Joe's Book Cafe 6 (oh my goodness, two in a row with the right number)

Welcome back to the cafe!

This is an artist I find quite intriguing. Her name is Lee Bontecou.

Favorites from 2013

Top 5

1. Longbourn by Jo Baker
2. Benediction by Kent Haruf
3. Stones for Ibarra by Harriet Doerr
4. Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed
5. The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey by Walter Mosley

Second Five

6. The Greater Journey by David McCullough
7. Wizard of the Crow by Ngugi wa'Thiong'o
8. Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
9. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
10. A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki

Favorite Graphic Novel: The Nao of Brown

Three that were hard to keep off the list: Housekeeping, Song of the Lark, and How the Light Gets In

2014 American Author Challenge (kudos to Mark)

Willa Cather- January The Professor's House
Alice Walker- February The Color Purple
Cormac McCarthy - March The Orchard Keeper
Toni Morrison- April Sula
Eudora Welty- May The Optimist's Daughter
Kurt Vonnegut- June Cat's Cradle (re-read)
Mark Twain- July Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Philip Roth- August The Ghost Writer
James Baldwin- September Notes of a Native Son
Edith Wharton- October Ethan Frome
John Updike- November The Witches of Eastwick
Larry Watson- December Let Him Go

Life-changers

Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll - opened my eyes to so many creative possibilities, including wordplay
Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury - got me believing in school again after a soon-to-be favorite teacher assigned it
Charlotte's Web by E.B. White - took a typical self-centered kid out of himself and got me thinking about others; broke my heart for the first time, too
James Wright Collected Poems - midwestern poet caught me and fueled a lifelong interest in poetry
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - read it way post-college and got walloped; started lifelong Austen fandom

Dune by Frank Herbert - got me excited about the possibilities of science fiction, and thinking about environmental effects
Dr. Strange by Stan Lee and others - this hokey, mystical comic book was my favorite as a kid, and fueled my lifelong graphic fandom
Future Shock by Alvin Toffler - he took on emerging issues like economic disparities, overpopulation and pollution; trying to look into the future fascinated me
After the Quake by Haruki Murakami - my entry into his world that started me on lifelong fandom
Remember, Be Here Now by Ram Dass - matched my youthful hippiness perfectly, still working on some of its ideas

The Chosen by Chaim Potok - for the first time, got me enthralled by lives very different from my own
Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by Shunryu Suzuki - what a mensch this man was; still the best on this subject I've read
Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder - made me a fan of both Paul Farmer and author Tracy Kidder, and got me involved with Partners in Health
T.S. Eliot Selected Poems - bowled me over, so I felt like a patient, etherized upon a table; got the complete works later
Thank You, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse - fueled my appreciation of the absurd and started a lifelong fandom for this author

2014 Books

January

1. Mad Mouse by Chris Grabenstein
2. A Conspiracy of Faith by Jussie Adler-Olsen
3. Kindred in Death by J.D. Robb
4. The Professor's House by Willa Cather
5. Fantasy in Death by J.D. Robb
6. Die Trying by Lee Child
7. The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton
8. In the Bleak Midwinter by Julia Spencer-Fleming
9. Five Days at Memorial by Sheri Fink
10. Japantown by Barry Lancet
11. View with a Grain of Sand by Wislawa Szymborska
12. Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch
13. High Heat by Lee Child

February

14. A Fountain Filled with Blood by Julia Spencer-Fleming
15. Boxers & Saints by Gene Luen Yang
16. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
17. Cress by Marissa Meyer
18. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
19. Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie

waves - congrats on your new thread. I like the topper

*waves to Barbara* Way to go, Barbara - first through the door! For that, you get the cafe's Raclette, on us:



Hope we did it right!

Joe, congratulations on another new thread buddy.

Nice shiny new café you have here, Joe!

I'll have what Barbara's having ...

>5Thanks, Paul. And I'm even learning how to number it correctly. Who says you can't teach old dopes new tricks?

>6 rosalita: Thanks, Julia! Ain't it grand when it's all new and sparkly?

I love raclettes, too. That was my big food ambition when I visited Switzerland lo those many years ago.

Joe, thanks a lot. I love raclette and it IS well done!!!

>8 Ameise1: Excellent, Barbara! A tip of the hat from the chef. And thanks for another great gif. ;-)

;-)

Lovely new thread!

Thanks, Abby!

From the last thread....

The Temple of my Familiar was my next fave Alice Walker

Interesting choice for the thread topper!

Happy new thread, Joe! I still have to go back and get caught up on your last thread, but I thought that I would snag a seat here first.

Hi Joe,
I have to confess to not loving the art up top, something to do with symmetry I think :). But it is interesting to look at and try to figure out so gets point from me for that.

I am still dreaming of the eggs benedict that I 'had' on your last thread.

I'll have the seat next to Mamie and have whatever she is having.

Hi Joe! I loved your review of The Color Purple from the last thread. Somehow, in all my reading travels, I have never read this book nor seen the movie. Your review is very enticing.

All the love for Cress is making me want to read Scarlet sooner rather than later!

Gah, I should stay off the threads. Its making me stressed to think of all the books I don't have time to read! LOL

Hey! I'm with @CrazyMamie, gotta catch up on the last thread.

I like the first item, sort of like a butterfly...

Oh, and since you asked, go here:
http://www.librarything.com/topic/162424#4528275

and scroll down to the bottom for a list of what I brought home from the FOL sale on Saturday. :)

Hi Joe- Congrats on #6! And for getting the thread # right, a couple times in a row. Yah! Hope the day went well. I know you are not a Faulkner fan but I actually think you would like Light in August. It's dark and tough at times but quite accessible.

Love the new cafe, even if the first pic at the top has left me with a big "Huh?.... What?!" impression. ;-)

Happy New Thread, Joe! Love the art work up top!

*waving* I'm forging a new normal. I followed my reading plan, did some more putting things in order, rearranging furniture, rearranging books. Even got out for a little drive and liberated a lovely bookcase from a LT friend who is "decommissioning" it. Wooooo whoo! Yipee!

Off to bed soon, and will be listening to more of Cinder. Lively story! I'm loving Light in August and finding Of Parrots and People to be intriguing. Life is good. And our weather is pretty fine, too. Any one want to move here?

bohemima's birthday.. she kept it a secret! humph!

Not to late to say happy!

Another Bontecou fan! Jim and I saw her retrospective when it showed at MOMA in Queens some years ago. Fascinating stuff. Sculpture always gets me more than painting, what I once called 'flat art'.

And it's interesting that she turned her back on the NY art scene and obligations and just went out to her farm and worked at it. The art, i mean. Sign of a true passion.

Checking in late for you, Joe, although well before bedtime for me. Interesting sculptures, indeed. I hope things are warming up in your area. I think this latest storm missed your part of the country.

Sculpture at the top: whazzat??

Aha! Found you, despite your attempts to hide in West Virginia:

Hi Joe. I'm definitely on the 'love your artwork' list.

Happy new thread, Joe. What is it, at the top?

Intriguing art...I like them all, but especially the third one. It's chaotic, and yet every bit is clearly exactly where it ought to be. Beautiful.

>13 mckait: Thanks for the Alice Walker tip, Kath. We try to keep it interesting here at the cafe, toppers included. :-)

>14 Crazymamie: Hiya, Mamie! I know you've been way under the weather, so thanks for coming by the new cafe. You always have a seat here! I'll get your usual for you and Roberta (>16 luvamystery65:).



>15 LovingLit: Good morning/evening/afternoon, Megan!

Yeah, her art is not going to be for everyone, but I'm glad you find it interesting. Boring is a failure in art, seems to me. I love the oddity of it. To me there is a symmetry, but not what we're used to. The last one reminds me of another favorite artist of mine, Sarah Sze. Her work is very difficult to capture in a photo, although I still want to try to find some toppers of hers one of these days.

Eggs benedict? Let's get you some more.



>16 luvamystery65: We brought extra for Mamie up in >14 Crazymamie:, Roberta, so you're all set. Nice to see the two of you hanging out together.

And now, for some Sherlock and Pre-K Zen...

How we all feel about getting out of bed during this very rough weekend...



Pre-K's Play Castle for our Cinderella Ball tomorrow!



And my favorite answer to the question I posed to my students:

>17 Cobscook: Oh, thanks, Heidi. "Your review is enticing" is the best thing you could say. You're probably like me; when I really like a book I try to convey enough to make others want to read it, too. The Color Purple is a great book. I can see why it has such sustaining power with readers.

I know what you mean about all the books you want to read. That's one reason why I'm a mood reader; it's easier for me to take them on one at a time. If I tried to plan my reading ahead like some others do I'd drive myself crazy. I will say that Scarlet is just plain fun; it'll be like taking a mini-vacation when you get around to it.

>18 fuzzi: If you have time, do catch up on the last thread, fuzzi. There's some good stuff, including of course some humor from Richard.

Glad you find the topper interesting; as I was saying to Megan, if the art is boring, it's a failure. To me the one at top looks like some kind of alien critter or gizmo. As a sci-fi reader, it speaks to me - not sure in what language, though.

