Joe's Book Cafe 26

Painting by Dominguez

Welcome back to the cafe!

Book Bar courtesy of Richard

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 Robert 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
102. Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner
103. The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng
104. The Dirty Streets of Heaven by Tad Williams
105. Native Guard by Natasha Trethewey
106. Starstruck by Elaine Lee

October

107. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
108. Pyongyang by Guy Delisle
109. The Western Lit Survival Kit by Sandra Newman
110. Adamantine by Hannah Berry
111. Underwater Welder by Jeff Lemire
112. Vulture Peak by John Burdett
113. Vengeance in Death by J.D. Robb
114. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle and Hope Larson
115. Toby Alone by Timothee de Fombelle
116. Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck
117. Odd Apocalypse by Dean Koontz
118. The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers
119. Becoming Holmes by Shane Peacock

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
The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng
The Western Lit Survival Kit by Sandra Newman
Pyongyang by Guy Delisle
The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers

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.

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.

The 100 Most Beautiful Words in English

(from alphalibrary)

Ailurophile A cat-lover.
Assemblage A gathering.
Becoming Attractive.
Beleaguer To exhaust with attacks.
Brood To think alone.
Bucolic In a lovely rural setting.
Bungalow A small, cozy cottage.
Chatoyant Like a cat's eye.
Comely Attractive.
Conflate To blend together.
Cynosure A focal point of admiration.
Dalliance A brief love affair.
Demesne Dominion, territory.
Demure Shy and reserved.
Denouement The resolution of a mystery.
Desuetude Disuse.
Desultory Slow, sluggish.
Diaphanous Filmy.
Dissemble Deceive.
Dulcet Sweet, sugary.
Ebullience Bubbling enthusiasm.
Effervescent Bubbly.
Efflorescence Flowering, blooming.
Elision Dropping a sound or syllable in a word.
Elixir A good potion.
Eloquence Beauty and persuasion in speech.
Embrocation Rubbing on a lotion.
Emollient A softener.
Ephemeral Short-lived.
Epiphany A sudden revelation.
Erstwhile At one time, for a time.
Ethereal Gaseous, invisible but detectable.
Evanescent Vanishing quickly, lasting a very short time.
Evocative Suggestive.
Fetching Pretty.
Felicity Pleasantness.
Forbearance Withholding response to provocation.
Fugacious Fleeting.
Furtive Shifty, sneaky.
Gambol To skip or leap about joyfully.
Glamour Beauty.
Gossamer The finest piece of thread, a spider's silk
Halcyon Happy, sunny, care-free.
Harbinger Messenger with news of the future.
Imbrication Overlapping and forming a regular pattern.
Imbroglio An altercation or complicated situation.
Imbue To infuse, instill.
Incipient Beginning, in an early stage.
Ineffable Unutterable, inexpressible.
Ingénue A naïve young woman.
Inglenook A cozy nook by the hearth.
Insouciance Blithe nonchalance.
Inure To become jaded.
Labyrinthine Twisting and turning.
Lagniappe A special kind of gift.
Lagoon A small gulf or inlet.
Languor Listlessness, inactivity.
Lassitude Weariness, listlessness.
Leisure Free time.
Lilt To move musically or lively.
Lissome Slender and graceful.
Lithe Slender and flexible.
Love Deep affection.
Mellifluous Sweet sounding.
Moiety One of two equal parts.
Mondegreen A slip of the ear.
Murmurous Murmuring.
Nemesis An unconquerable archenemy.
Offing The sea between the horizon and the offshore.
Onomatopoeia A word that sounds like its meaning.
Opulent Lush, luxuriant.
Palimpsest A manuscript written over earlier ones.
Panacea A solution for all problems
Panoply A complete set.
Pastiche An art work combining materials from various sources.
Penumbra A half-shadow.
Petrichor The smell of earth after rain.
Plethora A large quantity.
Propinquity An inclination.
Pyrrhic Successful with heavy losses.
Quintessential Most essential.
Ratatouille A spicy French stew.
Ravel To knit or unknit.
Redolent Fragrant.
Riparian By the bank of a stream.
Ripple A very small wave.
Scintilla A spark or very small thing.
Sempiternal Eternal.
Seraglio Rich, luxurious oriental palace or harem.
Serendipity Finding something nice while looking for something else.
Summery Light, delicate or warm and sunny.
Sumptuous Lush, luxurious.
Surreptitious Secretive, sneaky.
Susquehanna A river in Pennsylvania.
Susurrous Whispering, hissing.
Talisman A good luck charm.
Tintinnabulation Tinkling.
Umbrella Protection from sun or rain.
Untoward Unseemly, inappropriate.
Vestigial In trace amounts.
Wafture Waving.
Wherewithal The means.
Woebegone Sorrowful, downcast.

Morning Joe- Peets, please! El Grande! I'm off today, which is nice. It's a lovely morning out there. I copied this from your old thread!

Love the new thread, especially the top picture. Gorgeous.

I'll have the same as Mark, please Joe. Lovely new thread here. I especially love post 3 which is "saved for stuff"!! I must admit that before your delightful cafe, I had never before tries Peets. But, you are always serving it here, and so when I went to the market and got to the coffee aisle and saw the Peets staring at me, I thought of your fine establishment and purchased my very first bag. Delicious! I am a convert! And now every time I am enjoying my morning cup of Joe, it makes me think of you. Thanks for the tip!

mmmmmm I'll have some of that Mumm's champers on the table behind the Proustitutes, please.

A big Bailey's coffee to warm me up during this looming Frankenstorm, please Joe. I woke up feeling non-breakfasty ...and made a skillet of tater tots that I've drizzled truffle oil and melted some parmesan cheese over. :-)

I love the Dominguez picture.

In The Yellow Birds, author Kevin Powers packs a lot of punch into a slim novel. It principally is about 10 months in the lives of Bartle and Murph and Sergeant Sterling, from military training in New Jersey to battling in Al Tafar, Iraq in 2004, and then the aftermath. It manages to eloquently convey the frequent disconnected senselessness and dehumanizing effects of this recent war, and to provide a new angle on the difficulties of returning home. Bartle, in particular, is celebrated as a hero, but is plagued by his knowledge of the sordid events he experienced. As we learn more about the friendship that develops between Bartle and Murph, and the chilling practicality of Sergeant Sterling, who is dedicated to maximizing their chances for survival, we are reminded that we are talking about two 18 year olds and a 21 year old. What they experience would be difficult for men twice their age to handle.

Powers is economical with words and vividly draws us in throughout the book. An example:

"We didn't see where the fire came from when it came. We saw only the leaves as they flickered about and the small chunks of wood and pieces of earth that danced around us. When the ringing of the first shots subsided, we heard bullets, sounds like small rips in the air, reports of rifles from somewhere we couldn't see. I was struck by a kind of lethargy, in awe of the decisiveness of every single attenuated moment, observed in minute detail each slender moving branch and the narrow bands of sunlight coming through the leaves. Someone pulled me down to the orchard floor, and coming out of it I dragged myself on my elbows behind a withered clump of trees."

Later, when he sees "one man fall in a heap near the bank of the river among the bulrushes and green fields on its edges . . . I disowned the waters of my youth. My memories of them became a useless luxury . . ." As Bartle gets drawn further and further in, one of the surprises for me is this is not the Iraq of endless deserts that lives in my imagination. The author fought in this area, and the detail has the reader in boots on the ground.

What is done to survive, in Iraq and back home, is one strong theme of this story. Others are what is lost, and what cannot be borne. Decisions are made by these young men that may even be right, but they will shadow them for the rest of their lives.

Good review to start another thread Joe together with another stylish picture. Vive la Cafe!

>4 msf59: Hiya, Mark! Glad you like the painting. First one in the door, the Peet's is on us. Cool beans that you're enjoying a day off. It is a pretty one so far, but I hear we've got winds coming in from the big storm. Walklover was going to go to an outdoor storytelling event tonight, and decided she ain't going nowhere. (Which I guess means she is going somewhere - home).

Here's your Peet's:



>5 Crazymamie: Hah! Glad to hear it, Mamie! You know, Ellie (mirrordrum) deserves all the credit. She got me started on Peets, and like you, once I tried it, I found it delicious. Now I'm exploring different beans - today's is their Arabian Mocha Java, which I like very much. In fact, I'm going for some more once we get you yours:



>6 richardderus: On the table behind the Proustitutes? You've got a keen eye, Mr. D. Mummenchampers on its way;



>7 cameling: Mmm, those drizzled tater tots sound mighty good, Caro. Never would've thought of trying that. Baileys coffee coming up (looks like the barista better lighten that pour quickly):

Great review, Joe .. it sounds like a inspirational book....and I'm adding this to my obese wish list.

>8 jnwelch: Your review I have upgethumbed. A fine appreciation it was.

>9 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. Vive la cafe! Glad you could stop by. I don't know how you manage to travel all over LT and still keep up that buzzing thread you have!

>11 cameling: Thanks, Caro. I think The Yellow Birds is one you'd appreciate. Hope your week is off to a good start.

>12 richardderus: Merci, monsieur. As you know, you and Mark were the ones that tipped me off to this excellent book.

I also read Odd Apocalypse by Dean Koontz. Like Roberta, I was a little bit disappointed by it. Twenty-two year old Odd Thomas can see those who have died and not passed on, which in the first four books of this series has included Elvis and another well-known singer. This time a movie celebrity eventually shows up. Odd can't hear the dead, but they communicate to him with gestures. With their guidance he takes on and resolves various supernatural problems.

This time he's with the mysterious not-dead Annamaria, a seven month pregnant young woman carried over from the last book. They're staying, due to her, at Roseland, a 1920s mansion, with a billionaire and his strange-behaving employees. Everything feels off-kilter, and a murdered woman on horseback urges Odd to tackle the wrongness. What's wrong has complicated roots that even draw in Edison's competitor Nicholas Tesla, and it's a darker story than its predecessors. These are the only Dean Koontz books I read, as I was immediately enamored of Odd in the first one. He's a great character, humble, honest, a terrific fry cook, and somehow always finding a way to resolve the murky doings. There's a good dash of humor in the books, including this one. But I hope the next one lightens up a bit.

My cold isn't any better this morning yet. Ugh. May I have some sort of comfort soup, please? Tomato bisque, perhaps? And A grilled cheese sandwich? Many thanks.

Nice new thread, Joe. :) Always the welcoming host you are. A nice warm cuppa Joe would be greatly appreciated as it is cold where I am..brrr!

I didn't get Odd. He didn't...I dunno...something didn't make it into the chinks in my armor. Not awful by any stretch! Just...~meh~

I do wonder why. The idea sounds so great. Koontz can write good sentences. Ineffable alchemy missing for me, and I feel left out!

Good review of The Yellow birds. Big Thumb! Hopefully, that fine review will encourage a few more LTers to give it a shot. Appreciate the Peets!!

>15 scaifea: Sorry about that lousy cold hanging on, Amber. Yes, settle in and we'll bring you the tomato bisque and grilled cheese. We've even got a warmed blanket for occasions like this.



