Ireland day one

Greeted by sunshine as we arrived at Dublin airport and so far lovely weather everywhere.  Everyone has been so sweet starting with our Irish flight attendant. Everyone has been touched I think to hear Jim's promise to his dad to bring his ashes home to his ancestral land. Mac always was a proud Irish American.

After Jim's very brave 2 hour drive on the left side. Of the road!!!!!!!!!!!! We arrived in. Southeast city of  Wexford location of many Battles for Irish independence. Went to battle of vinegar hill museum. Very touched by.the young couple who ran the place and their dedication to preserving Irish history. They spent a lot of time with us. By the way, they spoke Gaelic as do many people here. Most signs are bilingual. So much for it being a dying language.

Spent the night in what was a doityourself hostel. Comfy and heard so many languages in the common area.  Went to a pub where local musicians were playing Beatles music. Too late for pub food so took bread fruit and yummy local cheese back to hostel.

The Known World

So as I mentioned, got lots of reading done recently. Not all were on the book club list but my favorite was - The Known World by Edward P Jones.

This is a fictional study of slavery in fictional (I think) Manchester County Virginia. As Jones tells various resident's stories he paints a very different picture of slavery than I am used to.

He talks about black slave owners, blacks who could pass for whites, families torn apart, and families (even mixed race families) created.

The slavery Jones talks about is both more brutal and more humane than past glimpses from history class, etc.

Don't know how historically true Jones' book is, but it makes for fascinating reading.

Academy Award watching at Mary's

What a great evening we had with Mary and her two and four legged friends. Great company, great conversation, great food, thanks so much Mary!

I was very impressed with how much the book club ladies and their brilliant offspring knew about movies. Since I didn't see any of the movies, I was much safer staying with discussing who had the most beautiful gown!

Mary passed on this comment from the Seattle Times movie critic Moira MacDonald:

-- The more I think about Barbra Streisand presenting the directing award to Kathryn Bigelow, the more interesting it gets. For those who remember the Oscars of maybe twenty years ago, it was a huge diss that Streisand wasn't nominated for directing "The Prince of Tides" (which got a nod for best picture and many other major nominations), and I remember many presenters making comments about it that during the ceremony, along the lines of "did this movie direct itself"? It makes total sense that it would be Streisand who would present the award to the first woman who won it -- but hmm, aren't they not supposed to know who wins? Wouldn't it have been strange and awkward if, despite Bigelow being favored, Cameron's name had been in the envelope? I wonder.

February Book Club

Had a wonderful visit last evening with the book club ladies. We laughed and cried and supported each other. Had a celebration for the three of us with February birthdays (thank you so much). Loved the Zorro discussion, now want to read the original and see the movie. Book club ladies really do rock!!!!!

P.S. Just added the new book club selections to the list at the bottom of this blog.

Book Club Christmas Party

Had a very enjoyable evening at Kathleen's. Wonderful company, wonderful conversation and wonderful food. Missed our absent friends. Had an amicably heated discussion about Expecting Adam - always more interesting when people don't see eye to eye on a book. Martha Beck - inspirational strong survivor or whining child neglector?


Jonathan was kind enough to take our picture.

Kitty Marley really warmed up to us by the end of the evening

Book Club meeting for November

Had a wonderful visit last evening with the awesome book club dudettes. We missed Carol, Pat and Laurie. We got so organized! We now have a phone number list and a birthday list. Thanks Jan.

I had the opportunity to meet Kathleen's son Jonathan and wish him a Happy Veterans Day. So happy that he is back safe and so proud of him. Know his mom is too!

We discussed the book of the month Water for Elephants a bit, but the conversation kept turning to other topics. That's one of the things I love about book club!

We planned future book club choices through March. I am putting them on the list which is on the right lower section of this blog. I am also going to start a suggested book section since we had so many great ideas yesterday which we will put in reserve for future reading.

Book club ladies rock!

Book suggestion from Chris

Friend and co-worker Chris highly recommended Blessings by Anna Quindlen. I read this book a long time ago and recently rediscovered it thanks to her suggestion. Ms. Quindlen does a great job of weaving together the lives of a rich elderly woman, her ex-con groundskeeper and the baby left on their doorstep who brings them together.

Probably any parent already knows how loving a child transforms lives. This book reminded me how magical that love can be.

By the way, Anna Quindlen wrote the forward to the copy of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn that I read. Interesting coincidence!

The Wonderful Betty Smith

Just finished two of her books - Joy in the Morning and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Joy in the Morning is probably the lesser known of her two books and is an old favorite of mine. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is one that people often read for school but one I have missed until now.

Both seem semi-autographical judging from Betty Smith's life story. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is the story of young Francie growing up poor but with dreams of writing until a teacher suggests she stop writing such "sordid stories" (based on her life). Francie looks up sordid in the dictionary and bitterly disputes that definition of her life and her family.

Joy in the Morning is the story of a young married woman Annie who also has dreams of writing in spite of lack of money (her husband is a struggling law student), lack of education and other family responsibilities. Annie "collects" interesting people in her life and re-writes famous novels in an effort to understand them.

Betty Smith seems to discuss the subject of education (or lack of) frequently. Francie's mother and grandmother both realize that education is the only way out of poverty. Annie has not finished her high school education and feels very inadequate next to the coeds.

Both books are very beautiful trips back in time as Betty Smith weaves in some historical facts. Her dialogue is natural and her characters are unforgettable.

One of my favorite parts of Joy in the Morning is when Carl comes into Annie's room at the hospital after the birth of their child. He sees what Annie has written in her ever-present notebook.

"They say He looks down and sees the little sparrow fall. But did He look down and see me? I'm more important than a sparrow." His eyes smarted with tears as he wrote under her words:"Yes, you are! and I love you, Annie"

11/30/09 Just found the bible verse which apparently inspired Betty Smith's title Joy in the Morning. What a reassuring reminder of God's love for us. If only our human relationships could always be short on the anger and weeping and long on the joy!

Psalm 30:5 (New King James Version)

5 For His anger is but for a moment,
His favor is for life;
Weeping may endure for a night,
But joy comes in the morning.

Book suggestion from Lynn

How cool! Lynn went to ww.librarything.com, put in the books in her library and they came up with a book for her to try - Zorro by Isabel Allende. I have read Portrait in Sepia and Daughter of Fortune and loved them both. Allende's prose is just beautiful. Wonder if that is related to the Spanish-English translation factor. Spanish seems like such a poetic language. Allende's characters are also very well "painted with words". Going to request Zorro from the library.

Book Review

Has anyone read Expecting Adam by Martha Beck? It is the story of a Harvard doctoral candidate who is on the fast track to academic success. When her 2nd child is born with Down's syndrome, everything she knows is turned upside down. This is a mystical, spritual, and incredibly life-affirming story. Oh, it is also hysterically funny in parts.

Book club book list

September: The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway
October: The Shack by William P Young
November: Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen

Book club

Some beautiful time today with bookclub friends - what wonderful, strong intelligent women all.