What a nice load of purchases you made at the book sale. Going to book sales is one of our favorite things to do; there's nothing quite like the feeling of finding a gem you want at a good price. Plus you can try things you might not have otherwise; I got going with the Eve Dallas mystery series I like with big help from a book sale, I think it was the Printer's Row Book Fair here in town.

In your bundle, the one the sticks out for me is Middlemarch. One of my favorite books ever. Go Dorothea!

>19 msf59: Thanks, Mark. They did teach me how to count in school, but sometimes I forget that when you add 1 you end up with a different number. Or I just forget to add 1. Glad I was able to pull off the difficult feat this time. I'm surprised sometimes that Debbi lets me out of the house. Who knows what might happen.

Light in August is one I haven't read, so I'll never say never. I will say never approach me with The Sound and the Fury or As I Lay Dying. Plus this gave me a chance to finally read The Color Purple, which was terrific.

We're finally getting some human-tolerable weather out there, and some sunshine. I feel sorry for the southeast though. What a pummeling.

>20 lkernagh: Ha! Thanks, Lori. Huh? and What? are better than *Yawn*, so we'll take it. It wouldn't surprise me if sci-fi readers find more resonance with that top one. I'm glad you're loving the new cafe; that's the main thing.

>21 scaifea: Thanks, Amber! Good to have another fan of that artwork up there. Isn't she intriguing? She's hearing some music that's all her own.

>32 seasonsoflove: I've got to jump ahead to Becca's new post. Love the pic of Sherlock! He has the right idea. If the rest of us had his sense in this weather, we'd just climb back into our comfy crate and go back to sleep. Although, ahem, I know you've really got to be a cheerleader to get him to go outside and do his business.

The Cinderella Ball locale looks great. I know this is a big production, so please post some pics of the event itself with all its glamour.

The favorite fairy tale character is hilarious. Haven't you wished someone would think you're great because of your cool pants? Mickey is so lucky.

>22 maggie1944: Ha! If we weren't Chicagoans, Karen, we might well be moving out to your fine metropolis. We're looking forward to our visit in early March.

Congrats on getting a new bookcase (best news for just about any LTer), and getting your life in order in the new normal. Cinder is lively, isn't it? I was just saying to Heidi that reading the second one is like a mini-vacation, and that's really true for all of them. Mark is saying good things about Light in August, and how can you resist a book with the title Of Parrots and People?

>23 mckait: Thanks, Kath. Bohemima's (Gail's) birthday? I will definitely stop by with birthday wishes.

>24 ffortsa: Ha! I should have known you and Jim would know about Lee Bontecou, Judy. Isn't she something? I hadn't heard the expression "flat art" before; I like that. I'm a sucker for both, but there sure is a lot that can be done in three dimensions with sculpture.

I didn't know about her retreating to a farm to do her art. I like that, too. Do you know whether she displays it outside? One of our favorite experiences is to walk through an outside sculpture garden. There's a whole different feel to it.

>25 ronincats: Yeah, we lucked out for once, Roni, with the bad storms hitting the southeast and leaving us alone. It is indeed warming up here, and there's even some weather in the 40s being predicted for a few days from now. What'll we do? There'll probably be dancing in the streets if it really happens. Plus we'll be able to get rid of some of this snow - it is piled up everywhere right now.

Yeah, your time of day comes through as being really late here. I was dreaming of lord knows what at that hour. Glad you find the sculptures interesting; I love it when an artist has such a strong and different vision.

>26 NarratorLady: Ha! We'll take Whazzat? over it's putting me to sleep, Anne. Different, isn't it? Wait until I find some post-able Sarah Sze sculptures; you'll really think I'm off my rocker.

>27 richardderus: LOL! Only the cognoscenti bring a big cup and ask for a pour, Richard. Perfect for a lazy proprietor like me. Here's a happy customer.



>28 SandDune: Oh good, Rhian. Her artwork certainly has gotten a reaction out of everyone! I'm glad you love it, too. She's got a strong vision, doesn't she?

>29 wilkiec: Thanks, Diana. Those are sculptures by an artist named Lee Bontecou. What they signify, I guess, is up to us. As I mentioned up above, the one at the top makes me think of an alien critter or gizmo. I find humor in it, too.

>30 laytonwoman3rd: Oh, that's well put, Linda. It's chaotic, and yet every bit is clearly exactly where it ought to be. Beautiful. Exactly. It's got its own rhythm and symmetry, that is not what we are used to, doesn't it? She's tuning into somewhere we otherwise wouldn't get to see.

Like that cup! May I have 2 to 3 dozen apple fritters please? It's a wall of snow outside, and I need something fatty, sweet, and fried.

>35 jnwelch: Apple fritters! What a good idea. I may have to join you, Richard. Glad you have your appetite back. :-)

*silent awe*

Isn't that the most glorious sight? Ohh myyy to quote Uncle George.

Am having a lot of fun with Quesadillas. I think you'd get a charge out of this one, Joe.

I know, enough to last for quite a while! This is going to call for big cups of coffee all right. I'm ready.

Oh man, Quesadillas does sound good, Richard. Alien spacecraft? Psychedelic watermelons? Not to mention, mmm, lots of quesadillas. Looking forward to your review.

>34 jnwelch: about Lee Bontecue

#31> I note that there are 4 muffins in that pic, and you mentioned they were for Mamie and Roberta, so I'm hoping no one will notice if I steal one?

Sherlock is wise beyond his size, isn't he? And Mickey Mouse's cool pants! I love it!

No need to steal, Julia, Roberta and I will gladly share! Pull up a chair!

>40 ffortsa: It's weird, Judy, but that link keeps taking me back to this thread. Is it doing that for you?

>41 rosalita: Mamie and Roberta are pretty easygoing, Julia, unlike some (ahem) of our cafe patrons, so I imagine they'd be glad to share one of those muffins. If not, we've got plenty more where those came from.

Sherlock is quite the wise dog, and Mickey's cool pants crack me up. Not a word I would have associated with those before this.

>42 Crazymamie: Ah, yup, I knew you were the generous sort, Mamie. If you all go through those and want more, just give a holler.

Here's a sculpture I love:

Joe, I love those sculptures, they are so fantastic :-D

>44 fuzzi: Me, too, fuzzi. I can't remember - David Smith?

>45 Ameise1: Thanks, Barbara. I'm glad you're enjoying them. Fantastic, yes - in more than one sense, right?

Joe, I'm a huge fan of sculptures. I can watch them for hours from every angle and so I'm able to discover new details.

Most sculpture post Rodin pretty much fly right past me. Huh? or Really? is about the best I can do.

Waving hello, and letting you know Light in August is quite good. Not "hard" at all to my way of reading.

Thank you for the muffin, Mamie (was it a Mamie-muffin?)! It really hit the spot this morning.

>47 Ameise1: Good for you, Barbara. Me, too. As I mentioned, one of our favorite things to do is view sculptures outdoors - preferably many gathered together, where you can walk around. We've done that here and in other parts of the country and really enjoyed it.

>48 maggie1944: I'm certainly a Rodin fan, Karen, and he has some great outdoor ones, including in DC. I'm okay with huh! or really? - in fact, I like it when the sculptor challenges our usual way of seeing things. For me, there has to be a rhythm, a harmony to it - hard to explain, but for me Lee Bontecou's work has it. Actually, I liked what Linda said: It's chaotic, and yet every bit is clearly exactly where it ought to be. Beautiful.

Mark has been having a good experience with Light in August, too. It's not difficulty with Faulkner that stops me; he has just rubbed me way the wrong way. I'll keep an open mind on this one, but I'm sure not going to rush to read it, with everything else out there I'd like to read.

>49 rosalita: That indeed was a Mamie-muffin, Julia - her "usual" is a pumpkin chocolate chip muffin with a latte.

>43 jnwelch: yeah. I did it wrong. Will try to repair.

eta: tada! Jim helped me fix it.

I had an adventure in cooking last night. I made my own paneer. The recipe warned that the milk would boil over quickly. It did. I was stirring the pot and when it came time to pour in the buttermilk, I realized I didn't have the carton open. That took both hands, and even though I turned off the burner, those ceramic eyes stay hot for a long time. That milk went all over my ceramic top stove. Smoke and nasty burnt milk smell all over my kitchen. Had to open the door and let the snow in. (It snowed 2 inches and then melted by 10:00 p.m.) I am very pleased with the results and think my paneer will make a lovely spinach paneer for Saturday night. Tonight - I will be cleaning the stove top.

#52 Gosh, I just hate having to clean a glass cooktop from something like that. Here at my house its usually boiled over potatoes....ugh!

Hi Joe! Its snowing again here tonight. I want some of the nice weather other parts of the country have been having!

I actually really liked Light in August too, when I had to read it for school-which totally shocked me, I expected to not enjoy it at all, given who its written by.

Hi there Joe. I love all the sculptures and I should mention I thumbed your excellent review of The Color Purple the other day. That's one I read eons ago and really liked.

It is Friday! Yay!

Sunshine! Yay! 38°! Yay! 8 inches of snow to melt! Not so yay!