>16 jolerie: Thanks, Valerie! We try to make it as comfortable as possible here. Everyone needs a good place to hang out, right? Hot cupsa Joe we've got, for sure:



>17 richardderus: That is too bad, RD. I know what you mean. I've had some series where it sounds great, and folks I know really like it, and it just doesn't take off for me. Sorry the ineffable alchemy is missing for you with Odd's stories, as they've made for a good time.

>18 msf59: You bet, Mark! Thanks again for recommending The Yellow Birds. It's become a favorite of the year for me. Keep enjoying that day off - we've got plenty of Peet's!

Joe, out of curiosity, do you serve up peanut butter and pickle sandwiches at the cafe?

>20 cameling: For VIP customers like you, Caro, we bring out our finest Halloween pb & p's:

mmmmmmm.... I haven't had one of those in a long while. Maybe if I do some work around the house, I will reward myself with one later this afternoon.

LOL! I just had for lunch after seeing you talk about it on your thread, Caro! :)
It sounds soooo strange, but does taste magnificent.

>8 jnwelch: great review. Maybe I do need to read it, although, i recall after RD reviewed it I said the same and there is only one copy in the whole of Chch library system. So, patience will be my biggest obstacle in reading it!

Nice new thread Joe- The coffee's are on me (first in first served)

>22 cameling: Housework of any sort deserves a reward, Caro, no doubt about it. We'll be ready if you stop off here for one.

I just imagined Salvo's face if you tried this one on him - I don't think so. :-)

>23 jolerie: This is one I've never tried, Valerie, but maybe I'll give it a go sometime after hearing your and Caro's reactions.

>24 LovingLit: Thanks, Megan. I think it's (The Yellow Birds is) up for an award, so maybe it'll become more available soon. Very kind of you to offer to pop for the coffee; we've got it covered. Always good to see our denizens find the new cafe when we move. :-)

Mmm coffee! I'd like a nice hot cafe au lait, please proprietor, with a double Bushmills on the side. No ice.

>26 richardderus: Getting close to zing zing zinger time with the Sandy mashup, Richard? A buddy in NYC is saying 5 to 8 pm is supposed to be the worst?

Meanwhile, hot and bushy coming up:

In tidal terms, that's prime time. We're 10mi from the ocean, so if there's a tide that gets to us, the world is ending and there are other things to worry about than flooding.

But what a relief about those overdue books.

Hey Joe- Black Bush, huh? Sounds interesting. I'll try one. I'm not driving.

You got it, Mark. I try to limit my driving on LT, too. So easy to get lost among the threads.

>31 jnwelch: lol, very sensible Joe ;)

Lovely painting up top, Joe. Strong colors.

My cousin and I did the museum thing this past week - the Met, MOMA, Asia Society, and the Brooklyn Museum. She gets really excited at the museums - I crashed a couple of times and left her to her own devices. But it was a great visit. We see each other very seldom, and didn't meet at all until about 15 years ago, so three days of Bonnie was a real treat.

Now, of course, rain, wind, darkness, seas over the flood walls. I'm glad we're not on the water this time.

I love your thread. It's like LT CHEERS...

Thank you.

hi

can't say much as a pup is in my lap

belly up

snoring

i need a glass of champagne, methinks

TOR is fascinating! i am doing more than 25/day easy peasy

Hi Joe, it is a dark and slightly stormy night here so I could really go for a hot cup of coffee. Yellow Birds has already been planted on my wishlist by Mark, but your review is certainly very thumbable.

>35 maggie1944: *cracks up* You only have yourself to blame.

Joe, good morning, - do you think Morphy is picking on me? Do we have any "anti-bully" rule posters in the cafe?

I am up early even though it is my day off from kids. Nicky and I are going back to the doggie doctor to have some tests done, and to determine if in fact his kidneys are beginning to fail. If yes, then there are some steps we can take to help for a little while.

I listened to Books on the Nightstand podcast last night and was charmed.

A nice latte and some oatmeal will suit me this morning. Thank you!

Hi Joe! I very much love the painting up there. I'll have to check out Dominguez. I admit to not being wildly well-informed in the realm of visual art, but that's impressive.

Nice review of The Yellow Birds. I keep thinking I've heard of Kevin Powers, but I just realized I'm thinking of Kenny Powers, the horribly obnoxious, fictional ex-baseball player on that HBO program that my husband watches.

>32 LovingLit: And Google Maps seems to be of no help at all on LT, Megan. Thank goodness we have Jim (drneutron) for the 75ers. :-)

>33 ffortsa: Glad you like the painting, Judy. Yeah, the colors really come through. Translation onto the computer screen can vary a lot, but this one works well.

You can probably tell, we love visiting museums in our house. Your museum itinerary with cousin Bonnie sounds great to me. I like visiting the Whitney when I'm in your part of the world, too.

Ai yi yi, that storm is really packing a wallop. I lived in NYC years ago, and I just cannot imagine the subway flooding. We do have some friends in lower Manhattan, but so far they haven't been evacuated. (They're in zone 3).

>34 mckait: Hah! Thanks, Kath! You brighten it up every time you stop by. If we're like Cheers, I think I'd like to be Norm. :-)

>35 maggie1944: Hah! Nothing better than than a totally zonked out snoring pup in your lap, Karen! I'm enjoying Team of Rivals, too, as I get a little ways into it. What a massive amount of research she did, and then to turn it into enjoyable prose - impressive!

Let's get you some champers:



>36 DeltaQueen50: Hi, Judy. Mark and Richard are the ones who planted Yellow Birds in my hands, so I understand. Writing the reviews seems like part of the fun here - we all have slightly different angles on what we read, even if we all like the book. Thank you for the thumb!

Dark and stormy seems the order of the day through much of the country. We're getting the relatively mild outskirts of Sandy, dark with high winds starting. Hot coffee coming up (the barista seems to be very enthusiastic with the pouring part these days):

I'll have some of that coffee too, and send good wishes to all of you sheltering from the storm.

Coffee, too, please. We are, oddly enough, having a rainy "heat wave". I've not had the heat on in the house for a couple of days. Weird. Usually, October is "dark and stormy", and kinda chilly, too. But I'm not complaining. No room for complaining about weather if you are living outside of the Sandy Effect.

Hope everyone has a great day!

>38 maggie1944: We're definitely anti-bullying here, Karen, but methinks Morphy, like me, is enjoying the visual of your belly-up snoring pup.

If you hadn't sat down and looked so comfortable, it wouldn't have happened, right? I know if young Sherlock is around and I sit down, odds are I'm going to get some version of what happened to you. And then of course it seems mean to move and disturb his peaceful comfort. Great for slowing the pulse down, isn't it?

I hope the news is good with Nicky. The much shorter life span for furry pals is the hardest part, isn't it?

OK, a nice latte and some oatmeal for you:



>39 DorsVenabili: Glad you're enjoying the painting, Kerri. A new artist for me, too. There are some talented folks out there (including our LTer Ilana), and well done paintings are such a pleasure, aren't they?

Hah! Sounds like there's quite a difference between Kenny and Kevin Powers. As far as I know, Yellow Birds is the latter's only book so far.

>41 gennyt: Hi, Genny. Thanks for the good wishes. This is a crusher from Sandy in the part of the country where we have the most people. It's going to be an ongoing process getting through it and then recovering from it.

Hunker down in the cafe, and we'll bring you that coffee.



>42 maggie1944: Yeah, it's all relative, Karen, and you're right, can't complain if we're outside the Sandy Effect. The trains are working, the power is working, our furnace still isn't working, but that's another story and I won't complain!

Coffee coming your way - we'll leave the pot.

What a lovely pot for the coffee. Thanks!

Isn't that a beaut, Karen? Hard not to feel good about the day having coffee from a pot like that.

I don't know what is wrong with me, but going through a bout of insomnia. Can't seem to go to bed until past 1 in the morning, which makes for a tired mom the next day. Bring on the caffeine! :)

>47 jolerie: I remember that problem from our days of wee ones, Valerie. My wife and I were just discussing it this past weekend - how in the world did we do that? Lots of middle of the night needs for our two, especially our oldest who had severe asthma. The answer of course is you do what you have to. We had a tag team going for a lot of it. And coffee was a critical ingredient, too.

So, bringing on the caffeine!

I finished an Early Reviewer book, Becoming Holmes by Shane Peacock, and unfortunately found it "meh". This isn't totally fair, as it's the sixth, and I understand, last book in a YA series that I otherwise haven't read. But I was looking forward to a creative take on Sherlock as a young boy, and ended up disappointed.

In this one, Sherlock's young criminal nemesis Malefactor (will he later become Moriarity?) had placed a gang member in an influential position in the government treasury offices, as part of a scheme to take over the government. The henchman ends up "inhumanly" murdered and tossed into the Thames. Can Sherlock suss out who the killer is, and maybe even bring down Malefactor? And what will become of his relationship with Irene, who is planning to move to America? Is there any hope for his mentor, Sigerson Bell, who appears to be suffering from tuberculosis? Can Sherlock continue to prop up the young Lestrade, who isn't the brightest bulb in the store?

The answers were mildly entertaining for this reader. The series is promoted as an award winner that has garnered international acclaim. Why that would be was not apparent. Too bad.

Bummer about that last read, Joe. Here's hoping that your next one will be much better.

Could I get a bowl of chicken corn chowder and an iced tea, please?

>50 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie. I'm reading Team of Rivals, and it's as good as advertised. Plus I picked up the next Dr. Siri in Colin Cotterrill's series, and I'm sure that'll be good, too. Ye takes yer chances with them ER books, no doubt about it.

Here come the vittles:

Thanks, Joe - looks delicious!

Sorry your ER book turned out to be disappointing, Joe. Could have been worse ... you could have bought the hard cover copy of the book. *silver lining*

I just watched epi 16, Track of Sand, of the Montalbano DVD series. I've gotten the hubster hooked on Montalbano as well. :-)

>52 Crazymamie: You're welcome, Mamie. That does look good, doesn't it?

>53 cameling: Thanks, Caro. You're right, at least I didn't lose any rubles on it.

You're way ahead of me on the Salvo DVDS - I'm on #9 The Scent of the Night. I haven't had any luck with either my much better half or our daughter, although seasonsoflove did watch one with me and liked it. Glad your hubster is hooked - they're so good!

I'm so bummed, Joe ... I broke epi #15 which was Paper Moon because it was really tight in the case, and when I tried to take it out again, it snapped. I've noticed that about these Montalbano cases, the DVDs are very tightly wedged. I'm not sure if they made the plastic spokey thing in the middle that holds the DVD a little larger than usual, but I have to be very careful each time. Clearly not as careful as I should have been this time. *waaaahhhh*

Ahh, what a shame. My sympathy, Caro. My daughter noticed the same thing - they're obviously trying to cut down costs by wedging them in like that. We haven't had one break yet, thank goodness, but it takes some work to get them in and out. Too bad!

I need a pan roasted lobster to make me feel better, I think. ;-)

Hah! I wondered whether there might be something that would perk you up! A tip of the hat from the chef, and some Pouilly Fuissé on us to go with it:

oh, my, goodness, that looks very good! Maybe I have room for it before I leave to go see Timothy Egan at Town Hall Seattle this evening. I am very excited to hear him speak. I heard him on a radio interview this morning and he sounds as if he really enjoyed researching and writing this Edward Curtis book. He visited almost every Indian "Reservation" that Curtis visited; and reports the Indians are very respectful of Curtis' work.

