way to evaluate teachers, imo. Just handing over tenure to someone who got hired because they know people ( common here, at least) does not lead to good teachers.Every other job has some sort of eval process. Teachers are important. They need to be evaluated, too. imo. ( including special needs teachers)

Very strong coffee would be good....

*slides into booth carrying a large book*

*puts head on book to nap *

*proprietor runs in and throws hat on the rack*

Good morning! Looks like a lively start to the day (and end of the evening for our time jiggerers). I see the chef could use some help.

>177 luvamystery65: I know, Roberta. I hope that mojito helped Linda a bit. Tough situation.

>178 msf59: Thanks, Mark. Yeah, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn seems like a few other beloved ones here on LT, where I've yet to hear someone say "bah" or "meh". I'm liking Pyongyang a lot; seems to fit your modus operandi well.

A beer you say? Please pick one from our sampler:



>179 NarratorLady: Good morning, Anne. Sorry your audio of the first Dr. Siri suffered from monotonitis. I think you'll enjoy it in print. As you probably know, Ellie is a fan of this series, too.

Ah, I want to read Lydia Cassatt. Please let me know what you think when you're done. It sounds right up my alley.

>180 ffortsa: You know, I haven't listened to enough audio to have come across a clunker like Anne did, Judy. The one surprise I can remember is Neil Gaiman was better than I expected by a long shot. I see he has his own audio collection now.

>181 maggie1944: Books, barns, and beautiful, sounds like a winning combo to me, Karen. And you get to have your doggies with you. Nice. Let us know how it goes - I'm a lousy camera photo poster, but feel free to post one from your trip on the cafe wall if you'd like. And have a great time!

>182 alcottacre: Oh gosh, Stasia, I think I've had a bad dream where I have a 500 word essay due for Ecology. Good luck! I'm sure yours will make more sense than any dream essay of mine.

Time jiggered veggie pizza and Diet Pepsi coming up:



>183 richardderus: Sorry the household cold finally found you, Richard. Here's a coffin to make you feel better:

Oh, cafe mocha sounds just right - I'll take one of those, Joe and a lemon poppyseed muffin, please.

*slips quietly into Kath's booth with a copy of The Devil's Hearth*

>184 cameling: A cold bottle of Narragansett does sound awfully good, Caro. Half Acre is the one for me, a local brew. That tiramisu looks delicious, and I'm not that big a fan of t-misu. Hope your back is improved and they're not working you too hard.

>185 LauraBrook: I'm enjoying Pyongyang a lot, Laura. Thanks for being the recommender! Such an odd part of the world, and I like the way he conveys his experience of it.

I did have bookish dreams last night. I was in some kind of a thriller story, racing about.

A great one the other night was when Walklover saved us by plugging a machine gun-toting ballerina in the middle of the forehead when she started firing on us from the stage performance. Maybe I need to start reading some books about gardening.

>186 ronincats: A nightcap, Roni? Time jiggery works wonders:

and

>187 brenzi: I'm a little ways into The Garden of Evening Mists and really liking it, too, Bonnie. Can't wait to learn more about Judge Teoh and Aritomo.

I'm skeptical about rating teachers based on student test results, too, although "measureables", if that's the right word, continue to reign supreme. And I hadn't even thought about the absenteeism part of it. What you say makes total sense. You'd think there'd be a way to factor that in.

Here come your cafe mocha and cranberry muffin:



>188 PaulCranswick: We've just got to write in "Recommended" somewhere, Paul.



>189 AHS-Wolfy: Thanks, Dave! You probably remember how much I liked her Britten and Brulightly. Something's odd about this one - after the success of B & B this (Adamtine) comes out in July with no fanfare, from what looks like a small press. Hmm. Curiosity is aroused. I will track down this book and read it, I vow, come what turbulence may.

>190 msf59: Good morning, Mark!



We'll keep working on the Recommended part.

>191 mckait: I know what you mean, Kath. With all the bright minds in this country, you'd think we could come up with a sensible method of teacher eval, classrooms we feel good about, and graduating students who've gotten the kind of education that prepares them well for this challenging world.

Software breakthroughs yes, education no? Seems like we should be able to put education in the yes column, too.