Here are some Valentine's Day cookies just for you!

OMG, those are cute!

>51 ffortsa: Fascinating, Judy. Thanks for the fixed-up link in >40 ffortsa:. Good for her - sounds like she's got a good husband, too.

>52 benitastrnad: Ah, too bad, Benita. Although I'm glad to hear you're pleased with the paneer. What a bummer if after all that it turned out badly. Impressive that you're making your own!



>53 Cobscook: Hi, Heidi! Too much snow all over the place this year. I think we all have to visit Roni in San Diego for a couple of months. They're now predicting we'll hit the 50s here next week, which should at least melt down the piles of it we have here. Hoping some of that gets to where you are.

>54 seasonsoflove: Hmm, well that one does give me pause, Becca. Our tastes are so similar for that kind of book. And you managed to get me to read so many topnotch ones, like The Master and Margarita and Dead Souls. I'll consider it at least.

>55 brenzi: HI, Bonnie. Glad you like all the sculpture. Judy provided a link to an interesting article about the sculptor up in >40 ffortsa:. I think I'm going to have to track down a book of her work, and see more of it live, too. Thanks for the thumb! I know, I'm a latecomer to The Color Purple. For years I thought seeing the movie was enough - wrong. I'm hoping the review may help a few similarly situated LTers pick it up and try it.

>56 maggie1944: Woo, you got that right, Karen! Yay for Friday! This has been some long week. And Happy Valentine's Day to everyone!

>57 richardderus: Oh, 38 degrees sounds awfully good right now, Richard - and sunshine! Our day here started with a gloomy -2 wind chill, and we only will reach the lower 20s. Warmer temps supposedly are on the way though. I know, 8" of melted snow is going to be a mess, but it'll be worth it.

>58 Thebookdiva: Aww, you're a peach, Abby. Or is it a pecan? Actually, being a Georgia peach is a mighty good thing, right? Happy Valentine's Day! Those cookies are most excellent.

>59 maggie1944: Aren't they, Karen? I love the old-fashioned look.

Happy V Day to the man with the yummy food!

Ha! Thanks, Julia! We say yes to yum at the book cafe. Happy V Day!

Just trying to see what you and your friends are up to!
Looks great here.. carry on...

Hi Joe, dropping by to catch up with the café action. Happy Valentine's!

>64 mckait: Ha! Good to see you, Kath. Hope you're getting ready for a good weekend, and that the stormy weather hasn't been too bad where you are.

>65 Smiler69: Ah, thanks for stopping by, Ilana. I hope you're feeling a bit better and can relax some this weekend. Happy Valentine's!

Happy Valentin's day, Joe.

> 58 - OMG! Those Valentine cookies look too good to eat!

Happy V day to you and yours, Joe!

Happy Valentine's Day, Joe.

>67 Ameise1: Thanks, Barbara. Happy Valentine's Day! Go Swiss Olympians!

>68 lkernagh: Don't they, Lori? I'll leave some more at the end of this. Happy V Day to you and yours!

>69 DeltaQueen50: Thanks for stopping by, Judy. Happy Valentine's Day. How about some cookies?



*runs off to catch the train*

I did not bake any Valentine's Day cookies this year. Not a one! Instead I made boiled over milk!

I am not going to be anywhere near a restaurant or bakery tonight. Tomorrow I will be making the spinach paneer and since this is a dish I like I think it will a fun filled cooking day.

One of my colleagues baked some Valentine's sugar cookies with candy sprinkles on them. I enjoyed more than I needed to eat.

Oh dear... cookies!

Hi Joe.. weekend! And I don't work :) yay me !!
I hope that your weekend is soft and pleasant, too...

#60 Joe,
missing < in the img src tag.

And happy weekend to you!

Joe, I think I'd like me some of those cookies! It has indeed been a good day, and I'm hoping the w/e continues in the same vein.

Not food, but something purrrty:

Happy I heart you day, and have a good weekend, too. I hope those ladies in your life who have been a bit under the weather are all better!

Happy weekend, Joe!

Joe - there has been a lot of food put up on threads recently including by myself on my own place of ill-repute. It has to be said though that no-one does it better than the original.

So if the wheedling tone doesn't encourage you to vomit, I would wolf down a huge bowl of chili-con-carne with rustic bread if you have a mo.

Once you've got that done I trust you'll settle back and have a great weekend.

Oh my goodness, so many great-looking treats here!

Morning, Joe!

Happy Saturday, Joe! You guys need to make it over to Haymarket Brewery one of these days. We went last night. Fantastic beer. Possibly my favorite in the city.
Have a great weekend.

Gads, Joe. It's exhausting, this food business! I need a drink. Dig out the Ardbeg from its dark little corner, eh?

ah, Saturday morning. I'll start with a latté, s'il vous plâit.

You now have quite a bit of competition for best eatery on LT, Joe!

>71 benitastrnad: Your spinach paneer sounds awfully good to me, Benita. Thanks to Stephanie I fixed the pic of it up in >60 jnwelch:. Hope you had a nice Valentine's Day and you're having a good start to the weekend.

>72 thornton37814: Oh yeah, V Day sugar cookies are hard to resist, Lori. Yum. Good for your colleague.

>73 mckait: Yay for no work, Kath! Glad to hear it. Just don't fill the weekend with chores, okay? A little reading, a little relaxation, are well-deserved.

Looks like a good weekend. I've got to pick up a cake for my MBH, as we partly lost track of her birthday while she was under the weather. And we're throwing a latke party tomorrow afternoon, which has become an annual event. A bit later this year, as scheduling it was challenging.

>74 AuntieClio: Thanks, Stephanie! I was out to lunch (good cafe phrase, right?) on that one. Happy weekend to you, too!

>75 Smiler69: That is purty, Ilana, thanks! There sure is a lot of book love going on around here, isn't there?

I'm glad the w/e is off to a good start for you. Please help yourself to the cookies - we've got plenty!

>76 maggie1944: Thanks, Karen. Happy I heart you day!

Yes, the ladies are much better, thanks. Debbi has finished making dozens of potato latkes and cookies for tomorrow's party (we get a big crowd), and she's now taking it easy watching some Homeland on dvd. I picked up her birthday cake (only a week late - life has been goofy), so she enjoyed chocolate fudge cake with chocolate frosting for breakfast this morning. The guy did a beautiful job - lovely pink rose on the frosting, and spelled her name right. Becca and the furry Sherlock will join us this afternoon. She had a madly successful Cinderella Ball with the kids, and now can take a bit of a breather.

>77 wilkiec: Happy weekend, Diana! Go Dutch Olympians!

>78 PaulCranswick: Ha! I have seen some awfully good food showing up on your thread and others, Paul, and I appreciate the compliment. We build up big appetites with all our reading, so we need as much good food out there as we can get our hands (and eyes) on, seems to me.

Chili con carne with rustic bread - I bet that's not easy to find in your RL neighborhood. Here you go:

This purports to be a "Dirty Chai Bourbon Cocktail." Permaybehaps your womenfolk would like this?

>79 scaifea: Good morning, Amber. Glad you're liking what you see. We pride ourselves on great-looking treats. We always say, when life won't meet you halfway, find great-looking treats at the cafe. Hope you have a good, relaxing weekend.

>80 msf59: Happy Saturday, Mark! Oh, Haymarket sounds like a great place. Somehow we need to squeeze it in. Maybe a meetup involving it some day? Glad you had a great time there. I'm sure you're an excellent beer tour guide.

>81 richardderus: Ain't that the truth, Richard? Some Ardbeg will improve any day. Here you go:



>82 maggie1944: Ah, good to see you this a.m., Karen. Hope you're enjoying those new digs of yours. A latte sounds good:



>83 kidzdoc: You know how it's fun to go to a part of town where there are a lot of good restaurants, Darryl? That's what happening out in LT land. I enjoy it, too. As good as the cafe food is, it's nice to get a little variety.

Joe, your week end plans sound like fun. I can truthfully say I have never been to a latke party! I'm not even sure that I have eaten a latke in my life. Mmmm, that chocolate fudge birthday cake sounds inviting. I'm sure your better half enjoyed it much more when she was feeling better. Btw, I am another fan of Light in August. I'm currently reading The Hamlet and enjoying that as well. You clearly started Faulkner with the wrong books!

>86 richardderus: Woo, I bet they would, Richard. A dirty Chai bourbon cocktail - I think my daughter would jump on that immediately, and my MBH wouldn't be far behind her. I'll pass the word. Never seen it in RL, but chai has gotten more and more popular recently. I see this one like it is called a Dirty Chai Toddy.

>88 Donna828: Oh my, latkes (potato pancakes) are delicious, Donna. Track some down if you get a chance. We've been doing this, my MBH tells me, for 25 years. (!!! - those numbers start getting big as we get older). It started, as I remember it, as a Hanukkah party, but that date floats around, and sometimes is when people are out of town for the holidays, so we moved it into the new year. (If Debbi reads this, she can fix whatever I got wrong there).