Maybe if I leave early enough I can stop by the Fleury and Co. gallery before I go hear Egan.

>59 maggie1944: We've got more if you'd like some, Karen.

Have fun at the Timothy Egan event - we'll look forward to hearing about it. The book got a good review in the NYTBR, too. Don't know the Fleury (Flury?) & Co. gallery, but it looks like maybe it has Edward Curtis photos?

Joe - since RD is not around to request of you mate - please provide him with some chili cheese fries to keep him going in the meanwhile as he enjoys near refugee status. btw save me a little bit too!

>60 jnwelch: You are right about the spelling. It is Flury and Co. and I see you/I can see many of the photographs they have to offer on line. They do have many of his photographs. Sweet. Saves me the extra hassle of trying to park in Pioneer Square (famously difficult). I may make a special trip down on an off hour, like really early Saturday morning.

Hi Joe- More Black Bush! More Black Bush! Wait a minute...that doesn't sound very nice. Just give me a Bell's Amber.

BTW- Kerri, cracked me up with her Kenny Powers reference! What a great, twisted show that is!

>61 PaulCranswick: You got it, Paul. For RD when the power comes back, and I'm sure he'll be happy to share some - or we can get some more. :-)



>62 maggie1944: Sounds perfect-o, Karen. I know Pioneer Square pretty well, but never tried parking there - I always walked there from wherever I was staying.

>63 msf59: Hah! Good call, Mark. Bell's Anber it is:



I don't know the show, but it sounds like Kenny's quite a character.

Hi Joe, I just got home from dinner at Carrabba's but didn't feel like dessert so I could go for something now. What looks good on your menu tonight?

>65 brenzi: Hi, Bonnie. We're big on cupcakes these days. We can find something else to suit your fancy if you like, but these are really tasty:

Hey, Joe, can you set up a hot toddy for my cough tonight? I got the fourth Shane Peacock book for an ER, and got the first two out of the library before reading it. And I still agree with you--they explained Holmes' emotional distance but I didn't like them--too dark without enough character and plot interest to balance it for me.

Joe, the Timothy Egan event was perfect. Good seat. Egan was energetic and enthusiastic, tells a good story. Questions were smart and brief. Slides of photographs were not just a rehash of the ones in the book. And photographs are available from The New York Times, as well as all over the place. Interesting he did not give Flury and Company a shout out. I did get my book signed. Now I have to be careful because I think he's my newest fav author, and I can do silly things like "I want to have hard back copies of all his books, with signatures". I looked on Amazon.... not cheap!

:) glad to see that the Cafe is up and running across the planet, as always :)

>67 ronincats: Ah, got the time jiggererer warmed up, Roni, and we'll get that hot toddy to you. Sorry you've got a cough. It's that time of year, isn't it? I've been sneezing enough to wake the dead - I'll probably see a few of them walking around tonight.

Yeah, dark without enough character and plot interest, that sums it up well for what I read. I had hoped for better.

Hot toddy coming your way:



>68 maggie1944: How great, Karen! You know, sometimes those (author events) can be disappointing. So glad Mr. Egan came through and the event was perfect-o. I know what you mean about wanting everything in hardcover, although I'm less of a digger for signatures. I'm slowly trying to get my Murakamis that way. I can believe hc with signature for him isn't cheap. I've got to read this guy. If I finish Team of Rivals before 2022, I will for sure.

>69 mckait: You bet, Kath! And you didn't even have to put on a pot of coffee today. :-)

Time to start decorating, and we've got our first trick-or-treaters:





And a shout-out to our USA east-coasters and others who have been hit by Sandy and will either be having no Halloween or struggling to put something together for little ones. We're thinking of you.

What a beautiful coffee pot at 44.

I LOVE corn chowder, has to be one of my favorite soups.

>72 sibylline: Me, too, Lucy. I'm liking that coffee pot, and I love corn chowder. I'm a pushover for clam chowder, too.

Running around with my Pre-k students for Halloween-so much fun! I am starving, and would love a big plate of cheese fries with some veggie chili on top, and a veggie bacon cheeseburger please! And of course a giant pumpkin spice soy chai please!

Bummer about that Sherlock Holmes ER!

>74 seasonsoflove: Hiya, Becca Lee. Sounds like fun with your rugrats. Did you go in costume today? Did they?

I know, I had hopes that I could recommend that ER to my Sherlock-loving daughter, but you've got much better ones to read than that one.

Vittles coming up (yes, that bacon burger is veggie):

They all came in costume today-so cute! And we've got the afternoon crew coming in a little bit, also in costume. I am in costume-all the faculty are dressed like students, uniform and all-you will see the costume when Sherlock and I come over:) Sherlock was not pleased when I tried to put the Batman cape on him, so he will be wearing his sweater and thus going as Carlton from The Fresh Prince of Bel Air ;)

Keep those chais coming please-I'm going to need them!

Hah! Yes, I heard Sherlock balked at the Batman cape. He'll make a most excellent Carlton. I'll look forward to seeing the two of you later on. I'm coming home early for the festivities. They're even closing off our block to traffic this year!

(For those who wonder what that's all about, our neighborhood is chock full of kids and has become a very popular Halloween venue over the years. To the point where parents bring kids from all over to stroll our street. Tons o' fun).

I'll bet those kids of yours are cute. And excited. We'll keep the chais at the ready for you, Ms. seasonsoflove.

Oh my, that ginormous bacon cheeseburger looks amazing. I'll have one of those, please.

All food here is calorie free?? I'm looking at those pictures and am having serious doubts...haha!!

>78 scaifea: You got it, Amber.



Any Halloween plans with the little guy?

>79 jolerie: If you eat it here, Valerie, or get take-out from here, it's calorie-free, the chef assures me. If you get a look-alike somewhere else, probably not. :-)

We've already had our trick-or-treating, so we're staying home tonight a passing out candy to any that may come to our door. Charlie does want to put his costume back on for this evening, though.

Hah! Charlie makes a great Mario. He's got a good idea to host in it.

Jocelyn's preschool had a Mario there this morning. So cute!

It wouldn't surprise me if Becca had a Mario in her class. Great idea for a costume character. Here's one to go with it for the gamers out there:

Happy All Hallows, folk.

my super treat for today is JB (my best beloved) has been released from intensive care to the floor after throat surgery yesterday for the big C. all's well. i haven't been able to visit her due to the inconveniences of the body (GNAAAAAHHHHH) but she now has her laptop so we can communicate despite her ungodly sore throat and my recalcitrant whatnots.

YAY!

Oh my, Ellie. I had no idea JB was in for throat cancer surgery. So glad to hear all's well. Please give her my best. Yay! and happy dance! That's got to have been tough for both of you.

We've got your '59 Sierra Nevada creek water ready when you (and your recalcitrant whatnots) need a break and some refreshment.

I've got to slip away now to help Walklover with the festivities, but I hope all the USAers have a good Halloween, and everyone else has a good night/middle of the night/morning/elevenses.

The chef's ready as needed, and there are pies on the counter.

We can't forget about this:



Hope you have a great Halloween, Joe!

Lovely! *toddles over to the sidebar* What? What does this mean? Ladies? Encouraged? hmmmmm

I've never been mistaken for a Lady, maybe a Comtessa? or is it Contessa? I think I'd like a pink martini, please.

You will not believe this: I am hiding in my second floor back office, and only using the back of the hallway bathroom. There is a sign on my front door that says: Sorry No Treats.

I am decidedly the grouch today!

HI Joe!
I also finished Odd Apocalypse this month and I did not enjoy it as much as the first couple books. Koontz was a tad off with this one. Hopefully he can manage going back to the tone of the original book with his next one.

Hi Joe
I'm after something good with strawberries in it and another of those club sodas with lemon. I'm about to make a pavlova for my son's birthday and I need a sweet treat before I start.
I'm watching a movie, To Hell and Back which is based on Audie Murphy's autobiography while I work in the kitchen. Read the first 20pgs of Great North Road last night but didn't try to read more, still coming down from the 1Q84 world.

Hello Joe

Stopping by and waving hi. Your lists are incredible. I haven't read three of the YA books you mentioned and they will be placed on my tbr pile.

Happy Halloween Joe. We only had fifteen kids come trick-or-treating tonight, but the prettiest one was my granddaughter, dressed up as an Ice Princess.

#86 - Ellie, please send my best wishes to JB as well.

Nice to see everyone! I am being lazy this morning... those burgers look delish, but the fries even better!
I finally finished a book but not the TJ book.. maybe tomorrow for that one?

#86 best wishes and healing energy >>>>

>89 msf59: Thanks for posting the Wednesday sign, Mark! It was a fun Halloween. Holy smokes a lot of kids showed up. We went through five big Costco bags of candy. We had a friend from Britain and her hubby and kids, and she couldn't believe it. All the kids were very polite though, which was great.

Lots of princesses and superheroes, Hogwarts alumni, Buzz Lightyears and Woodys, cops and firemen, witches and wizards, Abe Lincolns, Romney with a binder of women (!), a kid covered in green neon plastic tubing lit with a battery, which was very cool, videogame characters including a Mario, a bunch of green grapes, cheerleaders, a Rosie the Riveter zombie (proudly asking people to guess), and much more.

Poor Sherlock the puppy got way-overexcited, but then got pooped out and just sat on laps, enjoying the spectacle.

>90 maggie1944: I think we all have our grouch days, so no worries, Karen. Glad Mark's sign encouraged you to get a pink martini. Here you go:



>91 ChelleBearss: Yes, well put, Chelle. It's the tone that seemed off in Odd Apocalypse. I hope he gets back to what made it appealing with the next one, too.

>92 avatiakh: I sure know what you mean about coming down from the 1Q84 world, Kerry. It took me a couple of days to transition from that one. I'd pick up books, and they weren't like that, and I'd put them back down.
Sounds like some good old-timey movies you're watching.
Pavlova is a new dessert to me, but it sure looks good. We'll get you something sweet with strawberries and club soda, and warm up the time jiggererer:



>93 Whisper1: Thanks, Linda! I remembered to bring over the list of beautiful words, since people seemed to like that.

If you haven't read Fault in Our Stars or Wonder, I'd go first with that. The other YA faves of mine are the second and the third in the series, so you may want to backtrack with those.

>94 DeltaQueen50: Sorry to hear you had a low turnout, Judy, but I bet your daughter was bee-yoo-tuh-full as an Ice Princess. I'll stop over to see whether you have any pics.

Wish we could get you to our place some Halloween. Kids aplenty.

>95 mckait: Good morning, Kath. I'm glad you're being lazy for once, although I suspect you're doing a number of chores while being lazy.

I join you and Judy in sending good wishes to Ellie and JB.

