Warts and all...

I'd like to say this is my last bookclub plug/post, but you know I can't promise that! Once a month, after each bookclub gathering, I just feel inclined to sing the praises of this group of women. So if any of you reading this post are an Underground Bookclubber, you can come to my blog after we meet and read glowing accounts of yourself and compadres and know you are completely loved and admired by the Farmer's Wife!

We had a new member join us this month. Now, that's saying something because we don't add new people very often. I think two years ago was the last time.

ANYWAY, we carried on like we normally do, even though Thelma and Anne weren't there and that left a hole in the group. There's always 3 or 4 conversations going, at any given time, and some are about deep, thoughtful things (death, isolation, independence), some are about shallow, frivolous things (new red purse, kittens for give-away, toddler letter exchange) and some are about the meaning of life (why do men DO that?). Usually we pull it all together at meal time and do the literary thing and discuss the book. And for the most part, it's uncensored, meaning if you didn't like the book, you can say so, or if you completely embraced the book, we'll want to know why. It's a totally safe place and I'm sure if you looked in on the scene from outside the window, it would be a beautiful picture of friendship.

I called the new member, the next day, to see what she thought. (If you love a group, you want to hear good things about it!) She said she had a good time, but was worried that everyone seemed to be too hard on the author and thought the woman who chose the book would have her feelings hurt. Wow! The thought had never crossed my mind! In fact, I told her that we'd had a couple of books in the last 10 years (one of mine, included) that a lot of people didn't like, but that it sure opened up discussion! I'm not sure she is going to join us for good and maybe she's worried that the book she chooses will be a bad choice. (Here's the funny thing: sometimes we like a stinker of a book, because we can worry it like a dog with a slipper, thus avoiding that same action with our husbands and family!)

Here's our menu from UBC this month, and our book selection:

A Lady's Life in the Rocky Mountains, by Isabella L. Bird

We ate toasted garlic bread with choice of nutty/pinapple/cream cheese spread or sort of tomato salsa, fruit salad, loaded pizzas, choice of New York or Chocolate Truffle cheesecake, Moscato or Gerwitztrameiner wine, peach or pomegranate italian soda, and coffee.

You see why I will move heaven and earth to get to bookclub! Doesn't that bring you near tears? Traci made the cheesecake and I'm pushing for her to start Frozen Dog Cheesecake Factory, because she lives on Frozen Dog Creek. I know, I know; tacky name. But Traci's Tarts and Sundries doesn't have quite the same stick-in-your-head ring, now, does it?