The chocolate fudge cake made for a delicious breakfast. I'm not even a chocolate aficionado, but it's so good I had two pieces. Yes, my much better half couldn't have kept this down a week ago. She really got walloped - nothing this bad for her in a couple of decades.

Yeah, reasonable people who I know are good readers have liked Light in August, including now you. It does sound like maybe I started with the least reader-friendly Faulkners. I've seen fans of his recommending not reading The Sound and the Fury first. I sure detested the two I mentioned. I'll keep an open mind on this one.

>89 jnwelch: The formula for it. *shudder* Just don't ever ask me to have one!

Wow! Chocolate fudge cake for breakfast! I knew you folks were my kinda people. I'm just now finishing up a snack of potato chips and heading off to the Mall. I'm pretending to be a teenager this morning.

>90 richardderus: Thanks, RD. I passed it on to the enthusiasts. Not for me, either. I think I mentioned the time my MBH and I mixed up my latte and her chai, so we each drank the other's - we were both aghast, I tell you, aghast.

>91 maggie1944: Isn't that the way to start the day, Karen? Potato chips for breakfast are good, too, but we needed something a bit heartier. Have fun with your fellow teens at the mall. I remember from the old days that it's fun to look at jewelry in Claire's. (I think I got that right - maybe seasonsoflove will stop by and confirm).

We should share some of that cake. Here you go:

Thanks for the chocolate cake, Joe! Just the thing for a Saturday afternoon, with a tall glass of cold milk.

You're welcome, Julia. This should round it out for you. Happy Saturday!

ETA: My MBH is the same way. The one time she wants to drink a tall glass of milk is with her chocolate cake.

Ah, could not find my debit card. Used it yesterday at the grocery store so I expect it might be at The Niece's house. After looking, high and low, for it for several minutes the steam was let out of my motivation to go shopping. So, I decided to head into the library and begin the process of putting the fiction in bookcases on one side of the room, and the nonfiction on the other side. Fiction will be shelved alpha order of author's name. Should keep me out of trouble for a little while. Breaks from book shifting will be involving more reading.

Thanks for the choco cake. You are right I need more junk food today! Oh, I know, that is not "junk" but it is naughty. I need more naught food, right?

Dear Joe, happy Valentine's Day-weekend-new thread to you! Love the beautiful Valentine cookies posted here. Is the cafe serving now? I'd love a serving of bread pudding with bourbon sauce -- no raisins -- and a box of kleenex, please.

>95 maggie1944: Oh, what a shame you're not going to hang out at the mall, Karen. Although it's an early President's Day sale at Claire's, so you and your teen friends probably saved a ton of money.

I thought maybe your debit card was in the library, lost in the section between fiction and nonfiction, strangely labeled "Neither".

I am a big fan of alpha order. Our son, that egghead you met, suggested we change our bookshelving to alpha order after the umpteenth time I couldn't find the book I wanted to recommend to him, and, once we did, all problems disappeared. All of them. Including ones that had nothing to do with the books on the shelves. It's that good.

Book shifting is one of our favorite things to do. We're getting some more shelves in that redone back room, and already are gleefully planning what books are going to shift onto them.

Yes, you need more naughty food. If by naughty we mean exceptionally tasty and smile-inducing. You deserve it!

>96 AMQS: The side of Kleenex kind of threw us off, Anne, but we'll find something good to go with that bread pudding. Happy Valentine's Day-weekend-finding the new thread to you! Glad those V-cookies look good. Here you go:



If the Kleenex is because you're feeling poorly, hope this helps you feel better.

Mmmm, bread pudding! Yes, naughty food is a great way to fuel book shifting and re-shelving and doing the alpha order thing. I look forward to ALL my problems being solved! Yes, I am!

Yes, the kleenex request was to get me through a cold, not to eat:) That bread pudding looks amazing!

>98 maggie1944: I loves me some bread pudding, no fooling, Karen. That does look really good. Grab a spoon! You wait - once it's all in alpha order, you'll be on easy street.

>99 AMQS: You've inspired us, Anne. Good call on the bread pudding. Hope this helps you get through your cold. Our barista makes a nice toddy, too, if you decide you want one. In fact, I don't know if you like chai, but RD led us to a dirty chai toddy, so that's on the menu now, too.

Hi Joe- Alpha Order! Alpha Order! The only way to go. And yes, Haymarket Brewery would be a fine Meet-Up location. Not a large food menu but what they do serve is very good and of course there is the BEER! Drools, a little.
I am really enjoying Eleanor & Park. It seems like every year, 2 or 3 YA's are real standouts and I think this is one of 'em.

Happy Valentine's Day Weekend to you! We're in the midst of a blizzard/Nor'easter here. Amin the mood for something warm and comforting ... Any recommendations?

>101 msf59: Ready for Haymarket Brewery, Mark. We can discuss the nuances and advantages of Alpha Order over some quality brews. Happy you're enjoying Eleanor Park. I agree, every year there seem to be 2 or 3 YA standouts, and this is one of them.

>102 michigantrumpet: Happy Valentine's Day weekend, Marianne! Sorry to hear you're getting norblizzeasted. Hmm, warm and comforting. How about some corn chowder?

Perfect!

Joe, I stole some of your crab cakes on Paul's thread. I feel bad, but not bad enough to give them back. :-)

You are correct sir, Claire's was and still is the place for teens to buy cheap earrings and super bright bracelets and ridiculous keychains :)

>104 michigantrumpet: Yeah! *conga line in the kitchen*

>105 rosalita: You know, I can't complain, Julia. I was trying to steal some of Paul's crab cakes, and he brought out some more. Love crab cakes!

>106 seasonsoflove: Excellent, Hon. Thanks. You know how I aspire to be a hip teen girl. This may give me the boost I need. Plus I look particularly good in ridiculous keychains. Not so much earrings and bracelets.

*waves* I love most Indian food- now I want Mattar Paneer. .yummy! Mr. is not an indian food fan, so it is a treat. We just had bread pudding at a coffee shop with caramel drizzle.

Joe, I wish you a fantastic Sunday

Thanks for the chili-con-carne Joe - just what I was looking for. You are right too - real chili is not readily found here. There is a mexican restaurant nearby but their chili is not as good as mine own (and not a patch on yours by the looks) so I normally wolf down a T-Bone when I go there.

Bread Pudding! Latkes! Chocolate Cake! I love this cafe.

Morning, Joe, and Happy Sunday to you!

Yup! What she said, X2. I'll have a latté with salted caramel, please. Note: fiction books in alpha order, in three small bookcases, 95% are TBR - Check.

Next: figure out some easy way to organize the nonfiction, or not

My problem is that I joined Librarything.com in order to put my entire library in LOC order. And then, I started getting rid of books. So now my inventory is huge, and my library is large. I need to spend days tagging the books I still own, and have in physical form. Then I could print a list of their order, and re-shelve everything. Sounds rather daunting.

Will not be doing this today.

Joe! It's been so long! *sniff* I missed you! *snuggle*

Anyway, now that that is over with. Heh.

I adored both the movie and book of The Color Purple and it delights me that you enjoyed the book so much.

I have to say though that I have to give you a hairy eyeball about Middlemarch. I got about half a chapter in before giving up. I couldn't read that particular writing style.

I am now pining after saag paneer on nice, saffron-y pilaf with some naan. Oooo

I'm pining for the fjords.

Not until August. Too effin' cold to pine for the fjords.

My supper group met last night and we had a stand-out time. The spinach paneer was very good, except I cut my paneer (nice how I avoided that pun wasn't it?) in smaller pieces. The chicken curry was good. The guy who cooked it said that it was an excellent way to use the poorest cut of meat on the chicken and turn it into something good! The butternut squash coconut curry was also great. We even had homemade naan. The only thing lacking was that I did not have time to make an Indian cocktail. I was going to make a Kachumber Cooler but didn't have enough time to get all the ingredients. I do plan on trying one at some point in my future.

We have a great time and the meal was accompanied by Blue Moon beer. We were unable to get an Indian beer for the supper so made do.

Woo, latke party is over, everyone had a good time, guests left with their bags of sugar cookies. Wonderful job by walklover. Soon we're going to Skype with #1 son and his girlfriend.

>108 leperdbunny: I'm not much of an Indian food guy either, Tam, but I'd jump into a vat of bread pudding with caramel drizzle in a blink.

>109 Ameise1: Very pretty, Barbara, thanks! Hope you've had a fantastic Sunday, too.

>110 PaulCranswick: That's what we miss when we travel overseas, Paul - good Mexican food. There are so many good places here for it, we get spoiled. Glad the chili con carne hit the spot.

>111 scaifea: Ha! We love this cafe, too, Amber. Forgive me for having to do a Jim Carrey - good morning, good afternoon and good evening!

We got so tied up getting the necessaries for the party and prep'ing for it that the is the first chance I've had to get to LT land. The latkes were superb, as usual, thanks to Walklover, served with our homemade applesauce and sour cream. Regular salad, fruit salad, Martinelli's sparkling cider and good coffee - plus sugar cookies. Sighs of contentment all around.

Hope you've had a Happy Sunday, too!