>thanks for the good wishes, Judy and Kath. eta: and Joe. she sounds like somebody drove a forklift down her throat but i think she'll be home today. can't wait. :)

but while i am waiting, may i please have some of these muffinks from en zed? are they gorgeous or what? plenty to share.

oh, i finished the giver. i was a trifle baffled by the ending. a most thought-provoking book.

has anybody else read Snow? it's my loo read (pun here. think Lou Reed.) but what with disruptions to my concentration i'm stalled a few pages in. seems promising but abt 700+ pp long, albeit in LP. egad!

me again. i had meant to put in an pre-order for an extravagant order of chili cheese fries for RD when he's back with us and whatever he'd like to drink.

Happiest of Hump days to you, Joe. :)
I, for one can't wait for the weekend to get here!!

>99 mirrordrum: The Giver is such a short book, but boy does it pack a punch! I read it earlier this year and can't wait to see what the other books in the series are about.

>>98 mirrordrum:-100

Congrats on getting JB home today, Ellie! It sounds like it went well. Sending positive thoughts your way.

I had to talk that ending of The Giver through with my kids; it is elliptical, but it works. Thought-provoking indeed that book is.

I haven't read Snow; I like the Lou Reed pun. :-) We'll have extravagant ccf's ready for friend Richard when he re-surfaces, and will let him know you sent it to his table (or his stool at the book bar).

Those NZ muffinks are new to me, but the chef gives a big thumbs up, so here you go:



>101 jolerie: Hi, Valerie! Happy Hump Day to you, too. In fact, happy Over the Hump Day, as now we're sailing toward the weekend. I can't wait either. We've got a play tomorrow night, a wedding Saturday, and a Bulls basketball game Saturday night. Woo-hoo!

The Giver packs a punch all right. It was much better than I expected. Looking forward to hearing what you think of the subsequent ones. She just published the last one in the series, I believe.

Haha, can you tell the lack of sleep has totally gotten to me?? I realized after I wrote you that message that it was Thursday...and NOT Wednesday. Either way as long as we are going forward in time, I'm a happy camper. :)
I have the other books in the series on my TBR mountain waiting to be read......

I figgered it was something like that, Valerie. No worries. Time is pretty fluid in this place - we can even go backwards if needed for food and drink orders.

I can't decide about reading the other books in the series, so I'm looking forward to the guidance of you and others. I'm making some progress on Team of Rivals, although since Kindle shows it by percentage read of the whole, rather than pages, that progress looks pretty pitiful.

Finally managed to get to the cafe (which I believe had MOVED in my absence...ya wanna exPLAIN that????). No power at my house. A large bowl of lentil soup with lots of potatoes and greens would be most sustaining just now, if you can rustle it up, kind sir.

Hah! You know, Linda, periodically we'll get a notice indicating it's time to move the cafe. We try to leave a message for everyone and good directions to the new place. Maybe your power outage interfered this time?

Power outages are a pain. I hope you and yours are doing okay. We can definitely rassle up that soup for you:

Ahhh.......Soup makes everything better. Thank you. My husband says crews are in the vicinity, looking extremely busy and purposeful, so maybe the end of the outage is in sight.

Glad to hear it, Linda - it may be that they're just very good at appearances, but I suspect they're really getting something done.

I'll have a bowl of that same soup - it looks delicious! If only virtual cafe food actually gave me real nourishment, it would save me the trouble of going and cooking my dinner now, after a long and tiring day, including a couple of spells in a cold building which should have been warm because the new boiler was finally up and running yesterday after a 2 week delay in getting it installed - but after working for one day, today it was not cooperating and the building was still chilly and damp. Thank goodness for a warm home to come back to, and I know others are putting up with far worse that this... but still, that soup will be most welcome!

>105 laytonwoman3rd: OMG! i'm wanting lentil soup like my Egyptian friend used to prepare. i used to make a killer version: the trick is in the lemon juice and the least little bit of cold press olive oyle. and, of course, spinach. carrots and onions, too, but hers, and thus mine, were simpler versions than i can find on-line. no cumin or celery or pepper.

and for 'afters,' i'm thinkin' chocolate caramel pecan cheesecake and some Peet's Holiday Blend:



oh my stars and garters!

>107 laytonwoman3rd: hang in there, Linda. glad you can at least visit Joe's. :)

#110 Oh my trembling taste buds! I wanted to ask for something sweet, but couldn't decide what I wanted. That cheesecake is It. Sorry...did I drool on you a little there?

no problem, Linda. i have a cat that does that frequently and copiously when he's happy. i did manage to pull the keyboard out of the way just in the nick of time.

gotta love these calorie free extravagances. amazingly enough, i seem to be quite happy with just the pics and recipes without really having much interest in actually eating any of this stuff except things like soups and salads.

>100 mirrordrum: i'm waffling about moving on with The giver quartet. my mind is presently in a sludge-like state and i'm having to read things requiring minimal effort from the neurons and synapses. they don't work well in sludge. right now, it's Phoenix rising by Pip Ballantine and Agatha Christie, if that tells you anything.

>109 gennyt: Ah, good, Genny. A bowl of that soup is coming your way. We've talked about trying to franchise the cafe in the RL, but can't figure out a way to keep that no-calorie benefit.

Sorry you've got a chilly and damp building to work in. I hope they figure out the boiler problem quickly for you.

I've had the opposite problem - work was comfortable, but it took them 3 weeks to get our furnace going, so we had a mighty chilly house for a while there. Long story short, we had a new furnace put in (ours was more than 20 years old - way beyond life expectancy), and it worked just long enough for the furnace guy to find a place to hide so we couldn't find him quickly. He comes back, and it works just long enough . . . and again . . ., this time with a contractor friend of ours looking over his shoulder. They finally figured out it was the air intake (apparently you've got to have enough air coming in for it to work properly), and last night we finally had a toasty house. Space heaters and quilts and the not too frosty time of year got us through. Jeesh.

Anyway, you're right, a lot of folks in the Eastern U.S. are going through a lot worse.

>110 mirrordrum: I'd like to try your lentil soup, Ellie! That sounds yummy. It's such a hearty soup. I want some now, too.

That pie looks mighty good. I take it Peet's Holiday Blend is a good 'un? I was tempted to try it but hadn't heard any reactions to it. Everything's new in this world of Peet's you introduced me to. I'm enjoying the smooth Arabian Mocha Java very much.

I love the phrase, "Oh my stars and garters!" I don't know where it's from originally, but it's most excellent.

>111 laytonwoman3rd: Oh good, I'm glad the strawberry cheesecake was the right pick for you, Linda. It makes you want to dig right in, doesn't it?

No problem with the drooling. It happens a lot here. We were wearing the drool-resistant cafe ponchos just in case - plus I end up drooling half the time myself.

it's British in origin, of course. i always forget the long history but know it has to do with the order of the garter and the shape of the medal or whatever that one received when one got it.

this is she who hath the coronet and both weareth and dispenseth the garter and its star. you can see it on her left breast. at least i think that's what that is. looks like it. can't read the writing which should say 'honi soit qui mal y pense.' ('evil to him who evil thinks,' if i remember my M*A*S*H ep correctly). is it la Rochefoucauld? that's what the woman in the episode said. i dunno.



pretty righteous rags for all those riches, huh? i wouldn't want to wear 'em, not if it were ever so!

//eta hah! just went googling. and i have misremembered the episode for years. i found this tidbit: "(in) the M.A.S.H. episode "In Love and War?" . . . Hawkeye falls in love with a highly educated Korean woman of somewhat more cultivation than the surgeon from Maine. After he is informed that La Rochefoucauld is not the one who said "Evil to him who evil thinks (Honi soit qui mal y pense)," he makes some observation which causes her to say "You do know La Rochefoucauld. He said "One is only as happy or as unhappy as one imagines."

Having carried around for decades that relic from the huge portion of my life frittered away in front of the tube, I decided to look up the real quotation, and it seems that in his Maxim 49, La R. says "One is never as happy or as unhappy as one imagines. (On n'est jamais si heureux ni si malheureux qu'on s'imagine.)"

>114 mirrordrum: Wow, thanks, Ellie. While working with pretty suspect material (meaning moi), I think you've managed to inch me up a bit on the erudite meter.

May I shamefacedly say that you've ruined my lingerie association with "oh my stars and garters'? A little knowledge can be a most disappointing thing. However, the truth should always out, I suppose. But please don't tell me that having your knickers in a twist has something to do with the Royal Order of the Knicker.

I will have to try this highfalutin' Mash talk on my Mash-lovin' wife, who exalts that show beyond just about any other. I am quite intrigued by the conversion of "One is never as happy or unhappy as one imagines" into "One is only as happy or unhappy as one imagines." The first one makes me want to say to La R., "sez who?" Sounds like he thinks there's some objective measurer out there who can give the correct assessment the imagination is incapable of. I don't think so. But the second one, ah, that makes some sense to me. Outlook, perspective, can make all the difference.

Hi Joe, my do your threads move fast, sorry I've had trouble keeping up.

I thought you wouldn't mind if I posted the following public message:

I've just now created the discussion threads for The Pearl: http://www.librarything.com/topic/144208 and Travels with Charley: http://www.librarything.com/topic/144209 our two Steinbeckathon short reads this month.

You can join either one or both—I know I've planned to read both as I loved The Pearl the first time around, and I've been looking forward to reading Travels with Charley for a long time!

Ah, nice to be in the cafe again. I'm temporarily relocated but my aim is true.

Had a delightful Angry Orchard cider this afternoon with a Philly Steak mac & cheese. That was just delicious. The mac & cheese was mixed with philly steak, mushrooms and grilled onions, in a little cast iron skillet. I was a very happy person at lunch ... and no, it wasn't because I had 2 glasses of Angry Orchard. ;-)

>98 mirrordrum: NZ muffins!!? World famous at last- Hoorah!
Muffins in NZ come large or extra large. Just the way I like'em :)

Did I correctly read above that you have never had Pavlova ??? such sadness especially now berries are in season, berries, cream & Pav is perfection ......

>116 Smiler69: Thanks, Ilana. No problema with the posting. I'll join you on Travels with Charley for sure, which I read a little while ago (couldn't wait!)

>117 ffortsa: Ah, good to see you, Judy. I hope the storm effects are settling down. I'll stop over and catch up.

>118 cameling: I hadn't heard of Angry Orchard before, Caro. They picked a memorable name! Makes me think of the Oz forest or Tolkien's Ents. My much better half is liking hard cider these days, and I see we can find it in Chicago. I'll look for it for her after hearing your positive reaction.

If I ate that lunch, I suspect it would be nap time for me on the floor at work.

>119 LovingLit: That was news to me, Megan. I like big muffins (why do I hear a rap song coming on?) much better than the lousy stuff we supersize in our part of the world.

>120 roundballnz: You did, Alex. I'd never even heard of Pavlova. As you can tell, I need Pavlova help. It sure sounds good.

I hadn't realised that Pavlova was not known all over the world. Although it does not originate in the UK, it is a well-loved party desert here too. You can't go wrong with meringue, cream and fresh berries!

You definitely need to try Pavlova - it is just about my favourite dessert ever.

Back to my usual table in the corner near the comic book rack.

Finishing up Poor Things a cute little Frankenstein story from Scotland.

Would love a toasted corn muffin and Garcon! A root beer please.

