Stumbling Home

We were so spoiled by Sandy's cooking, none of us wanted to leave!

It was wonderful to see Sandy in her element - her newly remodeled kitchen. A beautiful, long center island commands attention. A lovely tiled floor and fabulous granite counter tops and gorgeous cabinets all shine - apparently all done by our hostess!

She led us to her lovely "trophy room" which features items collected from all her world travels, and we had a great discussion about current happenings for all of us.

Marie shared some great stories from her trip to Costa Rica with son, Matthew. What a wonderful adventure and a great way to bond and make memories. And a great assurance that even through trials and tribulations, a mother shall not kill and eat her child!

Missing were Rachel, Janet and Amy. Some day soon we will all meet together at once, even if we have to plan a "traveling book club"!

We discussed our latest book, The Fixer Upper by Mary Kay Andrews. Everyone seemed to find it pretty delightful, if not laugh out loud comical. It seemed fitting, too, that the main character was renovating her kitchen!

We were all charmed by Sandy's cooking and her wonderful sense of humor, as evidenced by her choice of napkin: ('Food has replaced sex in my life. Now I can't even get into my own pants.')

Here is her amazing brunch menu, which completely made us feel spoiled and taken care of:


Appetizer: Egg Salad on Crackers (recipe from the book)

Chicken Custard Bake with Gravy

Brussels Sprouts "Cole Slaw"
Pickled Cucumbers
Cranberries
Beets
Apple Relish
Fresh Fruit - Strawberries, Pineapples, Cantaloupe
Croissants

Lemon Sponge Cake with Strawberries and Limoncello

Lemon Water
Bloody Mary
Mimosas

Sorry if I missed something, the spread of food was so generous!

Line of the day, "Louise, I got a shot glass for you. Normally I just do this (shaking hand as if pouring liquor) but I didn't want you stumbling home!"  


Next up: We'll read the book, Bully Pulpit by Doris Kearns Goodwin.

Some words about the book: One of the Best Books of the Year as chosen by The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Economist, Time, USA TODAY, Christian Science Monitor, and more. “A tale so gripping that one questions the need for fiction when real life is so plump with drama and intrigue” (Associated Press).

The gap between rich and poor has never been wider…legislative stalemate paralyzes the country…corporations resist federal regulations…spectacular mergers produce giant companies…the influence of money in politics deepens…bombs explode in crowded streets…small wars proliferate far from our shores…a dizzying array of inventions speeds the pace of daily life.

These unnervingly familiar headlines serve as the backdrop for Doris Kearns Goodwin’s highly anticipated The Bully Pulpit—a dynamic history of the first decade of the Progressive era, that tumultuous time when the nation was coming unseamed and reform was in the air.

The story is told through the intense friendship of Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft—a close relationship that strengthens both men before it ruptures in 1912, when they engage in a brutal fight for the presidential nomination that divides their wives, their children, and their closest friends, while crippling the progressive wing of the Republican Party, causing Democrat Woodrow Wilson to be elected, and changing the country’s history.


This choice is a little ironic, considering how a portion of our discussion revolved around history and the blandness of it as it was taught to us in high school. Marie shared a story about her former marine teacher who actually made history interesting - let's hope that the reviews are accurate and this book makes history fascinating for us all! I just checked and the amazon reports that this book has 929 pages! We shall all walk around this summer with much bigger, smarter heads.

See you all early this summer - we decided that a mid-week evening would work best as summer weekends are so precious.  Mark your calendars for Wednesday, June 18 at Jarby's.

Thank you so much, Sandy, for your wonderful cooking and making us feel so welcome in your home! I think we all could have stayed for an afternoon nap .... instead we all stumbled on home, stuffed, satisfied and appreciative!

Happy reading!
Katie