>112 maggie1944: Woo, that does sound like an ambitious project, Karen. I'm all for easy and not too ambitious projects meself.

Thanks for your patience. We've warmed up the time jiggerer, and we'll get you that latte with salted caramel.



Got to go to Skype session. Back soon.

>113 Morphidae: Good to see you, Morphy! *snuggles back* Woo, that was a long time with no Morphy. *wipes tear from his eye*

Middlemarch, Shmiddlemarch. We'll just put that one to the side, until you get into the mood for that kind of writing. (It's so good!)

Let's bond over The Color Purple. Yup, terrific book. I had thought seeing the movie was enough, but it was one of those many rare moments when I was oh so wrong. I liked the book much better, and that's a well done movie.

>114 richardderus: Go to town, Richard. We put some extra in there.



>115 Morphidae: Huh, this pining stuff has got us hopping around the globe, hasn't it? OK, here you go, Morphy.



>116 richardderus: Oops. Whatever you do, Richard, don't look at >115 Morphidae:. Just enjoy your saag paneer.

>117 benitastrnad: Sounds like great food and a good time, Benita. Homemade naan - impressive. Now you've made us curious about a Kachumber Cooler. Here's one for you:

Hi Joe- Sounds like you had a busy day! Hope you can relax a little this evening. Are you off tomorrow? Unfortunately we are going to get hit with more snow. BOO!

Hiya, Mark. Yeah, we're flipping between the Olympics and the NBA All-Star game. We got to Skype with Jesse and talk for the first time with his new girlfriend - we like her a lot!

I'm not off tomorrow, darn it, but it is a jeans day for us, so that helps. I'm still getting a kick out of The Goldfinch - it's a long one, but really well done.

Glad you're getting two in a row off - hope you've been taking it easy.

You have a latke party and Karen has people over for tea. WOW! This is a partying bunch. I for one am glad to see it.

I love it when people have real life parties and people over to the house. I read something in the newspaper that the dinner party is dead. People have stopped having friends over to share the feast with them and instead opt to take them to a restaurant. What's up with that.

We do enjoy going to a restaurant with friends, Benita, but you're right, there's something special about gathering at someone's house. We had a big group over today, and they all get along well together. It was a fun time. In April we're going to have another LT meetup at Mark's, and he and Sue are great hosts.

Per the cafe proprietor's request, the newest picture of him and Sherlock, both looking very scholarly and intent:

Thanks, Becca. Sherlock is the one closest to the camera, right?

They both look quite scholarly, I believe.

But then again I'm not sure where the fuzzy one is looking.

It can be hard to find his face sometimes, among all that fuzziness. But he's normally looking in the direction of his mom, to make sure she's somewhere nearby.

Lovely photo - nice chair! You're reading threads in the picture, aren't you? Ha!

Happy Monday...wait...you don't get the day off, and it's going to snow there...ick. Well, anyway, have as good a day as is possible under those sub-ideal conditions.

I'll join in the chorus of "happy Monday". I imagine having it be a day where wearing of blue jeans is expected results in more relaxed work. Less stress is a good thing. So have a happy, relaxed, Monday and we'll see you here when you have time to join us in our relaxed projects.

Morning Joe. Also here to wish you a 'happy Monday'. Another cute pic of sherlock.

Good morning, Joe, and thanks for the Sherlock fix!

Oh, nice to see a picture of you, too. :-)

Good Monday morning, Joe! Great picture of two handsome guys! (As Amber said, you ARE reading threads, aren't you?!)

>129 scaifea: That's very meta, isn't it, Amber? A photo on LT of me reading LT posts. I wonder whether there's a photo of me in one of the posts I'm reading.

>130 richardderus: Ha! Yeah, you're right, Richard. I'm at work, and the snow is supposedly coming. I will say the temps are up and it was a lot easier commute today. So far so good.

>131 maggie1944: Happy Monday, Karen! Since Monday is usually kind of a blah day after enjoying the weekend, it's a good idea to celebrate it and maybe get its image changed a bit. Ha! It is a more relaxed atmosphere, and I'll do my best to maintain that state and join you in some relaxed projects. We were very pleased to Skype with our boy yesterday and find he's pretty darn relaxed and happy in that fair city of yours.

>132 Thebookdiva: Thanks, Abby! Furry Sherlock was completely exhausted after a long walk in the morning and lots of attention at the party - including a 4 year old who couldn't get enough of him. He conked out last night. Very cute, as always. We were showing guests the picture of him as a scrawny malnourished piece of scrap the day Becca rescued him. Hard to believe he's the same dog. She's done wonders with him.

>133 rosalita: Good morning, Julia! All the thanks go to Becca, who took the pic and posted it. Yes, most won't notice, but thank you; that is indeed me back there behind the celebrity. He was a hit at the party, and behaved beautifully, as usual. Even with an unpredictable 4 year old little girl chasing after him.

Hmm, okay, what to start the day with. How about a simple cheese, spinach, and crème fraîche omelet?



BTW, The Goldfinch continues to be excellent. I wish I could advise our hero a bit along the way. Yikes.

ETA: >134 Storeetllr: Good morning, Mary! Yes, I'm pretty sure I'm reading LT threads in that photo. Becca thought I looked scholarly - maybe I was reading someone's thoughtful review?

Beautiful omulette! What's with the pre-staled bread, though? Shouldn't there be hash browns or tater-tot casserole there?

I have no complaints: breakfast is perfect. Thank you. I've got a relaxing day, too. Happy happy

Yes, thanks to Becca for feeding my Sherlock mini-obsession. He's just too cute for words!

Morning Joe- I see in the photo up there, that you take your LT very seriously. I love the look of the omelet up there. Yes, please!
More snow! Ugh! What happened to the wonderful warm-up this week? I think we have warmer temps for 2 days and then back to the crap. What a rip-off!

ETA- I requested the Jake Ellis GN. Was there another one you recommended recently?

(46) Joe, the artist of "The Large Horse" is Raymond Duchamp-Villon.

Sorry I've been away from the thread so long (since Thursday????), but sometimes RL kicks in. My dh was sick over the weekend, and between my chores and helping him feel better, I only skimmed by LT.

My latest read, Hunter of Worlds just isn't doing it for me, and after 100 pages, I'm just not engaged enough with the characters and the plot to keep at it for another 200. Weird, it isn't usually like this with CJ Cherryh.

I'm now reading The Chosen, a long time TBR/ROOT book. It was recommended here, too, I think.

(115) "I'm pining for the fjords."

Matey, he's not pining, 'ees passed on!

(Am I the only one who got Morphy's obscure reference? Horrors!)

>136 richardderus: Hmm. Just freshly toasted, methinks, RD. But the customer is always right. Tater-tot casserole? Here you go:



>137 maggie1944: Yay! You deserve a happy day after all the transitional work, Karen. Enjoy!

>138 rosalita: You'll get no arguments from us, Julia. Other than we keep trying to come up with words for how cute he is. :-) He's a sweet little guy, too.

>139 msf59: Yes, that's me in the photo seriously studying the threads, Mark. Probably scrutinizing a cartoon or a good-looking meal, seeing what in-depth meaning I can extract. That omelet does look good, doesn't it? We'll get you another.

Yeah, I'm hoping the brief warm-up at least lowers the snow levels. Around our place it's hard to find anywhere to stow new snow so we can get around.

For free from the library, I thought Over the Wall was a simple, well-done YA first outing GN from Peter Wartman. I suspect we'll be hearing some more good things from him. Can't wait to hear what you think of Jake Ellis. The next one comes out in July.

There is no meal, no earthly tribulation, no natural disaster, that cannot be rendered more delicious or even just palatable by the service of a big ol' mess o' tater tot casserole.

Serve tater tot casserole to the warring parties in the Middle East and tell them they cannot ever have it again unless they come to a lasting peace agreement: Within the hour one will be signed.

We're just hoping they'll let her on the plane to the Middle East, Richard.

*drool*

Okay, Joe! Thanks for the tasty omelet and I requested the Wartman. I am all set. Now, if it would only stop snowing.

He's pining for the fjords
What kind of talk is that?

>144 richardderus: *hands over a poncho*

>145 msf59: You're welcome, Mark. It stopped down here for a good while, but now it's all over the place again. Jeesh. I suspect there'll be some shoveling waiting for me to get home.

>146 AuntieClio: You got me, Stephanie. We had someone pining for saag paneer, and next thing you know, we've got someone pining for the fjords. We get some very emotional patrons here.

I didn't feel like cooking last night so went to Panera Bread. What a disappointment. I spent $12.50 for soup the same quality as that which comes out of a can and watery turkey in a sandwich. I could have done better opening my own can and heating it in the microwave. Compared to the feast of the night before this was awful. I do like their bagels. (The ones at Panera.) And they do have a nice flavored hazelnut coffee. But best of all the have free Wi-fi. If it weren't for that I probably wouldn't eat there.

I have to admit, I haven't gone to Panera, Benita. The closest I've come is Au Bon Pain, which seems similar. I have had good soup there - I'm a pushover for broccoli cheddar. We'll bring some out. If you're not partial to it, no worries. The proprietor will find a good use for it.