Joe, for some reason, your thread always makes me hungry. I try not to visit on an empty stomach. Lol. I really like that list of beautiful words in post #3. I am a lover of mellifluous language as I suspect a lot of us are.

>>122 gennyt:-123 You've convinced me, Genny and Rhian. I'll see whether I can find Pavlova here, rather than waiting for a trip across the pond. Here's a bit to tide us all over:



>124 magicians_nephew: Ah, good to see you, Jim! Sounds like you and Judy are getting back on your feet after the mega-storm. Over near the comic book rack is one of my favorite spots.

Poor Things certainly sounds intriguing. I see one LTer described it as "part Frankenstein, part Pygmalion, part Portrait of a Lady". Never thought I'd hear those three put together.

Toasted corn muffin (pick your fave) and a root beer are on their way to your table:

Joe, I am in dire need of the usual, please. Just finished reading the first chapter of TOR - very good, draws you right in. Hope you are having a lovely Friday.

>127 Crazymamie: Yesterday was way hard in the challenging RL, Mamie, but today is lovely indeed. And tonight we see Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George, directed by Gary Griffin, at Chicago Shakespeare. We loved it when it played in their smaller theater, and this is supposed to be quite a swell production.

I'm enjoying TOR, too. As I mentioned somewhere on LT, on Kindle progress is measured by percentage of the whole book, not pages, so I've barely made a dent. But it sure is good. I didn't realize the odds Abe overcame in getting elected, and the insights into the time and the leading politicos are really something. Can you imagine political debates being attended and watched with the avid fervor of sports events? (Or, "athletic contests", as she puts it). And she manages to convey his eloquence and persuasive power, in contrast to his gawky and sometimes shabby appearance.

Anyway, we need to address that dire need! Here you go:

Hi, Joe. Friday it is! Wooopeee! I am so ready for a weekend. One additional factoid I enjoyed thinking on from TOR - the speeches were carefully written and could easily last as long as three hours. People paid attention to the speakers over the course of three hours! Those were some dedicated citizens.

Happy Friday, Karen! I know, the multi-hour length of those carefully crafted speeches, and the attention paid, is remarkable. The Lincoln-Douglas ones were set up for multi-hour back and forth, too. One gives a speech, one rebuts, then the first finishes it up. Very different from what we're used to.

Hears to a great weekend everyone ......... now for a nice cuppa tea & a good book

hi joe!
i loved TOR just reading it by myself - and i am not a huge political person - it must be way better even reading in a group.

got any loaded nachos and maybe a cabernet? oooo wish i was really, really going out for some. that's where we were headed when i broke my shoulder and i've been craving them ever since...

>131 roundballnz: Have a great weekend yourself, Alex. I'm off for a bite to eat with our friends and then what should be a good show.

>132 -Cee-: Hiya, Cee! Ouch, I feel bad for you every time I think of that shoulder. Definitely we can get you the nachos and cabernet - glad it's easy to come here even with a bum shoulder. Here you go;



Have a great weekend, Cee! I'm off to cross the Loop here in Chi-town.

Nachos? Looks yummy :) I think a Guinness is a perfect way to celebrate finishing the tome.

I agree with Kath, that looks like an excellent way to end a Friday!

Hi Joe- Did you know Sprecher's is from Wisconsin and also makes beer? I've been meaning to give their beer a try. It's just very expensive at Binnys.
Hope you have a great time at the play.

I know this is a stupid question but what is TOR ?

I am sorry. It is Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin. There is a group read of it, and Joe is a part of the group read. It is about Abraham Lincoln and his appointing his political rivals to position in his cabinet. Politics!

I should not assue everyone pays that much attention to the group reads.

>137 roundballnz: Team of Rivals

ETA: I see Karen beat me to it! ;) Here is the link to the group read. http://www.librarything.com/topic/143910

Thanks - If i ventured there i think I would be forever stuck in the vortex of LT never to be seen again :)

Oh gosh....Nachos. So deliciousness. Thank goodness I've had dinner already, but then again no calories right?? *Face plant onto the plate of nachos...* :D

i keep thinking i should try ToR but a) with a very few exceptions, i'm absolutely fed up with US politics and politicians, 2) the very idea of intelligent discourse between and amongst politicians would make me even more infuriated by the current charade on both sides than i already am, and lastly) i'm embarrassed to say, it just doesn't interest me. awful, ain't it?

an old fashioned chocolate malt would go wow in my mouth right about now. looks a little sumpin' sumpin' like this. oh yeah!

thanks for the nachos, joe!
i actually got these without falling...yay! love this cyber cafe!
and i am off the narcotics now so i can drink to my heart's content
actually, one glass will do me in :D

one glass always does me in

Good Saturday morning! I'll have my usual latte in the corner, at the table with the good reading lamp!

*proprietor runs in and throws his hat on the rack*

>134 mckait: Thank goodness someone warmed up the time jiggererer, Kath. We're zipping that Guinness back to you:



>135 maggie1944: OK, more Guinness coming up, Karen, and we've got plenty of nachos.



>136 msf59: Thanks, Mark. News to me about Sprecher's. The play was most excellent. I was saying to Walklover that I didn't appreciate Sondheim nearly as much as a young guy; now I really enjoy the complicated melodies and clever lyrics.

Sunday in the Park with George benefitted hugely from moving to the big stage. Director Gary Griffin is a wizard. Jason Danieley, who our NYorkers probably know, was terrific as Georges Seurat, and Carmen Cusack (apparently not related to the Chicago Cusack acting family) was really good, too. The set worked beautifully, featuring a huge screen of the famous painting that changed throughout the show, with the live orchestra above it.

Arbitrary factoid: I'd never really thought about there being a lady walking a pet monkey in the bottom right of the painting. Bizarre.

>>137 roundballnz:-140 I see Karen and Roberta explained that TOR=Team of Rivals, Alex. You may not want to fall into the LT vortex (although I bet it's one of the pleasanter vortexes (vortices?) around), but I think you'll be hearing a lot of strong recommendations for the book. I'm finding it exceptionally good so far.

>141 jolerie: LOL! Can't think of a better place to plant one's face, Valerie. :-)

>142 mirrordrum: I don't think we can top that beaut of a malt you put together, Ellie, so we'll just bask in the glow of your enjoying it. Hope JB is continuing to improve.

Tain't awful to not want to read politico books. Just be glad you don't live in Wash, DC where you'd need a hidden rabbit hole somewhere to get clear of the politics everywhere. I sure don't read many of them, but the Civil War times are fascinating and she sure brings it all to vivid life.

>143 -Cee-: Hah! We been trying to come up with really good fall-free nachos, Cee, so it's good to hear these worked out. And congrats on getting off the meds. We'll have more wine ready when you are. A glass or two is generally my limit these days, too.

>144 ffortsa: Yeah, I know what you mean, Judy. There's enough of me to absorb a fair amount without my getting too loopy (although Walklover tells me I do get quite philosophical when the alcohol percentage increases), but these days a little bit goes a long way.

>145 maggie1944: Good morning, Karen! Ah, now I feel the day can start. The staff doesn't really kick into gear until we get you your usual latte at your favorite table. Here you go:

Man, your thread does move fast - but I love the Mash/La Rochefoucauld discussion. The real quotation leaves the MASH version in the dust.

JB is definitely better, thanks, Joe. pain still high but she's bossing me around non-verbally (she can't talk as her tongue got mashed with a forceps). this is a good sign (the bossing not the mashed tongue!).

>148 sibylline: indeed! one could segue nicely from that to Buddhism or just plain mindfulness practice. of course, i'm inclined to think almost everything can do that. works for me when i work it.

>147 jnwelch: every time i read your response to Cee about nachos, i read it as "free-fall" nachos. so now i want a large order of free-fall nachos, please Joe. that oughta challenge our cheffiekins.

>148 sibylline: Glad you liked that one, Lucy. Ellie sheds more light in the next post.

>149 mirrordrum: Hah! That is a good sign. She's got to be feeling better if she's got enough energy to try some bossing around. Glad to hear it! Forcep-mashed tongue, however, sounds like she still deserves a bid dollop of sympathy. Please give her my best.

Hmm, free-fall nachos? I'm turning this one over to the chef. OK, according to the chef, there is no plate under these and they are floating down to the earth.

LOL - i'll take a large plate to catch some of those!

Luckily, I just had dinner, so all I'm after is a nice cup of coffee, Joe. I've been laying low for a couple of days and spending a lot of my time reading. I'm totally absorbed by We Band of Angels, about the American nurses who were stranded on the Philippines when war broke out with Japan.

Hope you had an excellent weekend.

Whoa. My Sunday afternoon was going to be one of those chauffering afternoons: drop Miss Boo off at a party; drop Don off at work; pick up Miss Boo from party; listen to whinge from Mr Bear at being stuck in the back of a car all afternoon.

Then we got the offer of Miss Boo getting a lift home with a friend (and some extra play time at said friend's house), and Mr Bear got invited around the corner to his best mate's place for the afternoon.

Suddenly, I have an empty house. No one but me and the cats, and probably no other family members until 5pm.

I should sit back and read Something Wicked This Way Comes with a nice pot of tea, but I think I should get some washing up done, and some dinner prep for the kids, which involves wandering over to the shops. THEN I'll sit back with my book and pot of tea. :)

Joe, a pot of Darjeeling for about an hour's time. :) Nice to have some free weekend time to pop in here, too!

>150 jnwelch: re: 149 *snort* ;) and see my next

Dropping by to wish you a lovely weekend mate and I wouldn't mind sharing a pot of that tea with Tania so long as she is prepared to share one of my scones.

Mmmmm Tea & scones ..... (I was feeling virtuous having gone to the gym)

I feel free fall nachos should have a helmet or something space-y...

Paul, more than happy to share your scone! Scrumptious. Shall we have some whipped cream and strawberry jam to go on it?

I hosted a high tea just the other weekend - sandwiches with the crusts cut off (goats cheese, walnut and celery; chicken and aioli and fresh herbs; cucumber), warm scones fresh from the oven, vanilla cupcakes, lemon cake (the kids helped bake that one the day before, so it was presented minus a fair chunk because we had to taste it warm...), and oatmeal and cranberry cookies. It was a serious baking weekend. :)

And champagne, g&ts, and many pots of tea.

Dinner did not eventuate that evening. Tummy far too full of cake.

Ellie's chocolate malt looks really good!!
Hi Joe. How are things around the cafe? Are you making a living?

>158 wookiebender: oh, Tania. goat cheese, walnut and celery sandwiches? oatmeal cranberry cookies? oh please may i come to your next high tea? i'm not terribly keen on cupcakes, but scones? oh my yes.

and yes, i expect helmets would have been a good idea for the freefalling nachos, except that i think they might interfere with consumption. and anyway, nachos have no conception of fear or brain damage. it ain't in 'em.

>159 EBT1002: very tasty malt it was. be happy to share one as i would really only want a sip. or two. possibly 3.

Ellie, really? Only a sip or two? I would happily slurp up the whole thing!

Tania - If we are being really posh my dear we'll have the jam but call it preserve!

Devonshire cream. A must-have with scones.

