Joe's Book Cafe 2016 Door 7

Art by Quentin Greban

Welcome back to the cafe!

2016 Books

January

1. Hattie Ever After by Kirby Larson
2. Saint Odd by Dean Koontz
3. Tricky Twenty-Two by Janet Evanovich
4. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
5. Cold Mountain by Han Shan (re-read)
6. Bryant & May and the Burning Man by Christopher Fowler
7. Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler
8. Valis by Philip K. Dick
9. Neon Vernacular by Yusef Komunyaka



February

10. Tokyo Decadence by Ryu Murakami
11. The Aeronaut's Windlass by Jim Butcher
12. Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen by Lois McMaster Bujold
13. Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
14. Martian Time-Slip by Philip K. Dick
15. The Moving Finger by Agatha Christie
16. Natural Birth by Toi Derricotte
17. A Thousand Mornings by Mary Oliver
18. Winterdance by Gary Paulsen
19. Heap House by Edward Carey



March

20. Evicted by Matthew Desmond
21. Pax by Sara Pennypacker
22. Voyage of the Sable Venus by Robin Coste Lewis
23. The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
24. Dead Man's Mirror by Agatha Christie
25. White Sky, Black Ice by Stan Jones
26. Shifting Shadows by Patricia Briggs
27. Divine Invasion by Philip K. Dick
28. Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs
29. Hunting Ground by Patricia Briggs
30. Fair Game by Patricia Briggs
31. Dead Heat by Patricia Briggs
32. Venetia by Georgette Heyer
33. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
34. Devil's Cub by Georgette Heyer



Graphic Novels

1. The Fade Out by Ed Brubaker
2. Concrete Park by Tony Puryear
3. The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage by Sydney Padua
4. Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson
5. Killing and Dying by Adrian Tomine
6. Sleeper by Ed Brubaker
7. Where is Jake Ellis by Nathan Edmondson
8. Lucifer by Mike Carey
9. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep Omnibus by Philip K. Dick
10. Super Mutant Magic Academy by Jillian Tamaki
11. The Fade Out Volume 2 by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips
12. Low Moon by Jason
13. The Fade Out Volume 3 by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips

Joe's Top Reads for 2015

Book of the Year: Being Mortal by Atul Gawande



Fiction

Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf



Non-fiction

Being Mortal by Atul Gawande

Graphic Novels

Sandman Overture by Neil Gaiman



Mystery

Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith



Science Fiction/Fantasy

Ancillary series by Ann Leckie

Top 5 Great American Novels as Voted by Cafe Patrons:

7 Nominations : To Kill a Mocking Bird
6 Nominations : The Grapes of Wrath
4 Nominations : Lonesome Dove
3 Nominations : Plainsong
2 Nominations: My Antonia and Invisible Man

*Thanks to Paul C. for tabulating the first four.

Not entirely sure whether you're done setting up... but waited a few minutes to make a comment... LOVE the artwork up there—I discovered this artist while surfing around Pinterest and really like his stuff. I'm really glad I finally read/listened to Being Mortal. The timing was just right for me to tackle what is after all a difficult topic, and I thought it was fantastic. I can certainly see why you rank it among your favourites. Sorry I've been AWOL lately... life's been a tad hectic and strange, and also quite wonderful. Wishing you a Happy New Thread and lots more great reading, Joe. xx

eta: so far, I've read 4 out of five of those top 5 (err... 6) novels and three of those are among my favourites too.

Happy new thread, Joe! I'm glad to hear you are feeling better.

>5 Smiler69: Thanks for waiting, Ilana - yes, that's it. I'm glad you like the artwork and his stuff, too.

You may have seen me say this, but Being Mortal had a big impact on my sisters and me, and the various spouses, in terms of dealing with my soon to be 93 year old father. One of my sisters has read it multiple times already. What a gift Gawande has given us all.

I know you've had a lot going on in your life - Charley looks like quite the addition to the Ilana household. :-)

When you say you've read 4 of the 5, er 6, I'm sure you mean the Great American Novels. Which one, er, two, do you have left?

BTW, here's your mysterious book gift, for being the first in the new cafe door.



If there are any Zolas you haven't read yet, I'm guessing these are some of them.

>6 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie! I am feeling better. My stomach's still rumbling a bit, which is weird, but otherwise we seem to be on the far side of whatever the heck that was.

Woot! Mysterious books sounds good. And you remind me I have quite a few of the Rougon Macquarts, left to read in my quest to complete the series. Not sure why I haven't made more room for Zola, since I enjoy reading him immensely and know I'm privileged to be able to read him in the original French version.

And yes, I should have specified I was referring to the GANs. Haven't yet read Plainsong or The Invisible Man, but have read the first two (most nominated) at least twice each, and took in the whole Lonesome Dove series listening to one book after the other. Of course, LD is the best of the lot, but it was nice staying with the characters over a few more books. Will definitely revisit those 'top' three... hopefully often.

I've avoided thinking about old age issues because the situation with my parents is so complicated and I can't begin to imagine how things will go when they start losing their faculties, but having a 97 year-old friend I've been visiting on a weekly basis (Liselotte) and then losing Coco recently put me in the right frame of mind for Gawande's message. I can see why Being Mortal would have been an important book for you and your siblings at this time.

Charley is settling in very nicely. I still miss Coco like crazy, so I wouldn't say he's filling in a vacancy exactly, but it's a delight having him and I'm enjoying getting to know him.

eta: sorry to hear you've been unwell, but glad you're on the mend. xx

Happy New Thread, Joe! Love the Greban toppers! Not familiar with him, but I am learning...

Happy New Thread, Joe! As always, your toppers are fun. I'm glad you're feeling better, too.

Happy new thread, Joe! I LOVE the panda up top! And what great visuals you have given us with your opening posts. Well done, my friend. Hoping that you are feeling 100% well very soon.

The toppers are adorable, Joe. I wish I would have seen those many years ago when decorating a baby room! Sorry to hear that you were not feeling well, but glad to hear that you're feeling better.

Don't cross the threads, Joe. That would be bad.

Happy New Thread, Buddy. This group would be so much less without your presence in it.

>14 weird_O: "Try to image all life as you know it stopping instantaneously and every molecule in your body exploding at the speed of light." That kind of bad?

Having caught up on a number of your threads yesterday, I can say 'Happy New Thread' with a clear conscience.

Congrats on the new thread! And I am so excited by your Best of 2015 list--I have three of them awaiting me, including Being Mortal!!

From your comment on Rhonda's thread ---- shared/group read of Seven Killings? It might help me approach it.
Maybe early summer? Or mid summer? Or....??

May I suggest a bit of pineapple for the rumbly tummy? It works a treat for most belly ache issues.

Another fan of Being Mortal though I was surprised at the reaction it received from my Geriatric Nurse cousin. She was 'disappointed' in it because "the opinion and role of the nursing home is very low". Of course she works in Highlands, NC where the nursing home facility is very nice.

End of life issues are never fun to think about and almost impossible to discuss, but Nobody Gets Out Alive so it is something that needs, at least, to be given thought. Preferably on a sunny day, sitting on a deck overlooking mountains or ocean, thinking long thoughts...

Aaaaaannnndddd enough of that. Hope you're feeling much better!!

Great start! I love your deciding to highlight your favorite reads! and the good art, too! Carry on, my good friend.

Happy Weekend!

Happy new one, Joe!

>9 Smiler69: Thanks, Ilana. Glad you like the mysterious books. Reading Zola in French - I'm sure that enhances the experience.

You've probably heard me warbling about Kent Haruf, but I do highly recommend Plainsong. One of my favorite books ever. And Invisible Man does seem like an Ilana book, when the time is right.

Coco was a great pal, I know. I'm glad Charley is bringing you some happiness. Love the photos of him.

>10 msf59: Hiya, Mark! Glad you love those Greban toppers. He brings a lot of personality into what he does.

>11 EBT1002: Hi, Ellen! Nice to see you out and about in LT land. Yeah, I try to find toppers folks will enjoy. Life is full of enough challenges; there are times when it just feels good to go to your local cafe and relax for a while.

Hope all is well in your most excellent part of the world.

>12 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie! I thought that panda would catch a few eyes. He makes me laugh every time I see him. Glad you like the Greban art.

I'm still moving in slow motion, but I'm feeling much improved, thanks.

>13 rretzler: Thanks, Robin. Adorable is good - I try to avoid "too sweet". I agree, Greban's work would fit well in a baby's room.

One year when they were young, we let our daughter and son pick the wallpaper or color of paint for their rooms. Our daughter picked white wallpaper filled with red hearts, and our son picked an eye-popping shade of bright green never seen on this planet before or since. When we sold our three-flat, the buyer laughingly let us know that the first thing he was going to do was change the color of our son's room. :-)

>14 weird_O: Don't cross the threads, Joe. That would be bad. I'm afraid you're too inscrutable this morning for my slow brain, Bill. It sounds a bit like a zen koan, except I don't think they ever have anything that is "bad". The threads of alternate universes? Crossing them might be bad. I'll keep working on it.

>15 PaulCranswick: Ah, thanks for the kind words, Paul. LT and the 75er group have given me way more than I ever could've hoped for when I joined up back then. We're a lucky bunch of book nerds to be alive in a day when this is possible. Who could have imagined that a guy from Kuala Lumpur by way of Yorkshire and a guy from Chicago could easily yack about books and whatever whenever they liked?

