Bookclubs and more Bookclubs!

On Monday, I said this about this book:

This one was---just okay.  I read it for book club and tomorrow night I have to go defend my opinion in someone's house, who really loved it. 

I would recommend with reservations.

But here it is Wednesday, the day after book club and guess what?  I still would recommend it with reservations, BUT we had the best discussion last night.

It was all about women's issues--which the book brought to light in a different way.  I guess they weren't just women's issue:  health, love, parenthood and worry, infidelity, aging, friendships, discovering yourself.  But the book talked about these things among women, so we really, REALLY, got off subject and didn't talk so much about the book's characters, but rather, ourselves.  The book was the catalyst tho.

I still don't know if I'd recommend it,  I didn't love it, but I did love the discussion it brought about.

It was a small group last night--only half of us--but it was fun.

I could kick myself for not stepping outside and taking a picture of Kerry's view. I don't know why I didn't, it's so beautiful, and as you know I like it when I can show off  Nevada's beautiful side.

I took a few photos but my head must have been somewhere else.

Betty and Kerry were our hosts. They served some great appetizers

And Kerry has a very big lazy susan, so serving ourselves was easy peasy.

****************

On Wednesday afternoon,  we had our first Literary Guild Luncheon of the season.

The Literary Club (we gave up the word Guild some time ago) has been meeting since 1952.

We don't all read the same book (except for the month of May), but we have a nice lunch and listen to a book talk.

We have a little booklet with all the members names in it and phone numbers.

Every October we donate money to purchase Dictionaries for all the 3rd graders in the county school system.

And this is the book which Terri gave the report about.

She says we all should read it!

Outdoor/Backyard Wednsday

Because I'm a nerd, I want to see how my backyard changes throughout the year.

So! I'm going to take a few pictures of it each Wednesday to share.

Really, I should just choose one photo, in the same spot and take that and share it every Wednesday, but I get carried away.  I over explain things, over do things, compare and contrast things (that really don't need comparison and contrasting)-- when one dessert will do, I will make three (just in case... what if somebody doesn't like something or is allergic or??)

So please, just bear with me.

Or just look at the first two photographs and ignore the rest.

This is how it looked at the beginning

September 6th, 2017

(and if you want to see how it changes week to week, click on this)

September 20th, 2017

(not too much difference)

And of course, all the other directions of my backyard from my patio--and one of my front yard.

I told you--overkill!  

9/20/17

9/6/17

Believe me--there is nothing more "dismal" than a Nevada  winter. You just wait and see!

But for now  I just want to see how it changes in my backyard.

First chapter, First Paragraph, Tuesday Intros

Today is Tuesday--- which means I'll be joining up with Diane at Bibliophile By the Sea and her 

First Chapter, First Paragraph

Tuesday Intros.

Where,  bloggers post the first paragraph of a book they are thinking of reading --- and get everyone's opinion to see if it grabbed them from the beginning or not.

Click here to join the fun!

http://bibliophilebythesea.blogspot.com/2017/09/first-chapter-first-paragraph-tuesday_19.html

My Paragraph:

His fingers slithered like a snake to find hers.  She opened her palm and accepted them.  There was something about the commanding way he reached for her.  It felt like a statement.

You are mine.

What do you think?  Should I keep on reading?

I will keep reading as I've heard good things about it.  I do have to say tho, that if I knew nothing--that first paragraph sounds like this would be a romance novel (nothing wrong with that) but it's a mystery/thriller.

I'm anxious to find out.

Here is what Goodreads says about it:

Elementary school teacher Jacqueline “Jacks” Morales’s marriage was far from perfect, but even in its ups and downs it was predictable, familiar. Or at least she thought it was…until two police officers showed up at her door with devastating news. Her husband of eight years, the one who should have been on a business trip to Kansas, had suffered a fatal car accident in Hawaii. And he wasn’t alone.

For Jacks, laying her husband to rest was hard. But it was even harder to think that his final moments belonged to another woman—one who had left behind her own grieving and bewildered fiancé. Nick, just as blindsided by the affair, wants answers. So he suggests that he and Jacks search for the truth together, retracing the doomed lovers’ last days in paradise.

Now, following the twisting path of that fateful road, Jacks is learning that nothing is ever as it seems. Not her marriage. Not her husband. And most certainly not his death…

It's Monday

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week.  It's a great post to organize yourself. It's an opportunity to visit and comment, and er... add to that ever growing TBR pile!