Here's some very strong coffee to get your day started:



Maybe too strong? We can bring this instead:



>194 Crazymamie: The Devil's Hearth looks like a fun one, Mamie. We'll bring a cafe mocha and lemon poppyseed muffin to Kath's booth.

*moans from within coffin*

mmmooorrreee cooofffeeeeeeeeeee
mmmooorrreee cooofffeeeeeeeeeee

The Body in the Belfry is a dull little thing, and making me long for an end to my undead death. Teee. Deee. Yus. But there are, to date, NINETEEN of these marvies. I'll finish it. I might possibly, if offered sex with a porn star of my choice, read #2. But NINETEEN?! O nay nay nay, I say unto thee thrice more, Nay Nay Nay!

>197 richardderus: Hah! That one does sound unlively, Richard, and it's probably better to be undead. I don't think I'll make it to #1 of the 19. But I've sure tried my share of lame-os.

Wails from the crypt, here you go:

I'm reading a nice cozy mystery set at a soup restaurant. In these stressful times, soup and reading about soup seem reassuring, somehow. A Spoonful of Murder is the title.

Good morning, everyone. I am feeling a tad exhausted after fiddling with multiple household projects. I am hoping to be able to go to bed early tonight, but right now I've got a toddler playing with her doll house at my feet, and one schnauzer tucked under my elbow while I type. I think I need little bit more coffee and perhaps a pumpkin muffin. Thank you.

Some brief comments on teacher evaluation: There are many, many school districts which have excellent teacher evaluation systems which combine "objective" measurements such as Standardized Test Scores, with administrative observations, and peer evaluations. Many times teachers who are not "excellent" will be provided some mentoring so that their average skills might be improved. Often when a school district depends heavily on the "objective" measurements, and does not make for adjustments related to student attendance, first language spoken by parents, recent immigration status, and/or other special needs (autistism, developmental delays) the teachers who are "blamed" for low scores are the youngest, most inexperienced. It is complicated, eh?

This is such a nice cafe. I appreciate your hospitality!

>199 lindapanzo: Good for you, Linda. There are times when we just need to go easy on ourselves and enjoy what gives us some harmony and comfort. Soup restaurant and soup mystery sound like just the ticket.

>200 maggie1944: Ah, a toddler at your feet and a schnauzer tucked under your elbow - gotta love it, Karen. Thanks for those good thoughts on teacher evals - that all makes perfect sense. Complicated, but doable. I hope it spreads. Of course, who's doing the evals always has impact, but the systems you describe at least have a sensible structure. I particularly like the mentoring for those who could benefit from it. All the emphasis on standardized test scores does not, IMHO, make sense. There's too much more to life, teaching, and learning.

It's the people like you who come to the cafe who make it fun, seems to me Karen. I'm glad you enjoy it. We'll bring some coffee and a pumpkin muffin to your usual spot.

*Again resolves to maintain silence*

I think some margarita pizza would be good for lunch, extra thin and extra crispy! yum!

Do you need a hand, Joe?

Hah! Yes, Kath. I will always appreciate a hand! This cafe gets pretty busy, and keeping RL calm is a challenge sometimes. :-)

Actually, today I'm okay, but in the next couple of days I'm going to be visiting compadres and padres (well, one padre, the pater familias). The chef will be on the alert, but any help would be mucho wonderful.

I love margarita (margherita here, not sure why) pizza, so we're making some extra:

My loyalty is to Chicago deep dish pizza, which I love and which (with the death of the "Uno's" chain) is not easy to get around here.

Ah, come visit us some day, Jim. We have it all over the place. I love it, too. Everybody will tell you their favorite, but I'm partial to Bacino's.

Having said that, pizza gets served up here six ways to Sunday, including by molecular gastronomers. So far I'm not aware of anyone having you eat pizza in the dark, but that's probably coming.

Death of the Uno's chain? Really? I hadn't heard.

Plenty of Chicago-style pizza places here in Chicagoland, at least.

Pizza is on the menu tonight. Our local pizzeria is donating 10% of food proceeds this week towards hunger relief so Thursday night out is pizza, this week.

i never in my life thought Daw Aung San Suu Kyi would get out of house arrest, so the idea that The Lady would ever make it here was beyond my wildest imaginings. she's been one of my heroes for so very long. i bow to her with my whole heart.

and do have fun at your reunion, Joe. i'm intrigued to know that someone would actually want to go to one. amazing.