>16 Oberon: Ha! A most excellent question, Bill. You may start off a tidal wave of Ghostbusters quotes. That's happened before. :-)

That also matches up a bit with crossing the threads of alternate universes. I'm looking forward to the answer.

>17 avatiakh: Oh good, Kerry. Thanks! Glad to have you back with us. Pull up a comfortable chair, pull out your book du jour, and we'll bring you a beverage of your choice.

>18 Berly: Thanks, Kimberly! Oh, you've got some great reading ahead of you. Being Mortal is the bee's knees, the cat's pajamas, all that and a bag of chips. Amazing to be able to say that about a book that's based on such challenging subject matter.

What are the other two you'll be reading?

Morning, Joe! Happy Friday!

>19 EBT1002: I was just thinking about that and Seven Killings, Ellen. I'd be all for a group read, and early or mid-summer would work fine for me.

>20 dragonaria: Oh, I'll have to remember that pineapple tip for next time, Kimberly, thanks. The rumbly tummy seems to have settled down now. I love pineapple, so that would be a welcome remedy.

Interesting reaction from your nursing home friend to Being Mortal. That's an example of how we bring our personal backgrounds to our reading - in the past, some books I've thought were "can't miss" for a particular reader weren't - some button like your friend's, that I didn't expect, got pushed.

The book has helped us take a different POV with our dad, whose faculties are diminishing. Rather than making decisions "for" him, we've kept him in the loop as much as possible, and explained why we think each decision is the best way to go. That can be a real pain in the rump, particularly since his hearing, from a childhood disease, is also lousy. But it's worth it.

We've also asked him for his thoughts and opinions. That respect goes a long way. He has also been very clear that, while he likes the Assisted Living facility we found (he had a friend who spent his last years there, and he visited it often), he wants to stay at home for the duration if possible. We're moving heaven and earth to do all we can to make that possible.

Death to me isn't such a big deal (she's my favorite character in Sandman, for example). I was there with my sibs and spouses and my dad when my mother went from cancer, and it was one moment here, and the next, nobody home. (Do I miss her like crazy? Yes.) But Madame MBH is simply not willing to go, and has warned us all that when the door appears, she's going to be holding onto the door frame with all her might and kicking and screaming. It's good to be warned. :-)

>21 maggie1944: Hiya, Karen! Glad you found your way to the new cafe. Yeah, I finally realized that giving visuals for my favorite books and the others makes it easier for people to see and appreciate them. Duh. I'm a bit slow on the uptake sometimes.

Glad you like the art. I miss seeing you in person, my good friend. We'll have to figure out a reason to come to Seattle, now that our beloved son moved across the country.

>22 DianaNL: Happy Weekend, Diana! Spring is really coming - thanks for the nice pic.

>23 scaifea: Thanks, Amber!

>29 Crazymamie: Morning, Mamie! Happy Friday!

What a week it's been. Glad we made it!

By Seth Globepainter

Morning Joe! Nice new thread; your thread toppers are very cute.

>34 Thebookdiva: Hiya, Abby! Glad to see you found the new place.

Thanks re the thread and toppers. Hope all is going well at the Pecan Paradisio, and that you have a great weekend.

Morning, Joe! Happy Friday! Love the image in #33. Hope you are feeling better.

Did you see my PM?

Morning, Mark! Happy Friday, buddy!

I've not checked my pms yet. I'll do that next. Tough to be back at work at the moment.

Isn't that a cool one in >33 jnwelch:? I really like the work of "Seth Globepainter". I should put his pen name (brush name?) up there.

>19 EBT1002: & >30 jnwelch: I'm going to be reading A Brief History of Seven Killings in July for the GeoCAT over in the Category Group. If you are thinking mid-summer for your group read, then I'm in too! I don't mind reading it a little early as I'm getting to books when I can or want this year.

Glad you are getting better Joe.

>38 luvamystery65: Sounds like good timing to me, Roberta. for Seven Killings.

Thanks re mi salud (did I get that right)? Thank goodness the cafe can run on its own when the proprietor trips and falls.

I'm thinking crossing the threads might be a Ghostbusters reference? And did the stair art get to you okay? Hope you are feeling better today. I'm in front of the TV watching basketball, just like yesterday.

Happy New Thread, Joe. :-)

>40 ronincats: Hi, Roni. I thought the same thing about Ghostbusters, but had no luck tracking down the "crossing the thread" reference.

No stair art yet. I am feeling better, thanks. I was just talking to Madame MBH - if I didn't have the RL obligations I have right now, I'd probably have stayed home a couple of more days. But it goes that way sometimes. C'est la vie.

I'd love to be in front of the tv watching some NCAA b-ball games - there've been some thrillers already, haven't there? I saw that Little Rock guy hit that big three to send it into OT.

>41 Ameise1: Thank you, Barbara. Nice to see you. :-)

>16 Oberon: Yes, that would be it!:-)

>42 jnwelch: Hey you go, Joe. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyKQe_i9yyo

>43 weird_O: Sounds like we'd be prudent to do what we can to avoid that kind of bad.

Passing thru .... Have a great weekend ... spring must be just round the corner ? Yes ?

>30 jnwelch: Ha! It is good to be warned.

We went through similar circumstances with my FIL. Though he had a living will stating no heroic efforts were to be taken, and my hubs held POA, we still talked with Pop every step along the way to make sure he understood what was going on.

We actually got a little tickled with him once they told us he was headed for life support or palliative care. He chose the latter understanding that he would get shots of morphine, but misunderstanding that the shot would be "it". So he called us all together, spoke his final goodbyes, and then asked for his shot. When he woke up a later, he was confused as to why he was still in the hospital and not in heaven!

Maggie Callanan has written several useful books on end of life care that I would certainly recommend. Sad as the subject is, her writing is full of information that made the transition a little more wondrous to those of us witnessing it.

Glad to hear you're feel better! A round of coffee for everyone - my treat!

Hey Joe, good to hear that you're all recovered. Lovely new thread.

Glad that you are starting the weekend feeling chipper, Joe. Have a good 'un as would be wished you oop North where I hail from, buddy.

Morning, Joe!

>45 roundballnz: Good to see you, Alex! Yes, spring is just around the corner. We're heading out to NYC tomorrow, and it'll go from 40s-50s-60s F while we're there (4.5 C - 15.5 C). Hope all is well in your part of the world.

>46 dragonaria: :-) Hiya, Kimberly.

Oh, that's a funny story with FIL Pop. I'm sure he expected heaven to be a bit different.

Thanks for the tip on Maggie Callahan. Different kind of book, but Madame MBH loved When Breath Becomes Air, and I'll be reading that soon.

ETA: Oops. What about all that coffee? Coming right now.

Morning, Joe!

>42 jnwelch: I'll have to resend the stair art then--I sent it off that day.

I'm thinking where they make such a big deal of not crossing the streams with their flamethrowers, and then in the final confrontation, cross them to get rid of the god.

Can you believe the upsets yesterday? Especially the half court basket for N. Iowa to beat Texas!

>47 charl08: Thank you, Charlotte. I'm glad you like the new thread. Feeling much improved, I am.

>48 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. We say have a good 'un here, too. A lot from the mother country carried over. Hope you and yours have a good 'un, too.

>49 scaifea: Morning, Amber! Hope you're already having a good weekend.

>51 Crazymamie: Morning, Mamie! Ah, I'll bet it's nice today at the Pecan Paradisio. Enjoy the weekend.

Morning, Joe! Happy Saturday! Thanks again for your help with the Poetry Challenge. I am looking forward to sampling some of the wares.

On the GN front, I am enjoying Octopus Pie. Have you heard of this on Earth? Simply illustrated but sharply written.

>54 msf59: Morning, Mark! Glad to help. Once I realized the timing on the Poetry Challenge, I went right over. This should be fun.

No, I hadn't heard of Octopus Pie on Earth, or in outer space. :-) Intriguing. I'll look into it.

I finished Fatale, and it was pretty good. Not a favorite from Brubaker/Sean Phillips, but well done, as always. Next up I'm trying the Batgirl reboot.

I've been on a Patricia Briggs binge otherwise, as my brain is still slow and hers are enjoyable without requiring too much concentration. Next up is Fair Game.

I'm feeling overlooked!

>52 ronincats: Whoa! Sorry about that, Roni!

When Mamie and I cross-posted, yours wasn't there. You and I must have cross-posted when I was getting to Mamie. I'm cross-eyed from cross-posting. My crossover got caught up in the crosswinds, I guess. Maybe I almost crossed threads?

Good thought on the crossing flamethrowers in Ghostbusters. Total protonic reversal. That's got to be it.

I did get the stairs email - thanks! I'm still perusing, and will respond.

You're right about all the NCAA upsets. Poor MSU fans are still in shock, I think. That Northern Iowa final half court shot was so cool. He almost looked relaxed the way he shot it - getting to the middle of the court was smart.

Such a darling topper , Joe! So many of them in fact! As for letting kids chose room wall paper, paint colours, I remember when I was 16 , my family moved into a custom built home that my dad had helped design. For the first time , we 5 kids were allowed to pick our paint colour and wall paper. My two brothers still had to share a bedroom and my youngest brother chose " cat wallpaper ( he was just 5 years old ) and the colour black, whereas my then 7 year old brother chose blue paint and I'm not sure of the wallpaper. So the two of them ended up with blue paint and kitten/ cat wallpaper :) Makes me smile.

Glad that you are feeling better.

Spring officially arrived today!

Happy Sunday, Joe.