Hi Joe! Surviving the snow today? They closed things a lot around here and the snow seems to be letting up for a bit. I've got a classic Doctor Who on the TV, Mom is napping on the couch, and I'm about to make myself something hot to drink. Was hoping for a little reading too, but I fear the nap energy may be catching. Stay warm on the trek home!

oh, gosh, I think the nap energy is reaching all the way into the way far northwest corner of this US of A..... and with a spaniel to my right, and a schnauzer to my left, both fast asleep, how can I resist.

Watching aerial skiing at the Olympics on the TV, it does keep me with my eyes open for a little while longer..... maybe......

(115), (140), (146) I don't believe it, no one "gets" Morphy's comment?

:sigh:

Very well, time for your education:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npjOSLCR2hE

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Parrot_sketch

Hi Joe,

I see that A Tale for the Time Being made it into your top ten reads of 2013. I'm reading it right now and I LOVE it. I had this sense that it had been low on many people's rankings of last year's Booker nominees, so I'm pleased to see that you liked it so much. I almost bailed after the first 35 pages or so but I'm so glad I hung in there.

I see that you are reading The Goldfinch. It's one that keeps calling to me to buy, but so far I have resisted and I'm patiently waiting in the library hold queue.

>31 jnwelch: (oh woe is me, I am so behind here)
I'm glad you find it interesting. Boring is a failure in art, seems to me. I love the oddity of it.
I agree too. I am always up for looking at something (or hearing something) that isn't necessarily conventionally pleasing. If I dont 'get it' I can admire it for its difference.

My lovely other is the same, he (and we) listen to some very odd and confronting experimental music/sound art. And so long as it is not painful to listen to, I at the very least have an interest. What is funny, is watching the unprepared/uninitiated seeing/listening to odd art. The reaction is invariably shock, in the form of indignation. So typical. :)

^ (yes, I skipped a few)
A Tale for the Time Being, so interesting that it is so polarising.

#152 fuzzi,
Oh I got it.

Good morning Joe, wonderful photo # 125. You look very respectable ;-D

(155)

:) Yippee!!!!

"If you hadn't nailed his feet to the perch he'd be pushin' up daisies!" Loved that skit. "Lovely plumage"

>150 LauraBrook: Hiya, Laura. Good to see you!

It was messy going home, and coming back. The big melt should be starting today, so wear your flippers. Glad you and your mom are safely together.

>151 maggie1944: Surrounded by a spaniel and a schnauzer, that sounds like prime nap mode, Karen. It's the time of year for napping, isn't it? Our version of hibernation, maybe.

>152 fuzzi: Ah, of course, the Dead Parrot Sketch, of course, fuzzi. Knew it all along. Pining for the fjords, what kind of talk is that. Knew it all along. *runs off several copies of Wikipedia article for future use*

Thank you for educating those who didn't know that particular Monty Python piece, which was based on an experience with a car salesman who had an excuse for everything, as we of course knew all along here at the cafe. The late parrot, the expired parrot, the ex-parrot. *whistles favorite Norwegian tune*

>153 EBT1002: Hi, Ellen. Glad to see you out and about! I will stop over later to catch up.

The Goldfinch is hard to put down; I suspect once you get your hands on it you'll get caught up in its momentum and have quite a ride with Theo and Pippa and Boris and Hobie and the others.

Wonderful that you're having such a good time with A Tale for the Time Being. It does take a bit of getting used to, particularly with the two points of view, but it is very rewarding, as I can tell you're finding out.

>154 LovingLit: A Tale for the Time Being is polarising, for sure, Megan. I don't know whether having some familiarity with Eastern philosophy/religion helps; it certainly contributed to my enjoyment of the book.

I agree with you about art. I remember taking one date to a concert by unusual vocal performer Meridith Monk when I was a lad, and having her think I was cuckoo, and taking a different date to the not-for-everybody My Dinner with Andre, and having her think I was cuckoo, and that told me more dates were not in the cards with those two. :-) I took my poor MBH to Children of Paradise, a terrific French movie but, I admit, one that is long, in black and white, and it features a mime ("Baptiste! Baptiste!"). It was in an arthouse theater with horribly uncomfortable seats, in the middle of the week, after she got off a long day of work. You should hear her tell this story. Anyway, we somehow got past that and celebrated our 30th anniversary last year.

ETA: full disclosure: it was my second time seeing Children of Paradise. I was sure she'd love it. :-)

>155 AuntieClio: Yeah, me, too, Stephanie. Actually, that is a really funny sketch, I must say. Apparently they did a number of versions of it over the years.

>156 Ameise1: Thank you, Barbara! You have no idea how much work it takes to make me look respectable. I really need to thank my stylist, my publicist, my shellacker, my scholarly appearance specialist, and in particular, the lighting specialist who managed to dim them just enough. Sherlock, of course, just needed a couple of spins in the washer and dryer, and out he comes looking like an Ewok teddy bear that no one can resist.

>157 fuzzi: A job well done, fuzzi. Your depth of Monty Python knowledge will be good for a free drink here whenever you want it.

>158 dragonaria: Apparently, his feet were only nailed to the perch, Kimberly, so he wouldn't escape, and he was only stunned, not late. Lovely plumage, indeed. What a lucky owner.

Joe, you are adorable.

Thanks again for the Lamb stew recipe. That's moving to the top of the list soon for prep. Clearingout the freezer over the weekend led to this:

Baked Ziti with Spicy Pork Shoulder and Sausage Ragu. Yum!

I have a copy of Goldfinch but I have been reading other things for fun. Mostly the fantasy variety because of Mark's Fantasy February. Right now I am reading Cutting For Stone for my real life book discussion group. There has been great enthusiasm for this book, and it really caught my attention at first. However, it is slowing down now that I am about 2/3 of the way through it. However, Daughter of Smoke and Bone is really smokin' right now. I am loving this first installment in this series.

I have plenty of spinach left from the spinach paneer cooking time, so will try to make some spinach gnocchi this next week. I love those and can eat them hot or cold. While I am in Kansas I hope to try to get a King Cake made. I have done one before and found it easy and fun to make. I am also a big fan of baked ziti, so that dish looks really good.

>161 Ameise1: Ha! Thanks, Barbara. There probably are some people I should thank for that, too. :-)

>162 michigantrumpet: Way to go, Marianne! I don't think I was the source of the lamb stew recipe, although as regulars here know, I'm always happy to take credit for good things I didn't do. (For bad things, it'll depend on what kind).

That's some Baked Ziti dish all right.

>163 benitastrnad: I've read good things about Cutting for Stone, Benita, so I'll look forward to hearing your reaction to it. I loved Daughter of Smoke and Bone, too. I'm reading Ancillary Justice for FF, which I should be able to get back to soon, as I'm right near the end of The Goldfinch.

I love spinach gnocchi, too! Every year a King Cake appears at work, and I'll be looking forward to that. Never have tried making a King Cake, so kudos to you for making one. What are you doing in Kansas?

King Cake for Mardi Gras:

I've always found king cake more fun to look at than to eat. Must try making one, see what that adds to the experience.

Bleurgh. Snowing AND raining now.

>125 seasonsoflove: So cute! Ooh I love Mardi Gras time. .

A drink? Oh, okay...

...I'd love a coffee milkshake (which I can drink here, just not in RL). :)

>165 richardderus: It's hard to make a cake I don't like, Richard, but I agree I've never had a King Cake that shivered me timbers. Pretty plain-tasting. I'll bet your homemade will be a major improvement.

We're looking pretty good on the weather in Chi-town, although it's going to be water, water, everywhere, as the snow melts.

>166 leperdbunny: March 4 is Fat Tuesday, Tam. Break out those beads and feathers! Not sure what furry Sherlock will be wearing this year.

>167 fuzzi: For excellence in Monty Python sketch history, fuzzi, we hereby award you the following coffee milkshake. Cheers!

Yum! Yum! I love that chocolate sprinkle touch.

:-)

164> The baby wasn't in my slice!

Whoever finds it, Lori, gets some good luck and hosts the next King's Cake party, right?

In honor of our teacher daughter:

perfect!

Hey! Where's my award for the original obscure reference? :D

My favorite is "It's an EX-parrot!" Makes me giggle every time.

>174 maggie1944: Isn't it, Karen? Cracks me up.

>175 Morphidae: You do deserve an award for best original obscure reference, Morphy. "Ex-parrot" was one of my favorites, too. Besides a fjord photo, what would you like? I'm about to run for the train, so we'll time jigger you something tomorrow if I'm not back on tonight.

Love the teacher cartoon, Joe!

Hope you're having a good week.

Ha! I love that teacher cartoon!

>176 jnwelch: We're talking about hyacinth macaws on another thread and they are my favorite parrot!

Joe, that teacher cartoon is great!

I was so far behind, I had to skim, but unless I missed it, I don't think anyone has noted that today is "National Drink Wine Day." Seems like that observance might fit in here with all this yummy looking food.