Hah! Ah, it's good to see you, Ellie. I was just thinking about you. I hope things are going well.

I remember you're a wholehearted fan of DASSK (I have no idea how to abbreviate her name!), and rightly so. Sometimes good things happen in the world, and she's one of them.

I know, it is odd that I'm looking forward to the reunion. I'm sure there's going to be a lot of looking at each other and thinking, if not saying, jeez we've gotten old! But there are a few folks I really enjoyed, and both of my kids' godfathers are coming in for it, so that alone would make it fun for me. Plus there's a guy (the center on our basketball team) who's dying to see me for reasons I'll find out (maybe he wants to open a cafe). And then there's always the seeing the old girlfriends part, although at this point we'll probably be comparing what cane shops and senior specials are the best.

Hi Joe,
Was just posting to you thinking you were Mark (or was I posting to Mark thinking he was you?), anyway, you/he/we were talking about Kafka, and you noted on Pauls thread that you enjoyed The Trial. I was very happy to hear this as I have it in my hot little hands to read before the end of the year (who am I kidding, before the end of next year maybe).
And now that you have it in writing, you can hold me to it :)

Reunion sounds great fun. Isnt it funny how people look so much the same as they used to only older. Sounds ridiculous I know, but it amazes me every time. Have fun.

A glass of Chardonnay, and leave the bottle, please.

A glass of Cabernet Sauvignon, and leave the bottle, please. :) (Mamie, what a great idea!)

Here's a big flower for the bar:



I'm off for the evening now, taking my good, climbing the stair, and going to read.

Just gained another pound! Thanks a lot Joe! I can't quite make out the beer names in the sampler, although some look like Belgium brews, which I adore.

Megan- Hi "hot little hands"!

Mmmm, ribs sloppy with sauce, collard greens and corn bread, please!

I'm feeling southern this morning.

Uno's isn't completely dead - we've one here in own little town...

>211 LauraBrook: At the train station, but in communication with the chef. Got the two orders reversed, so we'll start with Laura. Here you go!



>210 Crazymamie: OK, Mamie, chardonnay coming up. Hope you're having a good one!



>209 LovingLit: Hi, Megan! The Trial is terrific. You'll be glad you read it. It's harrowing, but so good.

Looking the same except older, that fits those I've stayed in touch with. It's funny, I feel like I've changed a good deal (including getting more aerodynamic atop my head), but when an attendee saw a recent picture of me and two of my friends from a NYC get-together, it was me he recognized. To me they've changed much less, but I guess it's hard to be objective.

>212 maggie1944: Thanks for the beautiful flower for the bar, Karen! Brightens the place up. Hope you had a good read - what's your current one?

>213 msf59: Mark, we opened up a small gym out back if you want to work off that pound. All the beers were good, so you couldn't go awry. "Hot little hands" Megan? I'll have to learn more about this story.

Hope you have a good one today. What's on audio?

>214 Morphidae: I may get interrupted, Morphy, but here are the ribs, collard greens and cornbread:



>215 scaifea: Yes, it's still alive in Chi-town, too, Amber, although I'd now pick others for the deep dish pizza.

Mmmmm ribs and corn bread. My grandmother's North Carolina background lives on in my love of Southern Cooking!

I'm still reading The Night Circus and 1492 The Year the World Began. I need to finish the latter by Oct. 8 for the F2F book group. So a cup of latte, and a scone this morning please. I'm going to go sit in the corner and read.

Yum, I love the ribs. Not so much the accompaniment, but then they are a very American thing - we'd have ribs with sweetcorn and chips (fries).

>218 maggie1944: I think a lot of folks have fond memories like that of Southern Cooking, Karen. As a northerner in Ann Arbor, ribs didn't show up much when I was a kid, but cornbread did. I say that, but ribs are a big favorite for a lot of Chicagoans. Friends are having their annual "Ribique" party by the lake next weekend.

I'm looking forward to your comments on both 1492 and The Night Circus. I'm one of the few LTers, seems like, who hasn't read the latter, but its subject matter just doesn't call out to me.