>161 EBT1002: well, Ellen, since i wrote that so long ago, my soup has moved on down the line and i could now probably manage a goodly portion of a malt. so how about we get two chocolate malts, one each. my treat.

and i have never had Devon cream with or without scones. always meant to but somehow it never happened. so i think for my elevenses tomorrow, i'll pre-order a cream tea. apparently, there's quite a debate about which goes on the scone first, the jam or the cream. jam first seems more natural but i'm easy.

"I know no greater pleasure for elevenses in London than to sit in this tea place and watch the trains arrive and depart. Later the crowds are too great." - John Betjeman referring to Liverpool Street Station

Jam (or preserve!) first for me. You've got to get the cream on your upper lip as a moustache, or you're not doing it right.

Devon cream? Such a thing is unknown to me, but I'm happy to be educated. Afternoon tea with scones and jam (preserve!) and cream is known in these parts as a Devonshire Tea, so we're probably not far off.

Hm, while the kids were out, I did two loads of laundry, some shopping, washing up, dinner prep for them, and successfully fought iCloud & Google to sync my calendars across the Mac, iPhone, and iPad. (Should have been much easier, frankly.) Was just about to settle (finally!) with cup of tea and my book, when Mr Bear knocked on the front window. Oh well. Back to reading-with-interruptions.

Devon cream aka clotted cream: as thick as soft butter, which is why some spread it on first before the jam (preserve).

Oh, I know clotted cream! Sadly, I haven't seen it around for *years*, but my grandparents were dairy farmers, and I have incredibly fond memories of eating warm homemade bread in their kitchen with heaps of homemade apricot jam (the tree right outside the window) and fresh clotted cream.

Oh my. I'm hungry now.

I was wondering about Devonshire cream as well but clotted cream - I know all about that!

Devonshire Tea sounds wonderful!

*proprietor runs in and throws hat on the rack*

Woo, had iPad problems but Walklover reminded me of a double-button trick to get it back up and running. Thanks for your patience.

Happy Sunday!

>151 -Cee-: Now we've really got you covered, Cee. Both falling-free and free-falling nachos. We'll bring you a plate. :-)

>152 DeltaQueen50: Hmm, We Band of Angels looks intriguing, Judy. I'm always interested in WWII, and I'm trying to learn more about the Pacific Theater. That's where my dad served in the Navy, and it was all so different from the battles in Europe.

It has been an excellent weekend so far. Our daughter's best friend had a very happy wedding and reception yesterday, and married a guy you all would say "awww" over. Just a sweet, good-hearted guy who's gaga over her. They're off to Ireland (he's Irish-American) today for their honeymoon.

I told the Methodist pastor how much I liked the ceremony, and that I can't remember ever saying such a thing before. She had had several pre-marriage meetings with them, and it was much more personal than any I'd ever attended. She really knew them, and had good advice - e.g., like so many, they showed problems with who's "right", and they have to learn that's often simply not important. She did say they had the strongest foundation for a marriage she'd ever seen, and that fits what we know - they have a lot of respect and love for each other.

Last night was a lousy Chicago Bulls basketball game (the Bulls were lousy), but that happens. We still had fun. Today is a supremely lazy day - Yay!

OK, maybe the proprietor should shut up for a while and get you that coffee:

Good morning Joe, your thread is as mouthwatering as ever! I'm glad you finally got your furnace working properly, but oh, what a terrible hassle you had! Nice to be warm at last, I'll bet. Hope you're having a great weekend.

>153 wookiebender: Good to see you, Tania! I know you're a busy lady. Good to hear you got some time off from Miss Boo and Mr, Bear, dear as I know they are to you. We used to call that "grown-up time."

Something Wicked This Way Comes is one of my favorite Bradburys. What an atmosphere he creates!

Okay, let's time jigger you a good pot of Darjeeling:



>154 mirrordrum: Hah! I thought you'd get a kick out of that, Ellie.

>155 PaulCranswick: Good to see you, Paul. I suspect Tania'd have no problem sharing the Darjeeling. Here are scones for the two of you:



>156 roundballnz: Good for you for going to the gym, Alex. We've got more tea and scones if you decide a small reward is in order.

We just took an hour's walk, and we've got another long one coming up, as we connect up with seasonsoflove and young furry Sherlock, and return a couple of library books. So we're feeling reasonably virtuous, too.

>157 mirrordrum: LOL! Now those are the real deal - freefall nachos supreme!

Ah! What a lovely cafe it is this morning, too! I'll join in on the scones with all those yummy additions, and a good strong cup of Darjeeling! I'm over in the back, corner table with the good reading lamp! Happy Sunday, everyone.

>158 wookiebender: I figgered you'd be more than willing to share with Paul, Tania. We have a power outaged LTer I need to check in on who's a bit challenged in the food-sharing area. I know RD also is doing NaNoMo, or whatever the month-long novel-writing acronym is, so I'm hoping that's part of our not hearing from him.

Your high tea sounds most excellent. Attendees must have felt very lucky - and sated!

Whipped cream and strawberry jam?



>159 EBT1002: Hi, Ellen! All's well around the cafe. In fact, folks seem to have been having quite a good time while the proprietor was out frolicking and watching cute couples get married.

Making a living? You know, we've been able to save up a fair amount of Flanian Pobble Beads, but the places you can spend those are more limited than you might think. Still, we're having a good time and getting by just fine.

>160 mirrordrum: Nice of you to share, Ellie. I think of those free-falling nachos like snowflakes - I figure you just look up and stick out your tongue. I can take a little mess if they lands elsewhere, although I suppose a properly designed helmet might have a way of gathering them for your later consumption.

>161 EBT1002: We have more slurpables on hand, Ellen, if sharing Ellie's doesn't do the trick.

>162 PaulCranswick: Jam preserves, that does sound more elegant, Paul. You know, high tea can be found around the U.S., but it ain't common. We can use all the tips like this we can get, mate.

>163 EBT1002: Now we're really upping the elegance (and deliciousness quotient), Ellen.

Morning Joe- Peets please! I hope you enjoy your "lazy" day! Go Bears!

>164 mirrordrum: We may have to have elevenses regularly at the cafe. It feels good every time I hear that word, Ellie. I'd like to have been with Betjeman watching the trains.

Two chocolate malteds for you and Ellen:



>165 wookiebender: "Back to reading-with-interruptions" - love that phrase, Tania. I know that state of being. Yesterday Walklover and I gathered in a quiet room for reading without interruptions, and it was mighty good. Didn't happen often when the kids were around, much as we liked them.

You're obviously good at multitasking, and I couldn't coordinate a calendar across the floor, much less across three different tech devices. I'm just glad I could get the iPad working again, thanks to Walklover's tip.

>166 gennyt: Thanks, Genny. Wish high tea was bigger here, so I could impress my friends with my increased knowledge. Had no idea that Devon cream and clotted cream are the same thing.



>167 wookiebender: It's not apricot jam, Tania, but we've got more scones like the one above if you're still hungry.

I'm sure the chef could rassle up some apricot jam, too.

>>168 SandDune:-169 I know, Rhian and Kath, the high tea is sounding and looking really good, isn't it? We may have to see whether Tania could coordinate an LT high tea in her part of the world. It would be worth the trip.

>171 AMQS: I know, Anne, it is mouth-watering here sometimes. Good thing this is all calorie-free or I'd be thinking about taking up sumo wrestling.

The furnace finally is working beautifully and, truth be told, far better than the old one. It's more efficient, too, by a long shot, so we hope to see that on the bills coming up.

>173 maggie1944: Good morning, Karen! Happy Sunday to you, too. We'll get the scones and cup of Darjeeling over to your favorite table pronto:

>175 msf59: Whoa, you just caught me, Mark. Heading down to get the game DVR'd, as we may get interrupted this busy weekend. Peet's Holiday Blend (Ellie-recommended) coming up:


Woo, had some trouble getting that one to your book bar seat. Go Bears!

>152 DeltaQueen50:; 170 We Band of Angels is an excellent book. I learned quite a lot and of course I'm extra proud as a nurse that these ladies story was told.

I'll have a butterscotch Mamie special in honor of our friend RD.

>175 msf59: & 178 wow. i didn't know we had other 'old blues' on here. Go Bears indeed. ;)



Oski Wow-Wow!
Whiskey Wee-Wee!
Olee! Muckie-eye!
Olee! Berkeley-eye!
California! Wow!

oh, in re: the Devon cream thing. i read, or perhaps heard, a rant by John Cleese when he was soundly bashing the US over various things, like Iraq, and he went off about dumbass US tourists who ask for Devonshire cream when there *is* no such place as Devonshire and it's Devon cream. so i looked about a bit and there seem to be differing takes. Devonshire is an alternative, though somewhat archaic, name for Devon but i've found both Devonshire and Devon cream teas on British sites though Devon seems to predominate. whatever.

#181 I was always taught that to say Devonshire was wrong - the correct term was Devon. In the West Country of England you get Devon cream teas in Devon and Cornish cream teas in Cornwall but to be honest they are exactly the same. The county name is more a description of where the cream comes from rather than the type of cream.

>179 luvamystery65: Good to hear that endorsement of We Band of Angels, particularly from someone in the profession, Roberta.

A butterscotch Mamie in honor of RD (and I guess in honor of Mamie, too) coming up:



>>180 mirrordrum:-181 Ah, we love them Berkeley Bears here in Chi-town! Although I have no idea what that fight song is supposed to mean. Whisky wee-wee? Muckie-eye?

In honor of them Bezerkelies, we've been known to root for the local bears, too. And those muckie-eye Chitown Bears beat the TN Titans today 51-20! Yay!

I grew up on Glendaloch Road near Devonshire Road, so I like anything called Devonshire. I like John Cleese, but that one is a bit too far out there for me. "Whatever" sums it up for me.

>182 SandDune: From over here, Rhian, I'm thinking, whatever the locals want to call it is fine by me. Just pass me the scones, please.

thanks, Rhian! very helpful. i was astonished to learn that afternoon tea originated relatively recently (mid-1800s) and is credited to Anna, the 7th Duchess of Bedford, who found herself in need of a little something to get her from breakfast to din dins and started a fad when friends came to her rooms at Woburn Abbey for a nosh. not a bad thing to originate in my humble opinion.

and although it's a bit late here, i find myself in need of a little something. a pot of Assam with crispy toast, butter and marmalade would do nicely.

omg - so many yummies! now i'm really hungry, but i have supper in the oven. sounds like i did a lot of work with one arm. ha! a prepared gift from my daughter. she's an angel.

cute couples getting married.........awwwwwwwww!

well, ok. maybe i could start with a glass of chablis while the oven does its work... please

>185 mirrordrum: That's news to me, too, Ellie. I thought afternoon tea had been around forever. A pre-din nosh was a fine idea indeed.

Let's get yours for you:



>186 -Cee-: Good for your daughter, Cee. It feels good when family comes through like that, I know.

They were cute all right. She looked elegant, with some kind of old-fashioned uptwisted hair (done by one of the bridesmaids who's a hairdresser) and he looked like an awkward besotted ex-football player, which is what he is.

A glass of chablis sounds like a fine idea:

ooh, yum. thanks, Joe.