Hi Joe- What a nice day! We needed one. I would like several more please. I finished and enjoyed Eleanor & Park. A good YA. Not as triumphant as Fault, Wonder or Perks, but still pretty solid.
I just started Daughter of Smoke and Bone. I did not realize you had read and enjoyed that one.
And lastly: I LOVED the film "Children of Paradise". Actually, I own a collector's DVD copy.

Mark - you and Joe are both crazy. And did I mention that the seats were horribly uncomfortable. :)

>173 jnwelch:: I love it - gorgeous!

Good morning Joe, I wish you a lovely day

Okay, so it has taken me nearly 200 posts, but I've finally figured out what the sculpture up top reminds me of: The adorable factor plus the mechanical look makes me think that it should be one of the robots alongside Wall-E in the big spaceship...

Morning, Joe!

Thanks, everyone. Tied up this a.m., back soon.

>186 Morphidae: Oh, I see the smorgasbord is open.

Yay, Morphy. A picture which could satisfy a wide variety of tastes. So to speak.

OK, let's catch up a bit. The Goldfinch was terrific, by the way. I'm going to have to re-read that ending; lot of interesting stuff in there.

>177 AMQS: Thanks, Anne! We all should look so well-put-together. It has been a good week so far, including a warm-up and a whole lot of melting ice and snow. Perhaps there really will be a Spring this year.

>178 seasonsoflove: Ha! I thought of the drawings you've shown from your class, Becca. Wouldn't it be a hoot to have a parent show up who looks like what they draw?

>179 Morphidae: Hyacinth macaw it is, Morphy. It is a beautiful bird.



>180 tymfos: Isn't that a great cartoon, Terri? National Wine Day, eh? Hmm, what can we do to celebrate a day like that?

>181 msf59: Well put, Mark. Eleanor & Park wasn't as triumphant as those others, but I liked the low key way it ended. And realistic, imperfect but trying to do the right thing parents - what a concept!

Nice to have a fellow fan of Children of Paradise - good luck convincing walklover of its worth.

Yes, Daughter of Smoke and Bone is a good fantasy read, perfect for FF.

This weather is just what the doctor ordered, although I needed a canoe to cross the street in a couple of places. Hope it sticks around for a while. It was icy and slippery when I started out early this morning, but that quickly passed.

>182 walklover: This is bringing back memories of how delighted you were by the experience of seeing that movie, Hon. It was all easy sledding after that one, right?

>183 Ameise1: Glad you enjoyed the cartoon, Barbara. Thanks for the contemplative Snoopy. Hope you have a lovely day, too!

>184 scaifea: You and I are on the same wavelength re that topper, Amber. It has a sci-fi feel to it, and I could see it being a Wall-E companion robot.

Good morning and afternoon - it took me a while to free up today!

>186 Morphidae: I'll have to remember to choose my words a bit more carefully. :-)

He looks like he's pining for the fjords, doesn't he, Morphy? Or at least somewhere he's not shackled. His furry namesake could probably figure out a way to bust him out of there.

>187 richardderus: LOL! You've always been an appreciator of the finer things in life, Richard.

>188 maggie1944: Could satisfy a wide variety of tastes - that does sound like a smorgasbord, Karen. Here's the other kind, for those for whom Robert Downey Jr. is not enough:

Mmmmm perfect for those who will not be seeing Robert Downey any time too soon.

We're feeling the spring in the air, too.

>192 maggie1944: Cool runnings, Karen. We're looking forward to spending some time in your fair metropolis next month.

Adding Daughter of Smoke and Bone to my TBR pile

It's a fun one, Jim. It has a good sequel, too, Days of Blood & Starlight. The third one, Dreams of Gods and Monsters, comes out in April.

"Ex-Parrot." Forgot that one.

That was one of my favorites, too, Marianne. Thank goodness fuzzi got us all pointed in the right direction, with Morphy starting it all by pining for the fjords.

Don wants to have a "Not Dead Yet Dead Parrot Party."

*waves*

Hi Joe- Yep, another nice one! It's going to be a messy one tomorrow though. I am enjoying both Daughter of Smoke and Bone and Blind Willow.

Debbi- We are just Two Wild & Crazy Guys!

Wow. Not only behind but in the dark. I have no idea what's going on here. And, I'm on my 3rd cup of coffee! I think I will just say hello and try again later...

>198 AuntieClio: I like it, Stephanie. Costumes?



>199 luvamystery65: *waves back to Tam* Stay dry today!

>200 msf59: Ha! That we are, Mark!



Debbi couldn't believe you liked Children of Paradise. I'm still trying to convince her it's a terrific movie.

It's a mess out there, all right. Could have used flipper/snowshoes this morning, or maybe a jetpack. Glad to hear you're enjoying those two books - just let me know if you need help finding your way back to reality.

Flippers! What a great idea. A jetpack is an even better idea. Oh, to just float over all the ice and slush and snow and mess — weren't we promised in every 1950s science fiction book that we would all have personal jetpacks by now? I WANT MY JETPACK!

Morning Joe, I must admit that I am also lost.Like Mckait I think I will try again later

>201 mckait: Just general silliness, Kath, per usual. It all started with the Monty Python Not Dead Parrot sketch (link courtesy of fuzzi, inspiration courtesy of Morphy):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npjOSLCR2hE

>203 rosalita: You're right, Julia, we were promised jetpacks, and flying cars, too. Do you suppose LT's Tim Spalding has any on hand?

I'm pretty sure the Jetsons promised us robot housecleaners and moving sidewalks everywhere, too.

>204 Thebookdiva: Sorry about that, Abby. We've been working on an annotated version of the cafe. See my response to >201 mckait: above for some guidance.

We also have this helpful map, which Mercy was nice enough to give us, although it doesn't seem to have much to do with the cafe:

Joe, good morning. I love the cat's map. I think our cats are quite familiar with it :-D

That map needs a "knee biting zone" somewhere in the middle of the grooming salon. The boundaries are always changing, too--kind of like Eastern Europe.

>207 laytonwoman3rd: LOL! Well put, Linda. There are uprisings and protests and who knows what all, with shifting boundaries, as you say.

This reminds me that furry Sherlock likes to sit on whatever Becca is about to use - her purse, the book she's reading, the blanket she's about to put away. He's very helpful that way. He may be making a subtle point, too, that she should be paying attention to him rather than doing anything else.

>205 jnwelch: ha, that is too silly.

The cat map is great. Looks a lot like Ezra & Mimi's version, only they'd have a specific spot for 'wrestling competitions'.

>209 Thebookdiva: Please thank Mercy for us, Abby. :-)

>210 Smiler69: That would be a good addition, Ilana. Maybe a zone for ignoring humans, too.

>211 jnwelch: "a zone for ignoring humans" would be redundant. Humans can be ignored from anywhere on the map.

:-) and no doubt are.

What would you add, Linda?

I would add my cat, and watch her totally destroy the concept!

We had one who would've hidden under the bed, and another who would've figured out how to turn one of those drawers into a bed. She used to like to settle into my suitcase when I'd get ready to travel.

I miss Dora and Grace!

Me, too, Hon. They were goofballs.

They looked something like this, right?

OMG!

:-)

A King Cake is really more like a yeasted coffee bread. It wasn't that hard to make. It was harder finding the proper colored sanding sugars. I didn't realize how picky Southerner's were going to be about the proper colors. I have since ordered purple, green, and yellow - oops - Gold, sanding sugar from King Arthur Flour.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone was great! I am now started on Days of Blood and Starlight. These are perfect for a road trip.

Okay, I am completely caught up here, Joe! I have to admit that I knew Morphy's comment had to be a quote, but I could not place it. Too funny - my thanks to Fuzzi for solving the mystery. I'm another who loved Daughter of Smoke and Bone - I need to get to the second book.

Hi Joe- Love the Ackroyd & Martin photo! Looks just like us. LOL. Almost done with Daughter of Smoke and Bone. It's been very good. Next up for FF, is the 5th Wave, which I know you liked.

Catching up...

I love the teacher cartoon, AND the cat map. Java sleeps next to my dh's pillow...until he comes to bed. Then Java tries to find a place near my feet, but not where I'll kick him when I stretch my legs.

About Python and dead parrots: for some of us, Monty Python sketches are like second nature: our love of weird British humor is so ingrained, embedded into our psyche, that one short phrase can set off a long list of replies...

"Wi not trei a holiday in Sweden this yer?"

So much happening. I want latkes. The cat map is great. The teacher cartoon is classic--I can't remember how long ago I first saw that one.

Good morning, Joe. I hope you are spending today prepping for an excellent weekend!

>220 benitastrnad: As a Northerner, I wouldn't have been so picky about the King Cake colors, Benita - particularly since you were being nice enough to make the cake! I think a good rule of thumb is don't complain if you're not doing the cooking - sort of like, don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

Glad you're having such a good time with Daughter of Smoke and Bone and Days of Blood and Starlight. I did, too. The next comes out in April, I believe.

>221 Crazymamie: The second book is really good, too, Mamie. Good to see you back on the threads! Yeah, I should've realized Morphy's out of the blue comment had to be a quote. I'm glad it all led to re-visiting that very funny Monty Python piece.