>219 lunacat: Hi, Jenny. I'd get you some sweet corn and fries (chips) but reception is wonky where I am right now. Fingers crossed on this post working.

Happy Friday to you Joe!

It's fall, so can I please have my favourite, Pumpkin Spice Latte to celebrate all the changing colours out there! So beautiful :)

Not a fan of ribs or anything with gooey red bar b q sauce :PP I do like cornbread..

Nothing is tempting me. I think I will go and shower off the dirt from gardening, now that I am done huffing and puffing..

Shocking service around here today ;)

It's so cold and rainy around here that I just want some soup for dinner. A nice big bowl of chicken matzoball at my favorite deli. Maybe a sandwich and a potato latke to go with it.

Hi Joe- I love "Hot Little Hands"! But that's a whole different story. I'm not up for attending a gym, unless it's for 12oz curls.
Have a great time in Michigan.

Joe - I'm certainly up for some of that Chicago deep dish pizza do we have any with tuna/anchovies and olives?
Looking forward to your concluding thoughts on The Garden of Evening Mists and, given its locale I should get round to it sooner rather than later.
Have a wonderful weekend.

#193: I had to read things like "An integrated assessment of the introduction of lionfish (Pterois
volitans/miles complex) to the western Atlantic Ocean" and "The biology and ecology of the invasive Indo-Pacific lionfish" this week, Joe. I hope to never have to read anything about lionfish ever again!!

Hi Joe, I hope you are having a lovely time with your family. It's Friday night and I am in the mood for a pizza so perhaps I will join Paul and see it he's willing to go halves with me.

Joe, I've kind of sped through, as it's late and I must be off and I was really wanting to stop by tonight. Reading your review on the latest Jack Reacher novel, I find it interesting to note that you have the same exact issues with it I had with my latest Reacher, Echo Burning. Just too many darn facts that seem to be transcribed directly from his research notes. And facts, and more facts, and facts on top of facts that end up seeming like a whole lot of filler.

Still, I can't wait for my next dose. :-)

Good Saturday morning. I have a quiet, and peaceful weekend ahead. I intend to have a lovely latte this morning, and then do a little housework, then read, and then housework, and then read. The house has been neglected while we finished the painting and I've had people in here way too much recently. Quiet! No people! Just a little light cleaning up and lots of reading.

And oh, I almost forgot, got to go to that pesky 50th HighSchool Reunion tonight.

p.s. The Storm won a great game last night. Only the fourth game all season where all Storm players were healthy and able to hit the hard woods. First play off game next week should be a doozie!

Still reading The Night Circus and 1492: The Year the World Began but I am making good progress. Just need to spend some quality time with them.

>221 jolerie: Hi, Valerie! Man, I really need to work some time jiggery. It's now Saturday, and after a good breakfast with my dad at Cafe Marie's (no relation to Joe's Cafe, as far as I know), I'm getting back on track with my LT friends.

Thank you for your patience. I'll bet your colors are beautiful!



>222 mckait: Nothing here is tempting you, Kath?! I'm shocked. How about this?

*grumble* I just noticed Girl Sleuth is overdue and I'm not done! Guess it'll cost me 30 cents to finish it. But finish it I shall. Really a good, good book, proprietor. One you should keep on the cafe's tables.

>223 lunacat: Too true, Jenny! The proprietor is sometimes pretty crappy about getting things done in the cafe, but this is outrageous. I promise to speak to him personally, although he can be a lousy listener, too.

>224 lindapanzo: Hope this time jiggery is working, Linda. And I hope this weekend is restful and rejuvanating for you. Here are your vittles:

225 Thanks, Mark. Megan's also my bionic buddy if I've got it right. Tony Stark (aka Iron Man) apparently designed bionic hips for both of us.

This visit has been remarkable. Reunited with lots of folks I hadn't seen for decades, and we all seem to be at an age where we can speak frankly and freely with good humor. A buddy has been making fun of me that an old girlfriend chased me around the pub all last night, but hey, there are worse things. And one of my best buddies, who came from very difficult circumstances and now is a success out in San Francisco (and actually is helping a friend of my son's who comes from very difficult circumstances) told me a number of things about his growing up that I hadn't known. After the night's festivities we just sat in his car out in my dad's driveway and talked for another hour and a half. Great.