Happy Spring, Joe. I hope the weather where you are gives you a gift of remembering what spring can be like. Soft air, bright colors, and birds singing their hearts out. This morning I heard an owl calling in the woods; and I live in the middle of a city! What a gift.

Thanks, everyone. We're traveling to NYC on biz for a few days, and I may not be on LT a lot. Please freely use the premises.

Happy Sunday, Joe!

If you get the chance, do visit The Strand bookstore. It is a marvelous experience!

I am on the way back to Alabama and after two days in the car I can say I have had my fill of Starbucks coffee and potato chips. In fact, my stomach is rebelling at the thought of more potato chips and yet, while driving, I love to have something crunchy. Maybe I should try popcorn?

Hi, Joe. We're actually free in the evenings this week ( a rare occurrence) so if you are heading in our Union Square direction, or to the Strand, and have time to say hello, drop us a line.

Hi Joe--The other two are Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith and Sandman Overture by Neil Gaiman. They are not exactly at the top of my list though. I have to stop doing all these group reads though so I can get to some more random picks. Later...Wishing you a great week.

Have a great time in New York City Joe. Are you going to take in any theater?

Happy Monday, Joe!

Morning, Joe! Hope you are having a good time in NYC. I abandoned Octopus Pie. It wasn't quite cutting it. I am enjoying Faker, though. My first Carey GN.

Happy Mmmphmumble Day, everyone!

Visited with an old pal last night, along with his wife and my goddaughter, and had a great time.

Can't respond individually, but we love The Strand, and we're seeing four shows while we're here, all musicals - Fun Home, Color Purple, On Your Feet and Something Rotten.

Off to be responsible - darn it. Enjoy the premises.

Morning, Joe!

Hey Joe. Four shoes? Sounds wonderful. I am enjoying Neurotribes v. Much. Thanks for the tip.

I was nearly 200 posts behind on your thread. That's what happens when I'm too busy for a couple of weeks!

>74 thornton37814: The good news is that there's a bit of a pause in the action, Lori. This week the proprietor will be posting lightly, and it'll probably be easier to follow along. Good opportunity to make fun of the proprietor, too, as he seems to be distracted.

Some quick catch-up:

>58 vancouverdeb: Based on our experience, Deb, I'm questioning the wisdom of letting kids pick the paint color or wallpaper, but the truth is it was funny and charming, even if there seemed to be a need to wear sunglasses in our son's room.

>59 Familyhistorian: I'm liking that harbinger of spring, Meg, thanks. It's even starting to feel like it here in NYC, with the temp going up.

>60 Ameise1: Thanks, Barbara. Sunday was a travel day for us, and then we had a wonderful dinner at The Greek in NYC with friends.

>61 maggie1944: Mmm, I'd love to hear an owl in the city, Karen. We're in a fairly "leafy" area in Chicago, as a British friend would say. We're starting to get green and other colors coming in, and the birdsong is widespread and uplifting. I'm enjoying your FB nature photos.

>63 scaifea: Thanks, Amber! Our flight got delayed two hours on the tarmac with mechanical problems, but it could be worse. We got to NYC at a reasonably good time, and ate well with pals that night.

>64 Whisper1: Love the Strand, Linda. It's my goddaughter's favorite bookstore. Probably not this time, darn it, as the schedule is pretty tight. But we'll be back.

>65 benitastrnad: Two days in the car with a limited snack repertoire, ouch. That sounds less than ideal all right, Benita. Popcorn? Let's give it a quick try.



>66 ffortsa: Hi, Judy. I pm'd you. Thanks!

>67 Berly: Yeah, those can wait, Kimberly, although I loved them both. You got to the biggies. Wasn't that Ancillary series great?

>68 NarratorLady: Lots of theater, Anne. I'm scrambled, but somewhere up above I mentioned the four shows. We get the most raised eyebrows about The Color Purple. We'll report back.

>69 scaifea: Thanks, Amber! It's been a good but busy one. We got to have lunch with a couple of Madame MBH"s cousins that we love - both so interesting. Her cousin Amy Bass is about the wittiest woman I've ever met, and her brother Michael ain't far behind.

>70 msf59: Hiya, Mark. Good to know - I won't bother with Octopus Pie, and I'll look forward to hearing your ending take on Faker.

>72 Crazymamie: Morning, Mamie! Hope it was a good one for you.

>73 charl08: Oh good, Charlotte, I'm glad you're liking Neurotribes. I thought it was outstanding in pulling all that together. It fits what Temple Grandin says - not less, different.

We love going to the theater, can you tell?

>74 thornton37814: Yay! We're both all caught up, Lori.

have an awesome time in NY and I love the musicals you are seeing!

>79 Berly: Thanks, Kimberly! So far, so awesome. :-)

Morning, Joe! Good luck with your talk today! Are you heading back tomorrow?

Morning, Mark! Thanks!

We're stretching it out so we can see some shows and visit with folks. We'll be back Friday. We're seeing Fun Home tonight - I remember you liked that GN, as did I. They've turned it into a Tony-winning musical.

Looking forward to your thoughts on Fun Home. I have heard very good things about this production. Yes, I am jealous.

Ha! We'll report back. Really looking forward to it.

Morning, Joe!

>82 jnwelch: I'm sure you will love 'Fun/Home'.

>77 jnwelch: Something Rotten is great fun and I heard that the woman who plays Ceely in Color Purple is amazing. Fun Home is on my list. (We're heading to NYC next month to see She Loves Me, being taken there for our anniversary by the kids!).

Have a ball!

Joe, I'm glad you're liking the nature photographs on Facebook. I like the idea of "Occupy Facebook" with nature photographs, but not everybody seems able to play by rules.... like post 7 of them, one day after another. Ha ha ha Even I slipped up.

I'm also glad you are enjoying they springtime in New York City!

Just saying hi!

Hey Joe. Did we pursue the idea of a summertime shared read of Seven Killings? No pressure, just wondering if you're interested. I wouldn't want to read it in August (Alaska just doesn't seem like the place to read that novel) but I might be interested another month. Or even September. Of course, if we procrastinate enough we could read it next January.... Heh.

>30 jnwelch: tough times....and Being Mortal, what a fantastic book to have read and to be able to refer to. I must get myself a copy, I wanted to buy one for everyone when I red it.

I love the top art! And I am intrigued by Evicted by Matthew Desmond. I must check it out.

Morning, Joe! Happy Wednesday!

>85 Crazymamie: Morning, Mamie! Jeez, we haven't done your usual in a while. This one's on us:



Are we FB friends? Debbi posted yesterday a photo of mini-macarons (yes, that's spelled right) and mini-cupcakes we got at Melissa's here. So good.



(We didn't have quite this many).

Why, thank you, Joe!

>86 ffortsa: Hi, Judy. Fun Home was fantastic. What a knockout the young Alison was. And her father - phenomenal job of acting. Gabriella Pizzolo as Alison and Michael Cerveris as the dad. They were all great. Helen Bechdel as her mom, too, and all three Alisons, and Alison's girlfriend. Just terrific.

>94 Crazymamie: :-)

>87 NarratorLady: Thanks, Anne. We're really looking forward to seeing Something Rotten. Everyone we've talked to who's seen it loved it. That will be our last one - a good send-off. We'll let you know about The Color Purple.

Yes, you'll want to add Fun Home, for sure. It was so good!

I don't know She Loves Me, so please report back after you've seen it.

>88 maggie1944: I know, I actually declined to post nature photos on FB when someone tagged me, not just because I'm a grouch, but also because 7 days is way too long for me to play by the rules. Not a strong suit. But I'm sure enjoying yours.

It's been a bit chill here in NYC, but it's going up to 70 F today! We're meeting a friend shortly for late breakfast, then we've got The Color Purple in a matinee and On Your Feet tonight. All right!

>89 EBT1002: Hiya, Ellen! Hope life is slowing down a bit for you.

>90 EBT1002: Yes, I'm still interested in a Seven Killings mini-group-read, Ellen. I'm flexible - whenever works for you is fine by me. As you can probably tell, I'm generally not a plan-ahead reader, but I will for ones like this and A Manual for Cleaning Women, and I'm trying to keep a toe in the water for the various country challenges.

I'm blessedly free to goof off a bit today, so Wednesday is the top of the slide, and I'm just about to slide down into the weekend.

>91 LovingLit: Yeah, Being Mortal is one of those that's being given and recommended every which-way, Megan, isn't it. What a book. He seems so level-headed, but Gawande must feel good to have given such a gift to the world.

Definitely give Evicted a go. I think of your part of the world as a bit more enlightened about even treatment of people from top to bottom of the economic scale, so it may be even more horrifying for you than it is us. It's tough to "fend for yourself" with so few resources and such a fine line between having a home and being homeless.

I'm glad you like that top art. We always try to spiff up the new cafe.

>92 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie. Happy Wednesday to you!

All right, off to have breakfast with a pal. Supposed to be nice out there today.

So far we're batting one thousand at the theater.

The Color Purple was amazing. I'm never been among so many beautiful voices before. As you know, the story is rough but hopeful. At least one spoiler below if you haven't read it.



Jennifer Hudson was excellent as Shug Avery, entertainer and everyone's love attraction, including Celie. Her charisma was essential, as Shug is such an important character.



Cynthia Erivo as Celie was a revelation. What a gorgeous, pure and stunningly wide-ranging voice. And she made Celie's journey riveting from beginning to end.