>222 msf59: I know, Mark - that Ackroyd and Martin photo in >202 jnwelch: could've been taken of you and me at the Goose Island Brewery, don't you think? I've got a bag full of that hat in different colors. It's good in all kinds of weather.

Yeah, you're hitting on all cylinders for me in FF. I did like The Fifth Wave. It's good all by itself, and also is a set-up for another one coming out this September.

It's time for me to pick another FF book. Ancillary Justice was pretty good.

>223 fuzzi: Sounds like your cat moves from the Night Time Sleeping Region to the Napping Quarters, fuzzi, with the latter becoming the Foot Attack Zone if you stretch.

I do enjoy Monty Python, but you can tell it's not as ingrained with me as with you and Morphy. I'm working on it though. See the løveli lakes The wøndërful telephøne system And mäni interesting furry animals How's that?

>224 ronincats: Hi, Roni! Good to see you back tapdancing on the threads. Glad you like the cat map, and you're right, the teacher cartoon is a classic. Latkes? Here you go:



>225 maggie1944: Good morning, Karen. I'm going to spend all day getting properly prepped for the weekend. My MBH is trying to talk me into not coming into work tomorrow morning per usual, and she may succeed. We're off to see the Bulls tonight, and they've been playing really well lately. We're going to check out the play version of Plainsong on Sunday. We love the story, and the play has gotten reasonably good reviews.

Oh my heck YES! Latkes for me too, please, proprietor! I am famished for them. Potatoey goodness and fried crispiness and sour cream, which as I need not even say is proof of the existence of a beneficent deity.

The Enchanted Life of Adam Hope. Read.

Happy Friday Joe! I loved Daughter of Smoke & Bone. I am waiting to read the second one until the third comes out. There is just too much information to keep everything straight without reading them back to back. I am liking Cress, by the way.

>227 richardderus: Hey, our stars are aligning these days, RD. I really liked The Enchanted Life of Adam Hope, too, and you'll even see my review there on the book page.

A better paean to latkes never have I heard. Our pleasure:



>228 Thebookdiva: Happy Friday, Abby! I know what you mean. I probably would've benefited from that approach before I read Allegiant. It had been so long since I read Insurgent it took me a while to sort out all the relationships. I don't usually have your patience, though, and I scarf up the new ones up as soon as they come out.

Isn't Cress good? She's operating at a high level with these.

Joe, that looks like our 'Röschti'. Tomorrow we are heading back to Zürich. So, here is a special dessert from Davos 'Bündner Nusstorte'

>230 Ameise1: Oh my, that looks so good, Barbara. After 30 seconds or so of in-depth research, I realize this is a Graubünden nut pastry, usually made with walnuts. I will have to track that down some day in RL. It looks delicious.

Safe travels back to Zürich. Sounds like you've been having a grand time.

Thanks Joe, please could you explain RL. I'm so bad in abbrevations, because English isn't my mother tongue.

"RL" is the internet-English abbreviation for "Real Life."

Thanks Rdear for the explanation :-D

>>232 Ameise1:-234 I should have thought of that, Barbara. Thanks, Richard. I'm so used to some of these abbreviations we use around here now that I forget. I'd like to have some of that nut pastry in front of me on a plate, Barbara, and not just in our lovely virtual cafe.

Joe, sorry, perhaps in the future there will be a possibility to beam it over to you, but science isn't yet so far :-D

The instant that science gets that far, I will be the size of a zeppelin and require just as much room to maneuver.

>236 Ameise1: C'mon, science, let's get some giddy-up in that gait (make the horse go faster). Great idea, Barbara - who needs flying cars and jet packs if we can beam food around in the future?

>237 richardderus: But what a happy and lovely zeppelin, Richard!

lovely!!!

:-) Another great gif, Barbara.

If The Future comes with zeppelins like that AND beamed foodstuffs, I am so so in. Otherwise, it can take its sweet time.

“I figured something out," he said aloud. "The future is unpredictable."

Hassan said, "Sometimes the kafir likes to say massively obvious things in a really profound voice.”

From John Green's An Abundance of Katherines

Hard to get that tone of profundity into an online post, but I've got my fingers crossed for zeppelins like that and beamed foodstuffs in our lifetimes. Soonest would be good.

I'm not as familiar with the Monty Python skits (except Dead Parrot) as I am the movies (especially Holy Grail).

"Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries!"

Ha! I love their absurd humor. "You don't frighten us with your silly knees-bent running around advancing behavior!"

I'm on the road and currently at a Starbucks in Kansas City. I just found out that I have another free coffee from them. As much as I have been traveling in the last few months I deserve free cappuccino''s from Starbucks.

I am about half done listening to Days of Blood and Starlight and loving it. I won't have long to wait for the third book.

Hi Joe- You just made my day, with your comment about starting The Martian. If anyone can get the ball rolling on that one, it's you! Like I mentioned, to RD, I clearly dropped the ball on that one. Very Bad Mark.
(I copied this from my thread because I am a lazy boy!)

I love visiting your thread, Joe. Potato latkes, parrots and steampunk! Three of my favorite things. Happy Friday!

I haven't seen too many Monty Python skits but one of my favorites - and the line that we tend to use in the house from time to time, is "Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!"

Happy weekend, Joe!

"Put her in the comfy chair!"

That's where I want to go, too.

Happy Weekend Joe!

I think my favorite Monty Python is their Live at the Hollywood Bowl performance. So, so funny.

Hiya Joe, howzabout some scrummy Saturday brunch items? Say, ohhh, a caviar omulet, some Veuve Clicquot, and a large amount of pate de foie gras?

Katie wrote an excellent review of A Constellation of Vital Phenomena.

>245 benitastrnad: Hi, Benita. You are traveling a lot! What's got you on the road and in Kansas City? I'm sure you've earned that free Starbucks drink.

The second one (Days of Blood and Starlight) is a good one, too, isn't it? Yes, not too long until the third one comes out.

>246 msf59: Good day to be lazy, Mark. I'm just getting started on LT after sleeping late, doing some errands with my MBH, and reading some magazines and some of The Martian. I'm enjoying it - how can anyone resist a book that starts (SPOILER ALERT - incoming "f bomb" language):

I'm pretty much fucked.

That's my considered opinion.

I'm fucked.

* * * *

And he is. But he's also ready to do everything he can to survive long enough on Mars for another team from Earth to come and find him.

Stone Cold is good, too. Joe gets sent by the governor to another part of Wyoming to find out whether a wealthy recluse is running a business that kills bad guys. Someone should work with author C.J. Box on his titles - most of them are in common use by other authors. They're so generic they're almost non-titles. But he sells a zillion of each book, so I suppose it doesn't matter to his publisher.

>247 Storeetllr: Oh, you're a sweetheart, Mary. Thank you! We love having you come to the cafe. We'll try to bring out some more of your favorite things as we work our way toward Spring.

I've managed to let Happy Friday carry over to Saturday, so Happy Weekend!

>248 lkernagh: That's one of my favorites, too, Lori. And so true - no one expects the Spanish Inquisition!

I don't think we have a Monty Python line we use a lot in our house. For some reason my MBH and I often do say the first few lines from Prufrock when we're getting ready to go out - "Let us go then you and I, as the evening is spread out against the sky, like a patient, etherized upon a table." It's such a bizarre image.

>249 Morphidae: You're on a roll, Morphy. We probably should make you and fuzzi co-chairs of the Committee to Bring Us Monty Python Chuckles. "Put her in the comfy chair". Yes, but before that, see whether she's made of harder stuff. "Poke her with the soft cushion!"

>250 maggie1944: I did think of you, Karen, when Morphy mentioned the comfy chair. You've been training here at the cafe, and I know you could handle the comfy chair like a pro. Even if we compounded the torment with a delightful room (not your traditional comfy chair, but worth it):



Happy weekend! We're taking it pretty easy at Hacienda Welch today.

>251 scaifea: Good call, Amber. Here's some of it: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=monty%20python%20live%20at%20the%20h...

>252 richardderus: You have expensive tastes, my friend. We were able to pull it together for you, though:



I'll peruse the review of Madame Katie soon.

I am back in Kansas to visit Daddy-O in the hospital. Time to make funeral arrangements and get other financial matters cleared up. Dad was diagnosed with advanced gastric cancer back in January. Unfortunately, for his and my mother's savings, he is still in the hospital and doing better. It is beginning to look like this will take many months.

I loved Days of Blood and Starlight! Rarely is a sequel better than the first book in the series and this one is. I listened to it in the car during the drive and also had the book with me. After I got home I ended up reading in bed until about 1:00 a.m. just to finish it. This author has really produced a good series. This series is going on my best of the year list for sure.

>255 benitastrnad: Ah, sorry to hear it, Benita. My MBH and I have been through it. Lots of positive thoughts for you and your parents. Very hard to have it ending for a loved one.

>256 benitastrnad: She is doing an excellent job with that series, I agree, Benita. Entertaining, and an unusual vision. Glad it's grabbing you like that. One of life's great pleasures is getting caught up in a book like that.

OK, the new cafe is open. Come on over!