Anyway, it's been an eye-opener. Those who have gone to reunions may have had this experience - I had some people come up who were very enthusiastic about seeing me again, and I had great conversations with them, and for the life of me I don't know who they are. Someone told me our class size was 680, and that's big enough to challenge the brain cells.

That was complemented by conversations with many folks I recognized, thank goodness. The result from a lot of high volume talk over the general pub noise was my voice was nearly gone by the end of the night (as were those of many others) and I'm still hoarse today. My dad is skillfully putting together a jigsaw puzzle as I sit with him and LT it.

>226 PaulCranswick: Hiya, Paul. I got to read The Garden of Evening Mists a bit on the train, and continue to be entranced. This is such a social weekend (my cell phone just conked out on me, having told me several times to recharge you idiot) I'm not getting to read much. I'm looking forward to getting back to it.

Woo, that's an unusual deep dish request. Here you go:

Good afternoon, Joe. So glad that you had a great time at your reunion! 680 is a HUGE class size - wow!

Just taking a break from packing up books, so thought I'd stop in for a latte and perhaps a bowl of chicken corn chowder. ANd good conversation - I can always find that here at your cafe. Take it easy and have a good rest of the weekend.

>227 alcottacre: My hat's off to you, Stasia. "Lionfish" actually is one of the few parts of what you quoted that I could understand. What we have to go through sometimes in pursuit of worthy goals. Hope you are having a chance to relax and read a bit for pleasure this weekend.

>228 DeltaQueen50: Thanks, Judy. I'm indeed having a lovely time with my dad, and with this whole reunion thing. Paul's a pretty friendly guy, so I bet he'll share. If it were Richard, he's a friendly guy, but he can get a bit snappish about sharing food.

>229 Smiler69: Well put, Ilana. His occasional awkward handling of his researched facts can be a bit off-putting, but the adventures of Jack way outweigh that. Like you, when I finish one, I can't wait to read the next one.

>230 maggie1944: Hi, Karen. A peaceful and quiet weekend is one of life's great gifts. I hope you have fun at the reunion - I enjoyed mine much more than I expected to. And how great to have the painting done - that's got to feel good.

My relocated son plans on becoming a Seattle Storm fan, and is quite happy that they're so good. He also says there are rumors about of Seattle getting an expansion NBA team, which he of course would love.

>232 richardderus: I'm intrigued to hear your affection for Girl Sleuth, as I know you don't hold back when a book isn't up to RD standards. I may have to convince my lovely daughter to part with her copy for a bit to let her dad read it.

>233 jnwelch: Thanks, Mamie. It's really exceeded my expectations. 680 is a big class size isn't it? And this reunion included folks from the other big high school in town (Pioneer, we were Huron High), so even with only so many making it, it was a big group. We had one guy fly in from Israel, and others from all over the U.S. After 28 years in North Carolina, one girl (now woman) I knew pretty well had a lilting accent that she sure didn't have growing up in Ann Arbor.

Wish I could help you pack the books - although I probably wouldn't be all that helpful, as I'd no doubt spend a lot of time looking at them and asking questions.

Latte and chicken corn chowder coming up. Hope you have a great rest of the weekend, too.

*blowing dust off my running tab at the bar*

What a range of delicious looking meals and drinks you've been serving while I've been away. Shame I've already had my dinner, I'll have to settle for a large glass of red wine, something fairly mellow, to chase away my consciousness of all the jobs I haven't managed to get finished today...

Gosh, that corn chowder looks good.

BTW, our graduating class was well over 800! The single biggest class this high school ever had, or since, too. They built some new schools just as the Baby Boomers were arriving.

>237 gennyt: *reviewing running tab with admiration*

Thanks, Genny. Let's get you a large glass of fairly mellow red wine, so you can continue enjoying your Saturday (it's the weekend, so those lousy jobs should wait to get finished anyway).



>238 maggie1944: Over 800 is mighty big, Karen. We do have one near us now (Lane Tech) with more than 1000 in a class. We had the same kind of baby boomer effect in Ann Arbor when I was growing up, with at least one new school built that is now closed.

#239 Thanks Joe; unfortunately Saturday is meant to be a working day for me - Monday is my day off. But it's hard to get motivated sometimes when the rest of the world is enjoying the weekend (apart from shift workers, those who work in retail, and medical staff, obviously).