Danielle Brooks as Sophia wowed us, telling the would-be domineering men, "Hell, No!", and managing to dominate them - until beaten by whites and imprisoned for refusing when the mayor's wife tells her to become their maid. Here, after having to become their maid, she comes back to the community and blessedly returns to being her feisty self after seeing how Celie fights back against Mister. I don't remember that last part happening that way in the book or the film, but it was very satisfying in the play.



I'm neglecting so many fine voices and well done jobs of acting, including Kyle Scatliffe as Harpo (seen with Danielle Brooks above, Isaiah Johnson as Mister, and Joaquina Kalukango as Celie's sister Nettie.

This was a highlight of our theater-going experiences that we'll never forget.

We were ambitious yesterday, and went to On Your Feet last night, after the matinee of The Color Purple. It's a musical about Gloria and Emilio Estefan's rise from being Cuban immigrants to international stars with the Miami Sound Machine, and her recovery from a physically devastating bus accident.

The show was fast-moving, constantly in motion, with an amazing troupe of dancers who must have to refuel ferociously after a show. They hit it HARD.

"'Cause when the guitar player starts playing
With the syncopated rhythm, with the scratch, scratch, scratch
Makes me wanna move my body, yeah, yeah, yeah
And when the drummer starts beating that beat
He nails that beat with the syncopated rythm
With the rat, tat, tat, tat, tat, tat, on the drums, hey"





Ana Villafane and Josh Segura were excellent as Gloria and Emilio.





It was a great night. We and everyone else were on our feet by the end. Fiesta - cast and audience had a party together.

Wow! No half-measures for you guys! You know how to do it all. Fun Home, The Color Purple & On Your Feet? Fantastic! Thanks for sharing all the wonderful photos!

Sweet Thursday, Joe! Enjoy your last day, in the Big Apple! No reason to hurry back. The weather has been cruddy.

Loved those reviews of the shows you have seen, Joe! Full of fabulous, looks like! And you are right about your spoiler for The Color Purple - that's not in the book. Enjoy, my friend!

>102 msf59: Thanks, buddy! It has been quite a trip. We probably should stay - it's supposed to be 72 F here tomorrow.

>103 Crazymamie: Glad to hear it, Mamie. What fun it's been - definitely full of fabulous. Thanks - I thought that wasn't the way it went in the book. Appropriate in the play, especially as the audience becomes so invested in that character.

We're off soon to Ground Zero, lunch with a pal, and walking the High Line elevated park. Our last play (sigh) is tonight.

Those shows look amazing. What a great run of choices. I'm really hoping that Fun Home comes over here.

(And what do you mean you didn't eat all of those cakes? Surely a second attempt is required?!)

Wow Joe, Broadway will need a rest when you are ready for going back to Chicago! Both musicals look excellent but I would probably plump for watching Color Purple with half a choice. Jennifer Hudson has made a tremendous career after being a finalist and unlucky loser in American Idol hasn't she just?

>105 charl08: They were amazing shows, Charlotte. I have to believe Fun Home will make it over your way. Tony Award winner and all that.

I was expecting everyone here to help with those mini-cupcakes from Melissa's. We need help - Darryl recommended the cheesecakes at Junior's, so we're working on those (slice of carrot cake cheesecake for me, and raspberry swirl for the missus). (Luckily the hotel room has a little fridge).



>106 PaulCranswick: Ha! I think Broadway will somehow continue on just fine without us after we go back to Chicago, Paul. What a scene in the theater area - so many shows, with throngs of people going to this one and that.

The Color Purple would be a good choice. We're still talking about it, and Madame MBH was just playing some of the show's songs from Ms. Hudson and Ms. Erivo via the miracle of Youtube. You're right, Jennifer H. has made a tremendous career. She's had tragedy, too - her mother, brother and nephew (young) were killed by her sister's estranged boyfriend. She does a school supply mission in Chicago in her nephew's honor every year.

She is a remarkable team player in this play, with Cynthia E. taking the lead as Celie and Jennifer in a supporting role as Shug Avery - albeit a strong, critical one.

Joe did you ever look into the GN of Fun Home? It's very different but a favorite of mine.

We loved the musical too

Some street art from our recent mini-trip to San Francisco. Found this beauty in an alley in The Castro near a bookstore and an auto body shop

Have a wonderful Easter.

Joe, I wish you and Debbi a fabulous weekend.

>108 magicians_nephew: The GN of Fun Home is where it started for both of us, Jim. Agreed, it's a standout. We both decided we need to own a copy now. Glad you liked the musical, too. What a poignant adaptation.

>109 magicians_nephew: Nice! Thanks for posting that, Jim. We've got to get ourselves back out to SF. Were you there on vacation?

We were just talking about wishing there were more street art of this kind in Manhattan (apparently there is a street art area in Brooklyn?). Our friend attributes the absence in Manhattan to Giuliani.

We did find this one in Tribeca a couple of years ago.

Happy Friday, Joe! Have a safe trip home. Looks like a sunny day here, so you have that going for you.

>110 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. Do you all celebrate Easter in any way? We did, even though we raised the kids Jewish (Christmas, too), but now we mainly treat it as a day of relaxation. We used to all get Easter baskets, and we'd hide plastic Easter eggs all over the first floor of the house. Once the kids found them, they got to hide the eggs from us, which they loved.

>111 Ameise1: Ha! Nice pancakes. :-) Thanks, Barbara. I hope you have a fabulous weekend, too.

>112 DianaNL: Awww. Thanks, Diana. I hope you have a great weekend.

"Something Rotten'' was hilarious and wonderful. Set in Shakespeare's time (sort of), a lesser bard tries to beat out The Bard with a new-fangled invention - the musical. We loved it.

Today's a travel day, so I'll check in some time later.

Morning, Joe!

>117 Crazymamie:. Morning, Mamie!

Good Friday Morning, Joe and Mamie, and anyone else who stops by this morning!

^You missed me up there but you were probably running to catch your flight...

>115 jnwelch: No, Joe not really but any excuse for chocolate is welcome. Of course, I was brought up as a Christian (although my father was an agnostic, my mother had us baptized and confirmed in the church) so I am familiar with the festival and we in Malaysia "religiously" celebrate every possible holiday.

In Islam Jesus is celebrated and remembered as a Prophet and in Koranic equivalents of Revelations his second coming is actually predicted.

Joe, your theater adventures are making me so envious! I really want to take a vacation to NYC and just go to shows. It's on the bucket list. I think you said somewhere that you and D used to go to the theater several nights each week (and, of course, being in Chicagoland would open up all kinds of possibilities for such). I'm impressed with that kind of stamina. Especially when I consider that you were presumably working for a living and still an avid and accomplished reader at the time.

Safe travels and Happy Weekend to you.

Happy new thread/cafe and Happy Easter Joe. I am glad to see you are feeling better.

>101 jnwelch: - Wow, Miami Sound Machine. Now, that is a memory throw-back, and a good one, too!

>119 maggie1944: Hiya, Karen! Glad you're okay after that rear-ender. Happy Friday!

>114 msf59:, >120 msf59: You're psychic, Mark. Yes, I was heading for our flight. Sorry about that. Happy Friday!

This weather is A-OK by us. Hard to complain about 50s and sunny. As we were getting back to O'Hare, Becca's plane had just left for Pittsburgh, where she'll be visiting her bro and his new bride for a few days. So we're taking care of grandpup Sherlock, who was very happy to see us.

>121 PaulCranswick: any excuse for chocolate is welcome Ha! I share the attitude, Paul, if maybe not the depth of your love of chocolate. We did have manage to each have a daily delicious brownie while in NYC, not to mention Melissa's goodies one day as shown up in >93 jnwelch:.

That's very interesting re Jesus in Islam. I knew a bit about the shared roots, but not that one.

>122 EBT1002: Hi, Ellen. As you can tell, we really like to go to the theater. Your finding time to go there and see shows is certainly one we'd recommend. The quality is so high in New York, and the number of shows going on is staggering. We were pleased to see they were showing one right next door to our last one, called The Humans, that we'd seen in Chicago when it debuted in a small theater here. It was terrific, and as far as I can tell they kept virtually the whole cast.

There's simply nothing like the electricity of good live theater.

We're safely back, I've got Sherlock snoozing on my lap, and it looks like quite the relaxing weekend - we planned nada.

I just finished another Georgette Heyer that I liked a lot, Venetia.

Welcome home, Joe! Your weekend plans sound perfect. You guys were full throttle in NYC.

>123 lkernagh: Thanks, Lori. All is well with me. Happy Easter to you, too.

Yeah, Madame MBH confirmed that 7 (!) of the band members for On Your Feet were from the Miami Sound Machine. They were mighty good, and obviously were having a blast. After the show was over, they kept playing for a good while, and were all smiles and waving with the audience.

>126 msf59: Thanks, Mark! Exactly. Our friend was saying we'd need a vacation to recover from our vacation. :-) It's good to be back.

We loved "Something Rotten', and had so much fun. Christian Borle was a knockout as a rock star Shakespeare!

>128 jnwelch: I'm glad to see that Christian Bohrle is still in the show. He was hilarious and certainly earned his Tony!

Wow! What an amazing trip--completely jealous. Hope the rest of your weekend is wonderful. : )

>129 NarratorLady: Ha! Wasn't he hilarious, Anne? When they were doing the build-up to our first time seeing "Will", I thought to myself, this guy better be good, given what a big deal they're making out of it. He sure was. So funny.

>130 Berly: It was an amazing trip, Kimberly. Now we're just cooling out and taking care of the furry Mr. Sherlock. Off soon to grab some coffee.