Having spent two nights in a hotel, and one at my MIL's, I am now gratefully back home, with electricity and a totally empty fridge (had to toss everything in it after 3 days of no power). Well, there are the generous left-overs from the MIL, where we ate overly well. But I would find a brisk cuppa and some cheese biscuits quite welcome this evening. And when I say biscuits, I mean the flaky American kind; not the cookie-cracker sort. Not that I don't admire those as well.

End of weekend report: Two Nieces rescue mission competed. Two big doors moved into an appropriate storage spot, bathrooms cleaned, big dining room floor cleaned and waxed, (shiny, shiny!) and then out to lunch together! Fun.

Not so much fun: Nicky is definitely taking a turn for the worse and I'm sneaking up on the idea of maybe showing hi the "rainbow bridge" and talking with the Vet to see if I am judging his symptoms correctly. Poor boy is definitely looking so sad. Wants to sit in my lap, and then doesn't. Walking around looking for comfort and then falls down and sleeps. Poor boy.

I'm calling an end to house cleaning, even though there is lots left to be done before I leave in one week. I'm going to rest and read - so a cup of mint tea, and some small biscuits (English style, please) for the corner table, the one with the good reading lamp.

Oh, by the way, Darryl stopped by my thread and declared My Chair to be Best in Library Thing, 2012. *shoots off the confetti cannons*

So sorry about Nicky, Karen. We had to make that decision for the lovely girl whose picture graces my profile page, a few days before the big storm blew in. Strength to all of you.

Mmmm all those scones! I'll grab one to eat on my way up to bed - virtual scones, no crumbs!

>188 mirrordrum: You're welcome,, Ellie!

>189 laytonwoman3rd: Oh, glad you're back home with the power returned, Linda. You know, we take normal life for granted, and then something like this happens and reminds us how lucky, and wondrous, normal life is. Good for your MIL for doing well by you.

A brisk cuppa and some Murkin cheese biscuits coming up.

>190 maggie1944: I'm getting mixed up with this fast thread, Karen! Good for you for helping the nieces like that. Sounds like quite a day. I'm sure your nieces are very grateful.

Sorry about poor Nicky. I can understand your thinking re the rainbow bridge. Hard.

Congrats on having Best Chair of the Year! I will have to come over and check it out.

Mint tea and small English biscuits on their way.



>191 laytonwoman3rd: Yup, well said, Linda.

>192 gennyt: Hah! Yeah, clean up is pretty easy around here, Genny. Crumb-free scones, gotta love it.

Go Bears! Go Bears! What a great win! And how about that DEEEE-fense! Now, we need a big game against Houston.

Joe - Both of my teams won and I finished a book...um...finally. SO, if you don't mind, I'd like a glass of Chardonnay...um...you can leave the bottle...and some chocolate covered pecans, please.

>195 msf59: That was a great win, Mark. Tillman is amazing. It's hard enough to bring down an NFL player, but to have the presence of mind and talent to punch the ball loose like that is mind-boggling. And it was fun to see Urlacher run one in!

Houston is going to be a big test. They're awfully tough this year.

Hope it's been a good weekend for you!

>196 Crazymamie: Glad to hear it, Mamie. Great day for our Bears, too. I know the book you finished was a whopper. Congrats!

Let's get you the celebratory goodies.

Thanks, Joe!

Whoops! The Nieces came and worked on my house! Lucky me.

BTW, here's a huge good laugh, especially if you watched The Lone Ranger on TV - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFabfnfhIaY

Hi Joe, Houston is going to be a big test. They're awfully tough this year. Well they just cleaned the Bills' clock today:(

What with all the chocolate malts (yum) and scones with cream (YUM) around here, I need to go for a run! Maybe forty-seven miles! Ha. Never. Ever.

I keep wanting to join in on the GR of Team of Rivals and the book is a doorstop!! I'll earn my malteds just lifting the darn thing, much less reading it....

#185 i was astonished to learn that afternoon tea originated relatively recently (mid-1800s) In the UK the main meal of the day (dinner) started out in the middle of the day and then in fashionable society gradually moved later and later until it was in the evening - hence the need for an additional meal in the form of tea. But only in fashionable society - everyone else continued to have dinner in the middle of the day - and what you call your meals is often held to be a clear indicator of class in the UK. If you call your midday meal dinner and your evening meal tea (even if that's the main meal) then that's held to be an indication of lower class origins. If you call your midday meal lunch or luncheon and your evening meal dinner or supper (if it's more informal) then it's held to be an indication of middle or higher class.

Oooh, we're upper class in Australia then, we have "lunch" and "dinner", mostly (I do remember some friends every now and then would use "tea", but it seems rarer). :)

I tease the kids sometimes about all the meals one could have:

Breakfast
Second Breakfast (thank you, various hobbits)
Elevenses
Brunch
Morning Tea
Lunch
Afternoon Tea
Dinner
Supper

Oh, I think there's a bit of hobbit in me! :)

And I think we should start demanding the canonisation of Anna, the 7th Duchess of Bedford - the patron saint of high teas!

Joe, shame that high teas are rare in Chicago! I go out for them very occasionally, mostly I just do them at home. I was inspired by a friend who spent some time in the country a year or two ago, and came back, waxing lyrical about all the scones and how you'd turn up on a doorstep, and something would be freshly baked within a few minutes of your arrival...

I've just had a lovely dish of scrambled eggs with feta cheese and basil & mint pesto (so easy to cook! once one has made the pesto, of course, that did take a modicum of effort the other day :), with buttered sourdough toast and a glass of dry white. Those chocolate covered pecans are making me think tenderly towards a slice of pecan pie, and maybe a nice sticky sauterne on the side?

wookie! Thank you so much for naming all 9 of the meals I indulge many days. I'm of the school of thought that thinks eating should be more like grazing; nibble, nibble, gobble, gobble, gobble, rest. Rest, and then nosh, knosh, yummy yummy!

hahahah

#203 My son is a definite convert to the idea of second breakfast!

For the record, I mix things up and say lunch for the middle of the day meal and tea (usually) for the main meal in the evening, because that was how I was brought up. My Mum will frequently come out with phrases like 'We'll have our dinner at tea-time, shall we?' meaning we'll have our main meal of the day about six o'clock. But virtually everyone I know living where I do now refers to 'dinner' or 'supper' for the evening meal, whereas I only say that if I am going out to a restaurant. The exception is where children are fed earlier than the parents in the late afternoon - that is the children's tea. And again virtually everyone I know does feed their children separately (or at least did until their children were ten or eleven), which is not how I was brought up either. I've never been quite sure if it's a difference between South Wales and South-East England, a more middle-class thing to do or just a change in habits over time, but I've always found it quite strange.

>199 maggie1944: Both MrMorphy and I enjoyed the video. We laughed!

I loved the video, too, Karen, so thanks for sharing!

Morning Joe, I think I need a cafe mocha today to get going, please. And perhaps some sour dough French toast?

Tania - Nine meals a day sounds like my idea of paradise - I'll be over at yours double quick.
Joe - thanks for the huge volume of cream, preserves and scones yesterday more than enough for us all to share.

>198 Crazymamie: Our pleasure, Mamie! We'll keep some on hand for next time.

>199 maggie1944: Good for the nieces, Karen! That sounds like a fine extended family you've got.

The Lone Ranger story is hilarious! Thanks for posting that.

>200 brenzi: Sorry about the Bills, Bonnie! Houston is a juggernaut this year. And they so far have shown they don't turn the ball over - it's going to be quite a challenge for our not-Berkeley Bears.

>201 EBT1002: I should have thought about the exercise benefits of the paper Team of Rivals, Ellen. Like 1Q84, it's a sure path to greater strength and fitness for LTers who pick it up and carry it around.

I've got it on the Kindle, which has the additional disadvantage of measuring progress only by percentage of the whole, rather than pages. So I can't even say I've read a whole lot of pages in it, just a chintzy, miniscule percentage. Either way, though, it's an awfully good book.

>202 SandDune: Thanks, Rhian! I feel classier just listening to your explanation. Since we don't call lunch dinner here, and we've been having a lot of tea and scones lately, I'm thinking the cafe is pretty fashionable and high class. Although we should do something about the proprietor's habitual lateness, and that hat.

>203 wookiebender: Hmm. Let's go over that again, Tania.

Breakfast
Second Breakfast (thank you, various hobbits)
Elevenses
Brunch
Morning Tea
Lunch
Afternoon Tea
Dinner
Supper

I'm liking that a lot! Of course, we'd need to be sure to pick up books like Team of Rivals and 1Q84 in between to work some of that off, but it would be hard not to enjoy a day with that schedule. No wonder hobbits are renowned for enjoying life.

High teas seem to take place here at fancy clothing stores, oddly enough, and there probably are tea houses of which I'm unaware. I'd ask Mark, but I suspect he's hanging out at the same low class bars I am. Actually, I should check with Walklover and seasonsoflove, because I know they've been to high teas here. I still think high tea at Tania's sounds the best.

A slice of pecan pie and a nice sticky sauterne? Yes, indeed (that's our friend in the background):

Enough pancakes to de-stress please ? In other words, a tall stack and chamomile tea for a change.. also to de-stress :)

Thank you my friend!

>204 maggie1944: Me, too, Karen. I think we might solve all the world's problems with that one, if we could get it to catch on everywhere and we spread the food around. Everybody'd be too busy nibbling and noshing and recovering from nibbling and noshing to get into any mischief. Happy as hobbits we'd be.

>205 SandDune: I feel ill-suited to address mis-naming, or not mis-naming, or mixed-uppedly naming, questions like that, Rhian. Hopefully some of our UK or Commonwealth denizens can comment. When on a Sunday Walklover and I only have two meals, for example, one is breakfast (or brunch), and the other is dinner. Simple, but it misses the many fun nuances of such things as elevenses and second breakfast.

>206 Morphidae: That's a really funny story, isn't it, Morphy? Makes me think of the times I wish I could've produced someone like that!

>207 Crazymamie: Me, too, Mamie. You got it - cafe mocha and some sourdough French toast coming up:



>208 PaulCranswick: LOL! Glad we had enough to go around, Paul, and folks willing to share. :-) I'm up for a nine meal day, too, and agree Tania's sounds like a great place to hang out, especially for high tea.

>210 mckait: We know it's a rough one when you're looking for the de-stressers, Kath. I'll stop by at your place shortly. Tall stack of pancakes and some chamomile coming your way:



Hope the day starts going easier on you!

Good Morning, Joe! Really far behind here, so I'm skimming and oogling the tasty goodies and starting back up here, near the end of the thread...

I skimmed a good many posts, too, so maybe I missed it, but in all the Team of Rivals discussion, did anyone mention that it's the basis for the new Daniel Day Lewis as Lincoln movie everyone is hyped up about? The trailers look very good.

>202 SandDune: thanks, Rhian. more, more, more!

do people still ask if you'll 'take an egg to your tea?' got that from Mary Renault's Purposes of love written in the, er, 50s, iirc, and set in the late 30s or early 40s. the two main characters go to an inn on the Downs for a week. they arrive late and the woman greets them at the door with a welcome 'as mild and milky as a cow's breath.' she worries about their long drive 'in all that wind,' tells them she has some scones baking and, as she settles them by the fire, says that 'they'd take an egg to their tea, she felt sure.'

can one take anything else to one's tea or only an egg? or was this phrase contemporary to the time?

it's noon here now and i'd love some Keemun with cream, please.