It's Monday is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date

I never get as much reading done as I would like to, but I did get to these last week:

I really, really liked this one!

It wasn't on my TBR list, but it arrived in the mail on Wednesday and I was done by Friday.

I would highly recommend this one.

This one was---just okay.  I read it for book club and tomorrow night I have to go defend my opinion in someone's house, who really loved it. 

I would recommend with reservations.

And this---just because I'm a little bit in love with Harry Dresden.

Of course recommend, BUT it is a very unique audience who love a wizard. 

This week tho...

I'm excited to read

That's my plan for the week!

What are your reading plans?

******************

a bonus photo!   😀😀

of my library book club.  We discussed Torch by Cheryl Strayed.

Feelings were half and half on this one.  4 against 4.

 

Friday Friend Recipe #164 - Red Topped Salad

Making my way thru my Friday Friend Cookbook, one recipe at a time.

What is the Friday Friend cookbook: I have about 50 of my closest friends and family on an e-mail forum which I called the Friday Friends (from all over the county). At first, most of them didn't know each other, (they knew me) but over the past 18 years, we've answered and shared silly--and serious---questions, exchanged Secret Santa Christmas gifts, had a dieting contest in which we paid a $1 a week and that money went to a scholarship fund for a Friday Friends son's memorial scholarship, and we went on a great vacation for my 52 birthday.

AND, we contributed recipes for a cookbook.

I was looking at the cookbook the other night and I said, "I should make every recipe in here for my blog."
The Handyman--who knows me better than I know myself (this happened to be a question on the Friday Friend forum once---does your spouse/partner know you better than you know yourself?)--said,  "you'll never, EVER do that."
WELL---maybe I'll show him!  Maybe I will.

Which brings me to this... recipe #164

My Mom's (actually my grandma's)

Red Topped Salad

My grandma made this Jello for holidays and then my mom made this Jello for holidays.  I have not carried on the tradition, until this past Easter when I made it for the FF Cookbook Countdown.

I made everyone taste it, but I was the only one who liked it.

I knew that would happen as

Jello salad with celery and nuts is an acquired taste.

Red Top Salad

Bev Hambelton

Kennewick, Washington

1/2 lb of marshmallows

1 pkg lime jello

1 9oz softened cream cheese

1/2 cup mayo

1/2 t salt

1 cup finely chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1 9oz can crushed pineapple

1 cup whipped cream

1 pkg cherry jello

Dissolve marshmallows and lime jello in 1 cup boiling water; cool.  Beat cr cheese, salt and mayo till light and fluffy. Stir in celery, nuts and pineapple.  Add lime jello & fold in whipped cream.  Place in  9x12 pan and chill till firm. Dissolve cherry jello according to directions on the box. Chill till slightly thickened.  Pour over firm layer and chill till cherry jello is firm.

My mom couldn't swim.

She never learned how and was horribly afraid of the water.

That's why she stuck my brother and I in swimming lessons each summer until she was certain we knew what we were doing ( in the 1960's early '70s that meant graduating up until we could jump off the high dive!), then she and my dad put a swimming pool in the back yard, where she would work on her tan every summer---all summer. Never swam, but sat out by the pool for hours.

Notice the contrast of my mom's tan shoulders vs my white ones in the photo below.

Now, remember, this was back before we knew how bad the sun was for us, so my parents would have 'tanning' contests to see who could get the best tan. No sun screen, no protective anything.  Maybe some baby oil or Coppertone tanning butter--those were the days!

They did this their whole lives--lived for the sun--then bore a daughter who would rather sit under a shade tree and read a book.

Sun worshipers, their whole lives...

I have meandered.

Where was I?  Oh yes, my mom couldn't swim.  Never got into the deep end of her own swimming pool! My dad swam, my brother and I swam,  and while my mom loved the sun and being by water, she never got over her fear of it.

That is---until my parents would go to Hawaii.

Then she became someone we didn't quite know.

Someone who got into the ocean and parasailed and snorkeled and.... well... I just don't know who this woman was!!

My dad joined in the fun!

 Gang signs!!

My parents  (sigh)

I told you--I don't know who they became!

Truly she was so afraid of the water!

Once when the Handyman and I first started dating, he and I were at a function and came back to my house (I lived with my parents until the day I got married), he was a bit tipsy, picked my mom up and threw her into the pool.  (she had a swimming suit on and other people were in the pool, he had no idea--it looked like a pool party to him) as she was flying thru the air she yelled  "I can't swim" and so he jumped into the pool with all his clothes on and saved her life.