Morning, Joe! Happy Saturday! The sun feels good out here. It should be a good day.

Going out with the "kids" tonight, to celebrate their birthdays. I am sure good beer will be involved.

I particularly enjoyed this seasonsoflove book blog about "Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Books I Love But Haven't Talked About in a While (Or Talked About Enough)":



http://thebookkeepersapprentice.blogspot.com/2016/03/top-ten-tuesday-ten-books-i...

We had such a good time with the Sharpe books and films, and she's the one who talked me into reading the wonderful Master and Margarita, among others.

>132 msf59: Morning, Mark! Happy Saturday, buddy!

We've been enjoying the sun, and managed to tucker out that furry master detective Sherlock. He's snoring over on Madame MBH's lap.

Have fun celebrating birthdays with the kids tonight. Son Jesse just had his on the 23rd, and Becca is out in Pittsburgh helping him and his bride celebrate it.

Lots of March birthdays! Happy Birthday to Jesse!

>135 msf59: Thanks, Mark! Happy Belated (right?) Birthday to Bree and your son!

Have fun tonight celebrating. We're hearing the tales from Pittsburgh - they were out til the wee hours last night, with a magic show and Dave and Busters game playing on the agenda.

A family enjoying the coffee.

Cool staircase

>138 jnwelch: Oh I love that.

I would think about having a coffee cup painted on the drive. Seems sensible to warn people of the customs of the house.

To repeat myself, I am so enjoying Neurotribes. All the connections between tech and autism and the heroic stories of innovators makes for great reading.

Happy Easter to you and your family, Joe.

Howdy Joe!

Happy Easter, Joe! I trust there will be chocolate Easter bunnies on offer from the Cafe tomorrow morning ? :)

>137 jnwelch: Love street artwork like that!! And the staircase. Happy Easter to you and yours!

>139 charl08: Isn't that an inspiring staircase, Charlotte? Someone did a beautiful job on that.

I like your idea of having a coffee cup painted on the drive, to let folks know what's important at the house. Maybe a book, too?

Great to hear you're getting so much out of Neurotribes. I thought he did an outstanding job of conveying so much info with a light and thoughtful touch.

>140 weird_O: Ha! That's one heck of a photo, Bill, thanks. Our daughter would dive right into those peeps. They are the best-looking ones I've ever seen. Happy Easter!

>141 DeltaQueen50: Thanks, Judy. Happy Easter to you and yours.

>142 luvamystery65: Howdy, Roberta! I've got to finish my present book so I can start reading A Manual for Cleaning Women with the rest of you. Hope you're having a good weekend.

>143 vancouverdeb: Happy Easter, Deb! Oh, good idea. Let's bring out the chocolate Easter bunnies!



>144 Berly: Happy Easter, Kimberly! Glad you like the street art and the staircase. That's one staircase I'd have to climb, just to see all of it and see what's at the top.

Morning, Joe! Happy Sunday! We are going to an early dinner, with family but should have a big chunk of the day, for some R & R.

Enjoy the day, my friend.

Morning, Joe! Wishing for you a day filled with happy!

>133 jnwelch: Enjoyed Becca's blog. You did a good job with those Sharpe books buddy. Cornwell makes you smell the gunpowder and still leave you realising it is not all about the fighting.

Have a lovely day.

I am not usually a big fan of war novels but I did like the Sharpe books. I liked the BBC production of them even better. Sean Bean was a big reason why.

>147 jnwelch: Adorable bunnies. However, as they are chocolate, I would end up showing them no mercy.

Mornin', Joe!

>148 msf59: Morning, Mari! I'm getting here a bit late, so Happy Mmphmumble Day!

Hope you had a good Sunday. It was swell on our end. I finished All the Light We Cannot See, and I can see why so many readers have loved it.

Have you read the GN Demo by Brian Wood? Short stories, mostly dark - why did I think you might like it, I wonder.

>149 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie! Happy Mmphmumble Day!

Hope you all had a grand weekend.

>150 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. Glad you liked Becca's blog. She's just getting better and better at it.

Good to have a fellow Sharpe aficionado. Cornwell puts you right there, doesn't he. It was fun having Becca enjoy those and the Sean Bean films so much.

Hope you're having a good one in your beautiful part of the world.

>151 benitastrnad: Oh, I'm glad to hear you enjoyed the Sharpe books, Benita. And I agree, Sean Bean is the one made those BBC productions great. He's a perfect Sharpe. Other than this series, I feel like Hollywood/tv hasn't yet figured out how to use him as a lead.

>152 ffortsa: Ha! Understood, Judy. They would expect no less.

I thought twice about posting their adorableness, figuring it would give folks pause before devouring them, but they were too good to pass up.

>153 scaifea: Morning, Amber!

#155
He played lots of bad guys, but his role in Game of Thrones was right up his alley. I happened to be visiting in Belfast in May of 2009 and about 5:30 p.m. we got held up in a traffic jam. When inquires were made it turned out that some American production company was filming a new TV mini-series in Northern Ireland in a huge old warehouse that had been part of the Harlan and Wolf ship building complex. Further inquires proved that the show was "some new thing" called Game of Thrones and that the "star" of the show was Sean Bean. They stopped filming every day about 6:00 p.m. and there was a general motorcade back to the hotels and flats where the crews and actors were staying down on the waterfront. People in the area said it was even worse if they were out filming on location around Ireland, as the semi-trailers tied up traffic for miles. Unfortunately, other than that one evening, I never saw hide nor hair of any of that "new show" again while in Northern Ireland. Also, it never occurred to me that Ireland would be the setting for the first parts of the Game of Thrones. However, when I was hiking up Cave Hill, I kept thinking of Conner Larkin and Trinity and Redemption. Now there would be perfect series of books for a mini-series.

That house is so cool. Lots of Aztec and Mayan influence in the art that is very strange for Germany.

>157 benitastrnad: Yes, lots of bad guys for Sean. The GOT part did look good for him (I'm one of 3 or 4 people in the U.S. who don't follow that series), but his getting killed off, while fitting the author's approach, didn't appeal to me.

Interesting re the filming in Ireland. Good for the economy, frustrating for getting somewhere if you're in the area of filming.

I don't know Trinity and Redemption, but now you've got me wondering about them. Hmm. Wonky touchstones this a.m.

>158 weird_O: Love it! Thanks, Bill. Great use of color.

>159 benitastrnad: Good thought, Benita. We've got all these ancient influences percolating inside us, don't we. Even with that distance.

Some more color for a Mmphmumble Day:

>157 benitastrnad: Great story Benita. I had a similar experience visiting Ireland in the 1980s when on a trip to Dingle we stumbled upon the filming of Far and Away - the movie that fatefully brought Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman together. We went to a dance in the evening and met some of the crew but we only saw the stars at a considerable distance.

>158 weird_O: & >161 jnwelch: It is amazing that those were done almost certainly without hallucinogenics.

>162 PaulCranswick: Ha! An all-natural artistic high led to those, methinks, Paul. In their heyday the Beatles might've been inspired for an album cover or two.

I forget where we were in western Ireland, but maybe 15 years ago the locals were still proud that John Wayne's The Quiet Man had been filmed there. It is a beautiful country. County Mayo - that was it.

Morning, Joe! Hoping for the sun to make an appearance. It will make a big difference.
I do not think I have read Demo, but I will check it out. Your touchstone to it, was incorrect.

Love that street art.

>164 msf59: Morning, Mark!

For some reason, I've had a lot of trouble with the touchstones this a.m., so just bear with me. It's the Brian Wood one.

>158 weird_O: Wow! What an image!

Hi Joe, hope you enjoyed a wonderful long weekend. We were spoiled yesterday with beautiful spring weather, and though we hadn't planned to celebrate Easter in a special way, it ended up being a special day all the same. I see you've been to some interesting performances. That Jennifer Hudson is one gorgeous woman. I also see there's talk of a shared read of Seven Killings, and I'd definitely be into that. Though I don't participate much in the group talks, I do find it very encouraging to know others are reading the same loooong books at the same time as me. Is there a group reading for A Manual for Cleaning Women too? I got that one recently and would gladly join in with it too.

>166 Whisper1: Agreed, Linda. My color sensors are in overdrive. :-)

>167 Smiler69: It was a wonderful long weekend, thanks, Ilana. Yes, great shows, and Jennifer Hudson is one gorgeous woman - with the charisma needed to play Shug Avery.

Yes, there'll be a shared read later in the summer of Seven Killings. I get the same kind of boost as you when others are reading a long one when I am. I'm looking to Ellen mainly right now for the "when" cue, but it won't be for a while.

The A Manual for Cleaning Women mini-group read is indeed started, and I'm just starting the book today. Roberta and Ellen and probably others are already off and reading it. Here's the link: http://www.librarything.com/topic/220237

'lo Joe. lovely piccies as always. wonderment abounds. and chocolate. i'll just be having a closer look at the buns in #147. tasty view.

>128 jnwelch: there seem to have been lots of codpieces in that show. they always look so confining and uncomfortable. according to Wikipedia, they were "held closed by string ties, buttons, or other methods." other methods? and yes, i realize it was a part of a gentleman's wear at the time. did peasants have 'em, do ya think?

wouldn't it be fun being an era frock maven like Ann Roth? wow. the Mildred Pierce series had a great extra bit on her work. she's scary knowledgeable. did you know she's won a Tony, an Oscar and a BAFTA?