Edited to add: Somehow I missed the size of the glass of wine first time round! Looks like there's a whole bottle in that one glass... well at least it saves time in pouring another!

Now that's a glass a wine! Wow! I still take a beer though. Make it a Bitter End.

Sorry, Joe- I have no idea how I missed your Mark Rec Stamps. I like 'em!

Hope you are having a great day with your Dad!

Back in my day I would have loved that glass of wine, but not now. I'll just have another cuppa and wander off in search of my reading chair....

>240 gennyt: Hah! When someone orders a large glass of wine, Genny, we really spring into action!

I didn't realize you're a Saturday worker, and I understand what you're saying. Truth be told, I work most Saturdays in the a.m. myself, just to get some things done in relative peace and quiet. I'm glad we were able to give you a bottle's worth of good drinking experience in a single glass.

>241 msf59: Thanks, Mark. Yes, we've had a great day. My dad and I were joined at dinner by an old friend of mine who loves to hear my dad tell stories as much as I do, so we got regaled with tales of my ancestors and of my dad's exploits in WWII, and various and sundry others.

Let's get you that Bitter End.



>242 maggie1944: We'll bring this over to your favorite reading chair, Karen. Settle in and enjoy your book.

Off to work shortly, Joe. I will take some lemon pancakes to go :)

I am really hoping that it is a slow night tonight at the office since it is my night off schoolwork. Maybe I can actually get some reading in!

You got it, Stasia. I'll hope for a quiet night for you, and some fun reading. Lemon pancakes to go coming up (if this looks okay we'll pack some up for you):

Thanks, Joe. They look perfect!

*carefully places lemon pancakes in book-shaped box for esteemed customer*

Lomon pancakes! Omg

I do love panckes!

#247: Ooh, a book-shaped box too! I will save that for posterity's sake :)

#248: I got my recipe for lemon pancakes from King Arthur Flour, Kath. They are to die for, especially if you prepare the vanilla sauce with them too. I will be fixing some this next week.

The picture of chicken corn chowder looks yummy. Does anyone have a recipe for this?

I know hubby is making corn chowder (w/o the chicken) tonight and I am certainly looking forward to it. I've never gone to any of my reunions Joe (and there have been many), they're just not my thing I guess. You seem to be enjoying yours though. I finished up The Garden of Evening Mists and it does not disappoint.

>248 mckait: We've got more lemon pancakes if you want, Kath. They sound good to me, too. It looks like Stasia may hook you up with the recipe to make at home.

>249 alcottacre: Vanilla sauce, too, Stasia? Yum. I was already thinking I have to try some of these, but that makes them a must tbe.

>250 Whisper1: Hope someone can come up with a good one for you, Linda. Here's the link to Paula Dean's, which is mysteriously called Chef Jack's (there must be a story there): http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/chef-jacks-corn-chowder-recipe/ind...

>251 brenzi: Hi, Bonnie. I did enjoy that reunion. In part it was due to having a good bit of time to spend with old friends who I don't see as often as I like, and in part it was due to entertainment value, kind of like being in the middle of a Robert Altman movie. Plus my dad is in fine fettle. (We even looked up what a fettle is - turns out it's a verb when it's not in that expression). (And in some industries you can be a fettler).

I'm glad to hear it re The Garden of Mists. That matches Darryl's reaction. I should have a good slug of time to read on the train. Unless I fall asleep - I've been talking for what feels like three days straight, some of it "deep" conversations oriented toward solving the problems of the world, or at least our small part of it, and my brain is starting to press the snooze button.

Stas, I have to look for that... I use King Arthur flour :)

Bonnie, what is it like to have someone cook for you? I srsly have a hard time remembering. Amy and Tom cook on my rare visits... I occasionally get invited to eat at Kim's house.. ( I usually just go for coffee after ), but from the age of 10, I have been the head cook in my life. I simply can't imagine living with someone who will just....cook. Or make me a sandwich.. Dan will bring me water or a diet coke now and then, if I ask.. it's like trying to imagine life without kids.. impossible for me to wrap my brain around how life would be. It's hard to imagine . . .

When you've finished your conversations, please come on over to the new cafe. We'll bring over any food and drink.