#215 No I can't say I ever heard anyone asked if they take something 'to their tea'. Maybe it was just used in that period?

>213 scaifea: No worries, Amber. We've all gone through it. Good to see you!

>214 laytonwoman3rd: No one did mention that Team of Rivals is the basis for the new Daniel Day Lewis as Lincoln movie, Linda, and I wondered whether there was a connection. That makes the movie even more intriguing for me.

>>215 mirrordrum:-216 Sounds like something out of Alice in Wonderland, Ellie. I can just imagine someone taking an Egg (probably a well-dressed one as drawn by Tenniel) to their tea in that one.

What Rhian says makes sense to me - a phrase peculiar to that time?

Keemun with cream coming up while we contemplate eggs and tea:

All this talk of food and extra meals is making me hungry Joe! I'll have a nibble of everything. Mmmmm!

Karen (maggie1944) had mentioned when she first started the group read that the movie was based on the book. TOR that is! I'm looking foward to the movie and I'm only on chapter three of the book but I'm enjoying it.

Hi Joe- Actually we did talk about the Spielberg film being based on TOR, back when we were first planning the group read. I'm sure the film will only deal with the last few months of the war or maybe the last 2 years. There is no way you could cover it all. I'm really looking forward to the film, which opens here in 2 weeks.

>218 luvamystery65: Thanks, Roberta. Nibbling is encouraged in this cafe.

I must've seen Karen say that about the movie and TOR, and forgotten? That's got me looking forward to the movie, too, in a way that I wasn't.

>219 msf59: Thanks, Mark. I must've seen you and others talk about the movie and TOR, and forgotten? (Whew, just got a strong sense of deja vu). That's got me looking forward to the movie, too, in a way I wasn't.

Go Bears!

How to Understand Israel in 60 Days or Less by Sarah Glidden is a graphic novel about a birthright trip to Israel that the author took in 2007. As you may know, there's a program that offers a free educational trip to Israel to North American Jews between the ages of 18-26. My wife did this many years ago right after the 6 day war, and found the trip transformative. My knowledge of Israel is relatively slim compared to hers, so I looked forward to learning more about it through this book (that probably says something revealing about my learning habits - always go to the comic book first).

Glidden goes into the trip with strong feelings about Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the need to trade land for peace. She expects to be inundated with pro-Israeli propaganda when she gets there, and is prepared with a lot of skepticism and wisecracks. The artwork is engaging and well done as she travels all over Israel. She does encounter some of the expected propaganda, but more often finds herself engaged in nuanced conversations that show her the problems, and potential resolutions are much more complicated than she suspected. Her sympathy to the plight of the Palestinians helps make this a more even-handed book than it might have been, and her reluctant acknowledgment of the legitimacy of views not matching hers brings credibility and liveliness to the memoir. It's not black and white, and underlying every inch of territory and beliefs in Israel is a vast amount of influential history. At times she finds herself overwhelmed with emotion as her political understanding evolves along with her concept of her Jewish identity.

She does a good job of making it entertaining for the reader, with fanciful interludes as she gets bored or tries to sort out the issues. In one she is representing both sides in a trial, and also is the judge. “This court is now in session to hear the case of ‘Birthright is trying to brainwash me vs. Birthright is actually pretty reasonable,” Judge Glidden announces to the Glidden lawyers. She mocks some of her fellow travelers, and herself when she does something awkward. Swimming in the salty Dead Sea is far from romantic, and she notices only the tourists do it, while the locals stay on the beach. At one point a Muslim shopkeeper points out how much like New York his section of Jerusalem is, with its varied mix of people. Turns out he used to live in New York and is a Yankees fan. He jokingly threatens not to sell her some earrings when he finds out she’s a Red Sox booster. It gives a welcome and different perspective on the many enmities and suspicions that lie in the background and can suddenly come to the fore.

It is not all tied up neatly in a package by the end, but the reader does better, if not completely, understand Israel. It is fun to follow Sarah as she starts to really get exposed to the country and its people, which in some ways takes off during a Purim parade. She begins to get beyond her tunnel-visioned political concerns and experience the country's vibrancy and diversity, and at the same time she starts realizing how at home she feels when surrounded by people like her. Along the way she encounters Americans who have relocated to Israel for those reasons.

She packs a lot into a comic book, and I can see why it has gotten so many accolades. I've recommended it to my birthright trip-taking wife. I hope that this memoir triggers even more memories of her own trip to this fascinating area that could be considered the heart of much of our planet.

Thumbs-upped the latest, Joe, and am sitting here impatiently awaiting my Bombay martini, up and dirty, my giant chili cheese fries with an entire onion and two whole jalapenos on 'em, and a carrot cake.

I'm back.

Happy Monday to you Joe!

Yikes, not checking LT for a weekend, and I'm like almost a hundred messages behind. But, you are forgiven because of all the good food and drinks that are sprinkled throughout the thread. :)

>222 richardderus: I feel like the earth has returned to its normal orbit, Richard, and we're all the better for it. Good to have you back!

Thanks for the thumber. Sounds like you've been without the necessities of life for a few days. Let's get that fixed!





>223 jolerie: Happy Monday, Valerie! I have to admit, this one is happier as it draws to a close. I knew it would be a tough one.

It's fun to browse the thread, isn't it? Lots of culinary treasures to be found.

I'm off to Hacienda Welch via the train. Pies on the counter, and chef at the ready should you need anything.

Hi Joe, good to see that you got a lot out of reading Glidden's GN, I'm currently on a wild sheep chase and also looking through the Museum Vaults.
BTW, I need something interesting with tequila in it to go along with my election watch - it's interesting to follow from a far flung distance.

Oh yyyuuuuuuuummmmmmmmmmmmm

It might be awhile before I make any civil or even civilized noises.

Breakfast
Second Breakfast (thank you, various hobbits)
Elevenses
Brunch
Morning Tea
Lunch
Afternoon Tea
Dinner
Supper

9 meals a day is very much the way to live ....... those scones did look very nice - might have to rustle something up

But do elevenses come before brunch, or after??

Joe, I've just started Ready Player One, I think this was a favourite of yours? Still early days, but I think it's a goodie.

Dinner tonight was pumpkin soup. Was it wrong cooking up the innards of the jack o'lanterns? I cooked it, but Don added the bacon and pepper, which made it very scrummy.

Good luck with the election, all the USians!

I just read in a book where someone made coffee with egg?! Anyone heard of that?

I have heard of putting eggshells in the coffee pot (when boiling the coffee) to reduce the acidity or bitterness.

This thread always makes me hungry... sigh.
I just wanted to come by for hot cocoa and good company ... it's going to be a long day....

Morning Joe- Peets please! Great review of How to Understand Israel in 60 Days or Less and I liked the panels too. That one goes on the list.
We are heading to the polls in a little while and then off to breakfast.

Hooray for Ready Player One. Even the title puts a smile on my face.

Good morning. Hope your day is a swell one.

*grabs a cuppa and wanders on down the street*

*proprietor runs in and throws his hat on the rack*

>225 avatiakh: Oo, you're right on my wavelength, Kerry. I really liked the bizarreness of A Wild Sheep Chase - what an imagination he has! And I think we talked about Glacial Period. I'll look forward to hearing what you think of Museum Vaults. I did get a lot out of Sarah Glidden's memoir, thanks.

Ah, something with tequila - how about a tequila sunrise?



>226 richardderus: Hah! No worries, Richard. Glad that all hits the spot.

>227 roundballnz: Sure sounds good, doesn't it, Alex? A hobbit's life is the life for me.

>228 wookiebender: Hah! Not sure re elevenses vs. brunch - the time of day could be about the same, methinks, Tania. But brunch could take the place of second breakfast, leaving plenty of time for elevenses.

Good idea to use jack-o-lantern innards for a delicious soup. Seems a whole lot better than letting it go to waste.

Yes, Ready Player One is a fave of mine. Given your tech background, I think you're a natural for enjoying it.

Thanks re the election - I sure hope Mittens doesn't carry the day. Ughh. Go Obama!

>229 Morphidae: Well, this is what one person said on Yahoo, Morphy:

"Egg drop coffee is an old fashioned way that coffee was made. It was a good way to get the coffee grounds to stay at the bottom of the pot. The egg would catch the coffee grounds and make them settle on the bottom of the coffee pot. . . . Egg drop coffee is a very tasty coffee. You don't really notice the egg in it."

That's a new one to me, although I've heard of people putting egg shells in coffee grounds to take away some of the coffee's bitterness.

>230 laytonwoman3rd: Yeah, me, too, Linda. That's the one I've heard.

>231 mckait: Let's see if we can help make it a long, good day, Kath. Hot cocoa coming up, and there's plenty of good company to be had.



>232 msf59: Good, Mark. I think How to Understand Israel in 60 Days or Less is the type of gn you'll enjoy. I know, hearing the title of Ready Player One always makes me smile, too. Good luck with the voting. I did mine early this year.

>233 maggie1944: Hope your day's a good one, too, Karen! Wander on back when time permits. We've got your favorite spot ready.

This is a bizarre thing for me to say, but I'd like a hot cocoa too...with peppermint schnapps and a HUGE blop of whipped cream.

Sandy has clearly addled my brain, I can't remember the last time I *asked* for cocoa.

*wanders off muttering to self about the brain's perfidy*

I must join Richard in his aberration of usual behaviors, and have the cocoa with the peppermind schnapps and the huge dollop of whipped cream (real cream, of course). Thank you. Here's to Nicky!

*wanders off distractedly to her usual table*

>>236 richardderus:-237 If you'd asked for tea, Richard, I'd have figured something fell on your head during the storm. But hot cocoa doesn't seem that far out there.

>238 jnwelch: Sorry about Nicky, Karen. This has got to be a tough day. A peppermint schnapps-loaded hot cocoa with whipped cream coming up for both of you, and I join you in saying, Here's to Nicky!

Will you forgive me for loading up a lovely picture of him.

aaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwww so cuuuute! *sniff*

I don't want to alarm anyone...I have a surprising announcement...I have just posted a four-star favorable review.

Of a YA novel.

First person teenaged girl narratrix.

In free verse.

Make Lemonade...in my Orphans thread, post #236.

>240 richardderus: Great photo of Nicky, Karen. What a handsome little guy. I like your story of how he got the nickname Ossifer Nicky. He looks like it here, in charge.

>241 jnwelch: Whoa, that storm really had an effect on you, Richard. I'm feeling like my own world is turning upside down with this one. Can't wait for a positive review of a graphic novel to pop up next.

I'll peruse your YA review with great enjoyment.

I'm going to move us all over to a new cafe. I'm going to be down in Orlando with Walklover for a biz conference for the next couple of days, and it's harder to open a new cafe while traveling.

So please grab your bags and bundles and come on over! We'll bring the hot chocolate and other drinks and edibles.

#240 Sufferin' succotash!! That' s enough to close down the cafe. Or at least this incarnation of it. *moves on to Cafe 27*