>139 charl08: i just knew i shouldn'tuv come here. i just knew it. now b/c of you, Charlotte, Neurotribes is in my audible.com basket. i can't even push the bloody thing it's so full.

lordy. i don't show up for ages and then i get here and go off like a soda siphon. 'scus it, please. bye.

eta: that piece on Ann Roth is well worth a look in re: theatre and costuming actors and the like. you'll enjoy it and so would Anne. and maybe Walklover.

More lovely street art. And I loved the blog (not to mention the photo of dear Sherlock).
I have The Master and Margarita on the TBR shelves and I believe there is a small group read developing -- if I can remember who was talking about that (this is one thing I do: I enthusiastically chime in to participate and then I later forget whose thread that was -- this happens less once I have a face-to-face meet-up with someone but it still drives me crazy).

We are planning to renew our season tickets to the 5th Avenue here in Seattle. They have a pretty good lineup planned for next season, including "Fun Home." And I'm planning to get my butt to the Seattle Rep more often. Seeing "Come From Away" there this past winter was one of my all-time best theater experiences.

Joe, have you installed revolving doors in the Cafe? I'm getting dizzy here trying to catch up. I didn't even stop on the way from 5 to 7. Now that I have a place marker, I'll come back soon (sometime) and catch up on the gossip book talk.

Morning, Joe! Happy Tuesday!

>169 mirrordrum: Hiya, Ellie!

Good to see you in the cafe. Wonderment and chocolate - a good combo, yes?

"Something Rotten" was indeed a codpiece extravaganza. What an odd fad that was. One running joke in the show had a smitten character repeatedly reaching into his codpiece and pulling out - a poem, having used the codpiece like a sporran. And how did it get that weird name? Perhaps it's best not to speculate.

I didn't know about Ann Roth and her awards every which way for costume designing. I wonder whether our design-interested Abby (bookdiva) does. Thanks for the link to the news piece on Ms. Roth; very interesting. The costumes were critical in each show we saw. As Madame MBH mentioned, in The Color Purple (eesh, still touchstone problems), it was all bland colors until Nettie wrote from vibrant Africa and Celie started her sewing business - then there were bright colors everywhere.

Ha! Even if it threatens overload, Neurotribes is a worthy addition to your audible.com basket. Really good.

>170 EBT1002: Ha! Good morning, Ellen. I have the same problem keeping straight the people on LT I blithely gave my promise to join in with.

Glad you enjoyed the street art and the book blog. We're taking care of furry Sherlock in seasonoflove's absence, and he's a charmer.

Yes, do read The Master and Margarita. It's unique, a good read, and well worth it.

Fifth Avenue and Seattle Repertory sound great. Fun Home is a first class adaptation. I had a lot more sympathy for the messed-up father in the theater production than I did in the GN. And the three Alisons (young, college, mature) work really well.

>171 humouress: Ha! I'm glad you found us here, Nina. I responded to you over in the Door 5 cafe. For me, the Door 6 cafe just about takes the giddy biscuit.

Do read the reviews of Evicted and Pax if you get a chance - those are going to be in my "best of 2016" books for sure, along with Super Mutant Magic Academy.

>172 Crazymamie: Good morning, Mamie! Happy Tuesday to you!

#160
Trinity and Redemption were written by Leon Uris. They were big epic novels about the beginnings of the IRA and the roots of the Troubles. I had a cousin who read Trinity when it first came out and she said that Trinity and William Safire' book Freedom were the best books she ever read. She read alot. She loved Regency Romances and introduced me to Georgette Heyer and Barbara Cartland. She built one of those metal garden sheds in her back yard just to store her books in because she couldn't bare to part with them. This cousin died in 1993 at the age of 37 from bone cancer. I purchased a copy of Trinity soon after she died and kept it for many years. However, I didn't read the book until a friend of mine moved back to Northern Ireland in 2007. In 2009 I visited her in Belfast and I read the book right before I went there. After I got back I devoured Redemption and then read End of the Hunt by Thomas Flanagan.

Connor Larkin is much like James Fraser in the Gabeldon books. Every woman who reads Trinity and Redemption will fall in love with Connor. He is an amazing hero. If you haven't read those two epics from Uris you need to go to the library and get them. They are wonderful.

The Flanagan books are also great. They chronicle each of Ireland's great Risings. The first in that series is Year of the French which is about the Wolf Tone inspired rising in 1798. The second is Tenants of Time which is about the hope of the Charles Parnell years. The third in the series is End of the Hunt which is about the Irish Civil War of the 1920's and the beginnings of the IRA and the various terrorist factions and why they came about and how they developed. It is a fascinating fictionalization of the Michael Collins years.

Happy Tuesday, Joe! I just started A Manual for Cleaning Women and I have to find a copy of Master and Margarita. Busy, busy!!

Morning, Joe! Quick check in. Beautiful, early spring day, makes me a happy camper.

>176 benitastrnad: Ah, thanks, Benita. I remember Trinity well. It was a solid seller when I worked in bookstores. I've had Thomas Flanagan's books rec'd to me, too, by an Irish-American friend, particularly The Year of the French. Thanks for the tips.

>177 Berly: Hiya, Kimberly. Excellent - I just started A Manual for Cleaning Women, too. So far I'm liking it. Can't wait to hear what you think of The Master and Margarita. It's such an oddball and wonderful book, IMO.

>178 msf59: Hey, Quick Check In Mark. Morning!

It is a beauty out there. I'll be sure to get out there at lunchtime. What are you reading now?

hullo Joe. books and books and more books. now Master and Margarita and Manual for cleaning women in the shopping cart. how can i resist revisiting the Berkeley dump?

>178 msf59: "Every woman who reads Trinity and Redemption will fall in love with Connor." ahem. not necessarily, ducks. any heroic women, mayhap? ;-)

Some Hebru Brantley

>180 mirrordrum: Ha! Ain't it grand, Ellie? Books books and more books - we're lucky, aren't we? I can't imagine living in a time when they were scarce.

You made me laugh with "not every woman". I haven't read those books, so I'm useless for answering the "heroic women" question. You do find them in A Manual for Cleaning Women, although not the usual concept of "heroic". I'm glad you're going to give The Master and Margarita a try some time, too. I think you'll get a kick out of it.

>1 jnwelch: >181 jnwelch: incredible artwork you are sharing.

>1 jnwelch: This reminds me of some of William Joyce's work.

>181 jnwelch: Very cool.

>183 brodiew2: Hiya, Brodie.

Oh, good, I'm glad you're enjoying the artwork so much. That's become a staple in the cafe, and folks post some they come across, as you've seen.

I can definitely see the comparison with William Joyce for >1 jnwelch:.





Isn't >181 jnwelch: cool? I love his work.

#180
You are right, but there are plenty of Heroic Women in the 1916 Easter Rising and beyond to go around and suit everybody. It is just that perhaps they haven't been written about - yet! But they will be. Those are grand stories just waiting to be told.

>182 jnwelch: whoops, sorry for the incorrect linky thing. it shoulda been to Benita's >176 benitastrnad:. glad you laughed anyway. :-)

the availability of books makes the fact that Charles Dickens's books were serialized so poignant. imagine the anticipation from week to week of the next installment. not to mention the wonder of living in, say, ancient Greece and having a traveling bard come to town with one of the latest plays by Sophocles or Aristophanes. or possibly someone might come and sing of Peleus' anger and Apollo's. i believe women got to hear plays in the theatre but surely weren't allowed to learn to read and, i expect, were kept in the background so perhaps they missed the stories. certainly we have none of theirs.

and while speaking of gratitude and books, thanks to you for leading me to Ta-Nehisi Coates's Between the world and me.

and now, i'll have some linzer torte and a cup of, um, Keemun if it's not too much trouble.

toodles.

>185 benitastrnad: Right-e-o, Benita. Looking forward to more of those stories being told.

>186 mirrordrum: I've thought about the Dickens' serializations, too, Ellie, and traveling bards and theater troupes as you describe. Hearing someone like Homer would've been a treat, for sure, and we still have some of that - when an author like David Sedaris gives a reading and entertains a crowd, for example. But books of every stripe available one way or another virtually everywhere - that would boggle the mind of someone from the olden days.

The women in the background (or not present at all) is one of life's perplexities - how could that have ever been viewed as acceptable, much less "right"? I know I'm preaching to the choir, and we continue to have problems on that front, including unequal pay, but it's a headshaker.

Oh, I'm so glad that Between the World and Me resonated with you. His honesty, and the way he dug into such tough issues, really got me.

Let's get you that linzer torte and some Keemun. Toodles.

I've had Pax on hold for a while and I just put Evicted on hold, too. Although I might want to listen to the latter..... Yep, I think that will be a good audiobook. Once I get over this dang cold, I'll be walking again and I really, really want to walk at least 30 minutes every single day. I am finding that listening and walking work well together.

Thanks for letting me know that you sometimes forget with whom you were supposed to read something. I know some folks document this near the top of their thread and I think I need to start doing that!

I do know that you and I have loosely talked about reading A Brief History of Seven Killings together sometime (see? I've met you; it's easier). If only I could win that lottery so I could just retire.

>98 jnwelch: I think of your part of the world as a bit more enlightened about even treatment of people from top to bottom of the economic scale
I do too, but we are increasingly less so these days. Policies are all about individuals fending for themselves and making it for themselves. Policy-makers, of course, neglect to remember what help they had on their journeys up- like food on the table, present parents, free tertiary (university) education, social housing, income support through benefit payments etc. It seems like now they are up there (wealthy), they want to pull the ladder up so that the rest cannot get there too....