That and my dad was in the pool already.

It's surprising that they loved him so much.

Go figure.

I don't no what Hawaii did to her, but I'm glad it did.

She had fun.

And this makes Recipe #164 in the books.

Only 130 left to go!

R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril update

I am ready to embrace the Autumnal Mood!

Here is a list of the books I'm going to read for the R.I.P  challenge.

I signed up for 

peril the 2nd --which is to read 2 books in the allotted time period, but I think I am going to do 4.

2 in hand and 2 on audio.

My 'in-hand' books are:

My audio books will be:

WAIT!  I'm adding an extra, so I'll be doing 3 on audio.  I mean just a few days ago I started a Harry Dresden book--and Harry's a Wizard.  I just didn't realize I can include him in the R.I.P. Challenge.  The book was just coming  close to the top of my TBR list, and then it dawned on me as I'm writing this.

Pssst--I can include this book!

And I'll move this one to the Peril of the Short Story 

(which I didn't sign up for, but...  what the heck. The main focus is to have fun!)

IF I were to be able to sneak in a mystery

(I mean I will be in a cabin in the woods for the first week of October--I'll have lots of time on my hands. There is a slight chance I'll read all of these.)

It'll be this one:

and IF I have any time left over I might sneak in this fantastical, shape shifter, paranormal love story:

And the group read of course.  I just ordered it!

Okay, I might have gone a little overboard, considering I was keeping it conservative when I signed up, BUT I really would love to read all these books.

I have 7 weeks!

Ready, set, GO!

 if you want to join in the fun, check out

Andi of Estella's Revenge and/or  Heather of

My Capricious Life

Friday Friend Recipe #163 -- Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes

Come with me as I continue to countdown my Friday Friend Cookbook!

What is it, you may ask?

In a nutshell...
About 18 years ago, 50 of my closest friends and family, who had been on an e-mail forum with me, sent in recipes in different categories and we compiled a cookbook.
I decided to count those down!
Why?

Because  one night I was looking thru the cookbook and I said, "I should make every recipe in here for my blog"
The Handyman--who thinks he knows me better than I know myself, said,  "you'll never EVER do that."
Well,  maybe I will!  Maybe I'll show him!

Which brings me to recipes #163

 Charmie's Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

Never can you go wrong with a potato recipe.

Even if it's instant.

You have to admit---instant potatoes are a lot better than they used to be.

Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes

Charmie West

Elko, NV

2 cups water

2 cups milk

6 T butter

1/2 cup chopped onion

4 c. Hungry Jack Instant Potatoes

1 carton sour cream

shredded cheddar cheese

Bring liquids to boil with butter and onion.

Add instant potatoes and stir. Add sour cream.

Put into buttered baking dish and top with cheddar.

Bake at 325 for 30 minutes.

Serves 4.

And now---a brand new friend to the Fridays!

Charmie's first time ever in the Friday Friend Cookbook Countdown!

To be perfectly frank--I forced her to turn in recipes, because it was a 'thing' for us Friday Friends.  And I didn't want her to be left out of the fun.  She would be the first one to confess--she is not a cook.  Instant, fast, and minimalist is how she rolls.

Our youngest sons were best friends from 1st grade on--- but when they were about 12, her son Robbie was eating dinner at our house when I made mashed potatoes.

He said, "Wow!  These are really good!"

When he found out they were real potatoes, just mashed with butter and cream, he said,  "You can really do that? Just use a potato?"

His had always been out of a box.

So here's to Charmie being a good sport and turning in not just this one, but 2 more recipes after this!

One summer about 20  years ago (HOLY COW, how did that happen?) We took them up to our cabin in Oregon. 

We did a bit of hiking--on the proper trails. While resting, enjoying a beer or two, we heard a ruckus from above. Not heaven, but on the mountain/forest above our trail.  Our boys had hiked a back way, braving deep woods, bears and Boy Scouts to get to us.

(yes, they ran thru the boy scout camp and were chased by scouts to GET OUT!  This is why sometimes using the proper trails is the best thing to do)

Good thing too, as we needed a photo of the four of us.

The Handyman, me, Charmie and Steve.

Then because we were goofy youngsters in our late 30's  we decided to act like we were falling in the river.

In reality we were not even close to falling in.

And then we laughed.

Because...that's what friends do together.

(it seems I did get close enough to get a splash or two of something?)

And there you have it friends... recipe #163

Only 131 left to go.