I've just had a cuppa (coffee, a macchiato these days), and another cuppa (herbal tea), and now I feel like pie! Hm, now, where can I get a slice of decent pie around here?

That's okay; you don't look like pie.

Morning, Joe! Love the Joyce - we're big fans here at Scaife Manor.

Good morning, Joe. I'm enjoying the Spring around here. Hope you are having some better weather, too.

Morning, Joe! The Pecan Paradisio also is a fan of Joyce - George Shrinks is a personal favorite of mine.

>188 EBT1002: Ha! I know, Ellen. Think of all the time we're wasting not reading! That's going to be one of the best parts about retirement.

Yes, we were talking about reading Seven Killings in the late summer? I could use the inspiration. I'm plugging away at Manual for Cleaning Women. She's really good, isn't she? I was surprised to see that she passed away back in 2004. Kudos to someone for getting this collection published.

I know you enjoy listening to non-fiction. Walking while someone is reading/performing a book to you does sound good. Yeah, if I don't get a substantial amount of walking in (running in the old days) I start getting antsy.

Pax and Evicted are two of my tops for the year. I'm glad you're going to give them a go.

Hope you keep feeling better.

>189 LovingLit: It seems like now they are up there (wealthy), they want to pull the ladder up so that the rest cannot get there too.... Here, too. That economic inequality is probably our biggest problem, Megan. Those favoring the wealthy try to disguise it as "trickle down" economics and "boosting businesses", but neither actually happens. Our economy thrived when there were higher taxes on the rich under Clinton. Our economy tanks when the favor-the-rich Republicans are in charge. We need to get more economic equality here. I don't see it as "socialism", I see it as better wealth distribution. Paying higher taxes doesn't significantly harm the wealthy, and astute money-handlers like Warren Buffett would be the first to tell you so. This favoring the 1% is seriously damaging our country.

OK, having made cafe progress toward solving the world's problems, it's time for pie, right? How does pecan pie sound?

>190 humouress: Nicest thing anyone's said all day to me, Nina. Although my wife does think I look like sugar pie.

>191 scaifea: I like William Joyce's illustrations a lot, too, Amber. His Fantastic Flying Books book and movie are perfect for LT, aren't they?

>192 maggie1944: Thanks, Karen. Glad you're having a good Spring. It's definitely picking up around here. Mid-60s F today. Greenery and early flowers popping up all over the place.

>193 Crazymamie: Ah, good to hear, Mamie. George Shrinks is a fun one, isn't it?

>176 benitastrnad: & >179 jnwelch: I have had Year of the French on the shelves for a while and must give it a read soon. The book is dauntingly long though.

>197 PaulCranswick: I can't tell you how many times I've thought about reading Year of the French, Paul. Maybe we need a mini-group read to get us going. I've heard nothing but positives about it.

Art by Marta Kiss

>200 PaulCranswick: Sounds like a plan, Joe. If you're proposing I'll second it.

>200 PaulCranswick: Seems like a good idea, doesn't it, Paul? I'm committed to Seven Killings for my next mini-group read after A Manual for Cleaning Women, but maybe we could do The Year of the French in the fall? Let's stay in touch about it, and see whether anyone else wants to climb on board.

>199 jnwelch: I LOVE IT!!

Morning, Joe! Not very pleasant out here, at the moment and I sure hope to beat the rain. Just hold out until 3.

I am really enjoying The Hummingbird. This one might be your cuppa, although it will depend on how much you can read about a hospice worker. It is beautifully done.

>202 msf59: Isn't >199 jnwelch: cool, Mark? I love it, too. That's my kind of cafe.

Yeah, looking a bit crummy out there, but at least we're getting a warm up. Someone just told me they're predicting snow on Sunday? Hard to believe. Of course, they're wrong in their predictions more often than they're right, seems like.

You've intrigued me with The Hummingbird. I'll be following your adventures reading it with interest.

I have the NYRB edition of The Year of the French and might be interested in taking it up in the fall...

Okay, how about July for Brief History of Seven Killings. I don't know if anyone will join us but I'll make a note to start a GR thread in mid-to-late June.

I was going to propose August (which probably more accurately qualifies as "late summer" but I just can't see that as my take-along-to-Alaska book....

And if there is a fall mini-GR of The Year of the French, I might join in on that, too. I don't own it but that can be remedied.

>195 jnwelch:>196 The more Joyce the merrier! I had no idea there was a 'Flying Books' movie. It looks brilliant.

>204 katiekrug: Cool beans, Katie. Let's all keep in touch and see if it works for the fall.

>205 EBT1002: Yeah, I remember you mentioning August, but July is fine for Seven Killings as far as I'm concerned. So far we've got you, me, Paul and Katie as possibilities for The Year of the French. That would work! We'll check in with each other as we get closer to that part of the year, how's that sound?

>206 brodiew2: Thanks for getting us started on William Joyce, Brodie. I agree, the more the merrier. Yes, that Flying Books movie is brilliant. Well worth finding, as is the book for it.

>207 jnwelch: I love his classic style of the Golden Age of Americana mixed with the fantastic all all kinds. The artwork is so inviting. He at once can express joy, melancholy, hope, and just plain weirdness in a single piece. I love it.

>208 brodiew2: Me, too, Brodie. Well put.

At Mamie's suggestion, here's a link to Billy Collins' clever and humorous poem, "Victoria's Secret", which is a little long to post here, IMO:

http://www.webpages.uidaho.edu/cae_core/links/collinsvictoria.htm

>195 jnwelch: wow, Joe. just wow. sadly, even kids' illustrated books have passed largely out of my visual ken, at least for now, but that top image is just amazing. got a URL? i might put it on Facebook w/ proper attribution and that.

and the linzer torte was swoonly, the Keemun top notch, though i confess to adding a dollop of cream to the latter. Keemun and Assam can handle a dollop of cream.

>100 jnwelch: what a joyous thing, your trip to New York. i would find ground zero difficult, i believe. i loved the shots from the shows. i believe if i could go to one and had to pick, it would be The color purple. but how could one lose? i'm sooooo happy you can make these trips. thanks for letting the rest of us have a glimpse.

and yes, in the movie that part you mention "until beaten by whites and imprisoned for refusing when the mayor's wife tells her to become their maid. Here, after having to become their maid, she comes back to the community and blessedly returns to being her feisty self after seeing how Celie fights back against Mister." i don't recall it in the book but in the movie i believe it happens around the dinner table and Sofia is back! guess i'll have to watch that movie again.

Hi Joe. A lot of the art on this thread reminds me of a gorgeous little game app I found. I think it's called 'Tiny Bang'.

I was just thinking I haven't had rose milk (also known as bandung) for a while. It's a local drink with quite a distinctive colour. Think you could rustle that up for me?

>207 jnwelch: Yep. Sounds good.

I am so glad you are getting a group together, for Seven Killings. It was my favorite fiction title of last year, which is high praise. And I think it will warrant an interesting discussion.

>206 brodiew2: There's an app out there for it, too, which is *amazing* - very interactive and such. Wonderful for kids. I also recommend The Numberlys, another story app of his.

Morning, Joe! Snow?! Nopenopenope.

Morning, Joe! Sweet Thursday, as Mark would say!

>211 mirrordrum: Aren't those images great, Ellie? They're from The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore. You can get the book, http://smile.amazon.com/Fantastic-Flying-Books-Morris-Lessmore/dp/1442457023?ie=..., or you can watch/get the movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0ReBeGc_IU (brief promo before it starts).

If you want images, here's a place to start: http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=fantastic+flying+books+of+mr.+morris+lessmor...

Glad to hear the linzer torte and Keemun hit the spot. We'll try to remember the cream next time.

I didn't remember Sofia making it back in the movie. Her return to herself was well-handled and joyous in the play.

Hope it's a good one for you today.

>212 humouress: I can see why the art on this thread reminds you of Tiny Bang, Nina, based on what I've seen of that app.



Yes, we had some bandung in the back.



>213 EBT1002: Excelente, Ellen. Looking forward to it.

>214 msf59: Sounds good, Mark. The mini-group can spur each other on with Seven Killings. I thought I was so cool to pick it up early in paperback in London, and then I didn't read it. What a dope.

>215 scaifea: Oh, that Flying Books app sounds good, Amber. The Numberlys is briefly promo'd on the Youtube video linked up above in >217 jnwelch:.

Morning! I'm with you on the nopenopenope to snow. :-)

>216 Crazymamie: Morning, Mamie! Sweet Thursday!

I'm sure Doc and the gang from Steinbeck's book would appreciate us remembering them. Plus Thursday is sweet, right? "Little Friday", as they call it in Super Mutant Magic Academy.

I think that all of you will enjoy Year of the French when you get to it. It was some time ago since I read it, and that lead me to the next book in the trilogy which was Tenants of Time. Then of course there was the third in the series End of the Hunt which I read a couple of years ago. These are great epic novels in the tradition of the epic historical novel so none of them are short books. They are well worth the time it takes to read them. I don't think that any of them would be available in recorded versions but I might be wrong about that. Recorded books are so hot right now that publishers are doing recordings of titles off of their backlists. I know that many of the early Tony Hillerman novels are being reissued in sound recordings, so think that might be true of other books as well.

>220 benitastrnad: Thanks, Benita. Good to hear that you were inspired to read the whole trilogy. I've seen what you mean about audiobooks - hot, hot, hot.

What?! No one is commenting on the link to that Billy Collins' poem? I love that one where he takes us on a trip through the Victoria's Secret catalog. This is my favorite stanza:

"I wet my thumb and flip the page.
Here, the one who happens to be reclining
in a satin and lace merry widow
with an inset lace-up front,
decorated underwire cups and bodice
with lace ruffles along the bottom
and hook-and-eye closure in the back,
is wearing a slightly contorted expression,
her head thrust back, mouth partially open,
a confusing mixture of pain and surprise
as if she had stepped on a tack
just as I was breaking down
her bedroom door with my shoulder."

>222 Crazymamie: Ha! I love that stanza, too, Mamie. The one with the pouty model is another favorite. :-)

Here's the link again, for the curious:
http://www.webpages.uidaho.edu/cae_core/links/collinsvictoria.htm

Oh, Joe, I love that poem too!! Billy Collins is one of my favorite poets due to his humor.

>224 Thebookdiva: Isn't that a great one, Abby? It's one of the first of his I read, and I thought, I've got to read more of this guy. Humor in poetry isn't all that common, and he's so good at it.

Morning, Joe! Well, my day is off to a great start after visiting here: got my pie and tea for breakfast, poetry with a good chuckle, art, socio-economic discussions, and books. Thanks, man. Happy Thursday.

Pie for breakfast?! I WANT that!

>225 jnwelch: I agree! I'm reading Aimless Love at the moment and am loving it!

>226 Berly: Ha! You're welcome, Kimberly. That's what a cafe is for, right? :-) Happy Thursday!

>227 Crazymamie: All in favor say, PIE! Me, too, Mamie. Here we go.

>228 Thebookdiva: Ah, glad to hear it, Abby. I loved that Aimless Love collection, too. Billy Collins is a gift.

Morning, Joe! Sweet Thursday! It was raining, when I was loading up my vehicle, now we have sunshine. I do not want to have to put the rain gear back on. Fingers crossed.

The pie looks delish...

Morning, Mark!

Sweet Thursday, buddy!

Yeah, it's looking better out there. Hope it stays dry for you. I've got a sweater with me for when we get the big temperature drop tonight.

Hey, I finished Demo (correct touchstone this time), and it's one I think you'd like. Reminded me of Local. Interesting short stories, with a visual style similar to Local.

My dad, who worked so hard to keep squirrels off our birdfeeders (but never armed himself in the pursuit), would get a kick out of this one:

>229 jnwelch: Pie for me. Pecan or treacle if given the choice.

>234 charl08: I love pecan pie, Charlotte, so let's do that one.

>218 jnwelch: Thanks Joe. Though I fear that the vivid colour of the flowers is closer to the colour of the drink we get here. And it has far more sugar in it than I'm sure is good for me.

Tiny Bang is fun and relaxing.

Howdy Joe!! Loving the Pie talk! Perhaps a little peach pie? I'm asking for a friend ....

>237 michigantrumpet: Sure you are! LOL. Strawberry is my weakness. : )

Pie!!!! Let's have more pie...pie for breakfast is the best thing ever. Please save me a piece of apple or cherry for tomorrow morning.

My pie dreams feature a Chocolate Cream Pie.

Morning, Joe! Thanks for the pie!

My father's favorite pie was Gooseberry. Does the cafe have any of that?

>236 humouress: Bandung was a new one for me, Nina. Tiny Bang looks like fun - I'm a sucker for well done graphics.

>237 michigantrumpet: Ha! I'm sure we can find some peach pie for your "friend", Marianne. I'll bring an extra fork for my "friend", which I'll use if by any chance he doesn't show up.

>238 Berly: I can tell this is going to be a big-time pie day, Kimberly. Strawberry, you say?



>239 laytonwoman3rd: You got it, Linda. The whole cafe is going pie-crazy!



We used to get great cherry pie at the Cherry Hut restaurant, up near Traverse City.

>240 kac522: Thank goodness we keep a lot of pie on hand, Kathy. The staff is agog.



>241 Crazymamie: Ha! You're welcome, Mamie!

You may want to get a hold of a fork - there's a lot more pie to be had today.

No worries, Joe! I love pie and could easily eat it every day - especially if it's available for breakfast.

>242 benitastrnad: Hi, Benita.

Gooseberry pie - that reminds me of our trip to Montana a few years ago. It was very popular there. Here you go:



>246 Crazymamie: You and me both, Mamie! I could eat pie 24/7. Do Swiss army knives have forks these days? I need to figure out a convenient way to have a fork with me at all times.

Fork at the ready!

>247 jnwelch: :-) Me, too, Nina!

>250 Crazymamie: Ha! Perfect. I'll have to find the local Swiss Army knife store this weekend. My old knife doesn't have that. Your S.A. knife seems simpler; I thought I might have to sew on a really large pocket.

It's a S. A knife for kids, Joe.

Happy Friday, Joe! I have the weekend off, so I am a Happy Camper. I am still trying to shed more "winter weight", (I have done very well) so I am avoiding the pies, although beer is still on the table. Whew!

I just finished the 3rd and final Alex + Ada. A good solid trilogy. I'll have to watch for what he does next. I just started Coffin Hill. There is promise here and nice artwork. I will let you know.

>205 EBT1002: & >207 jnwelch: July is perfect for A Brief History of Seven Killings. The Category Challenge, GeoCAT is featuring the Caribbean in July and several of us were planning on reading this. Since there is overlap between the two groups, I'm sure we will have a few joining. You can always make it a July/August when you post.

I still haven't started A Manual for Cleaning Women but I have it ready for my reading retreat and plan on starting it this weekend!

>244 jnwelch: This is the ONLY cafe/restaurant where I have ever had a decent piece of pie. It always looks so good, and tastes like nuffin. I'm happy to hear some people have had better experience eating pie out.

>252 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie. Maybe I'll keep one on hand for when I read the YA and middle grade books.

>253 msf59: Yes! Enjoy the weekend off, my friend.

I like the way Luna and Vaughn have gotten way out there on the sentient AI concept in Alex + Ada. Really interesting. I'm glad it's a solid finish. I'll look forward to your thoughts on Coffin Hill.

>244 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe! Yum. Now I am ready to face the day. It doesn't hurt that it is Friday!

>254 luvamystery65: Oh good, Roberta. I'm glad that timing works so well. The more the merrier for reading Seven Killings.

I think you're going to enjoy A Manual for Cleaning Women. I'm a little past halfway and the quality has been high throughout. I just finished a couple of my favorites so far. Both Ellen and Mark have liked the whole book.

>255 laytonwoman3rd: Ha! The staff will be thrilled to hear your praise, Linda. (They're moving so fast with all the pie orders, sometimes it's hard to even see them). I have had some awfully good pieces of pie over the years. My birthdays often feature key lime pie. But the best dessert I've had recently was baklava at The Greek in Manhattan. Wow, was that good.



>257 Berly: Ah good, Kimberly. Every day's a bit better if there's pie in it, but Friday - it gives you that extra boost that carries you right into the weekend, doesn't it.

Joseph, I thought I'd stop by and announce that this month, April 2016, is my month to read Lonesome Dove. I know you love that one. It'll be both my Pulitzer novel for the month and my deadweight doorstop too.

Can I score a whole pie for that?

>260 weird_O: Ha! You bet, Bill.

You're right, I love Lonesome Dove. I'm pretty sure you'll have a great time with it. Definitely worth a whole pie.

>259 jnwelch: *drooling* That's not an April Fool's joke, is it? I've only ever had tiny squares of baclava, because it's soooooo rich.

Oh wow. Lovely pie. So much to choose from!

>262 humouress: No April Fool's on this one, Nina. Pie and baklava are both too serious and delicious for fooling around. We shared with friends the substantial piece of baklava at The Greek in Tribeca, but my enthusiasm got me extra forkfuls.

>263 charl08: I know, Charlotte. What a day for pie! I suspect everyone's just traveling from table to table, sampling.

>260 weird_O: I'll read Lonesome Dove one of these days. I loved the TV miniseries so much.

Joe, I hope your weekend includes lots of reading time.

>265 brodiew2: That's a good predictor for your loving Lonesome Dove, Brodie.

>266 Whisper1: Thanks, Linda. Nice image. I may not finish that many this weekend, but there should be a fair amount of reading time. :-)

Hope yours is restful and filled with good reading.

BTW, we saw a very good play last night at Steppenwolf Theater, called The Flick, which Madame MBH tells me won the Pulitzer in '14. Excellent acting (Caroline Neff as Rose, Travis Turner as Avery, Danny McCarthy as Sam), and an intriguing story of the interwoven lives of three workers at a movie theater.



The pace was "real time". We liked that, and the play, a lot.

I love, love, love Fantastic Flying Books, too!!!

I'm sorry to say I'm just doing a fly-by visit, and have skimmed some and skipped other postings. Shame!

But I have to go shopping with some fellow residents, and lunch, too, I believe. Sun is shining furiously. As Mark will write, B.A.S.

>245 jnwelch: That chocolate cream was divine, Joe. Thanks for a great start to the weekend!

>269 maggie1944: Yes! Fantastic Flying Books seems custom-made for LTers, doesn't it, Karen.

A fly-by visit is A-OK. It's good to see you before you fly on to your next stopping point.

Furiously shining sun sounds good to me. Enjoy! Hope you have a good weekend.

>270 kac522: Ah, excellent, Kathy. You're welcome! I thought that looked pretty darn good myself. Thanks goodness these pies are zero calories. :-)

The new cafe is now open. See you there!