Friends and Loss

It's been a rough week, my best friend from across the street lost her mother to cancer on Monday and my best friends from Ohio, Milana Idle, gave up the fight to live on Thursday. Milana was a free spirit and a survivor! She was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 13, fought and won! In her thirties she was diagnosed with breast cancer, which she defeated. She wasn't through with the Big C when in her forties she was diagnosed with melanoma. She required open heart surgery, but wasn't strong enough to recover from it.

Milana was truly gifted and inspiring. She couldn't have children so she was engaged to John for ten years to make sure not having kids was ok with him. They married on the beach at midnight and she loved to tell the story of how the minister thought they wanted to be naked. She loved art, dogs, and swimming in the moonlight. I'll miss her.

I started the book, Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah at the beginning of this week. I had recommendations from two friends that it "was so good" but they cried through the last 45 pages. I may not have chosen to read this book if I'd known what kind of week I was going to have, but once I started it, I couldn't put it down. It's the story of friends who vow to be BFFs when they are still in high school. Kate's family is the perfect nuclear family but Talulah's mom was a child of the sixties and an addict, who walked out on Tully numerous times. Tully was ambitious and would someday be a big name in TV broadcasting. Kate sails along on her coat tails but really wants to be a wife and mom. They both have terrific success in realizing their dreams and stay close despite their many disagreements. The characters are so real, you'd swear the author lived just next door. I strongly recommend this book but wait until you're having a really good week.

More for Your Book CLub

I'm recommending the following titles for your book club!

The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman

This is the true story of a courageous couple. As the title suggests, they kept a zoo in Warsaw Poland during the Nazi occupation. Antonina and Jan offered refuge to Jewish refugees, "hiding them in plain sight." They were able to feed and house over 300 Jews that would otherwise have perished. The zoo also served as headquarters for the Polish Underground. Told in exquisite language, the author thoroughly researched Antonina's diary and other first hand accounts.

The Penny Tree

Annie Hillman has moved back to her hometown to try to recapture her life. The soon to be divorced mother of two teenage sons, she is barely holding on financially. Unable to find a job in her profession, physical therapy, she settles for being a receptionist at a funeral parlor. One day she opens the local paper to see a personal ad placed on the front page, "Do you recognize this woman? ...How did I lose the only woman I ever loved?" A picture of Annie as a young woman is included with the ad. She puzzles over who the ad writer might be, but the ads continue, one a week, now accompanied with media attention. This book holds so many wonderful surprises including Annie's relationship with her parents and sons. You'll continue to think about this book long after you've read the last page!

A Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult

Jodi Picoult once again tackles the tough issues with her latest best seller! I sat in a sunny window and devoured this book. Questions about organized religion, miracles and the death penalty will make you want to share this novel so you can talk about it. Picoult brings together a Catholic priest, a civil rights lawyer, a death row inmate and the victims' family. Shay Bourne is a convicted murderer, scheduled to be executed, the first execution in New Hampshire in over sixty years. Bourne has decided that in order to set the world to rights he must donate his heart to the little girl, sister and daughter, of the two people he has been convicted of killing. His lawyer and the heart recipient are running out of time.

New Year's Resolutions at Lunch & Learn

Dietitian, Ann Menzies, provided an informative program on nutritional trends and making healthy choices at the Lunch & Learn (February 12, 2008). Here are some of the ideas I came away with:
*Check labels carefully! Look for the words, "whole grain" to make sure you are getting the most nutritional value from breads and cereals.
*Sprinkle walnuts on your cereal.
*To meet the nutritional requirements for fruits and vegetables, eat a fruit with every meal and a vegetable at lunch and dinner. If there is a vegetable you really like, eat more servings of that particular vegetable.
*Eat salmon instead of tuna to get healthy Omega 3s!
*Only two servings of red meat a week and try to eat one meatless main meal. Ann suggests "Meatless Mondays."
*Eat beans instead of starch and dairy. Garbanzo beans are great in salads and hummus is a wonderful spread instead of cheese. I recommend Atheno's Brand.
*Use sharp cheddar if you must add cheese. The flavor goes a long way without consuming too much.
Participants had many questions for Ann. I was very impressed with her knowledge and understanding of people's lifestyles and limitations. I would not hesitate to contact Ann Menzies with dietary questions!

Aloha! Back from Vacation!

I had a wonderful vacation on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. There were several literary highlights, not the least of which was I had time to read! I had books on my "must read list," some of them for years!
Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
This is a story that takes place in modern afghanistan. I learned so much about the Afghani people and their history. While I had trouble putting the book down, it wasn't fun read. The rape scene haunted me and much of the story was sad with little hope. But like many good books I'm still thinking about it.
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
The story unfolds as a graduating vet student loses his parents to an automobile accident. He's informed that the business and house belong to the bank. His kind hearted father had taken chickens and eggs for payment of his veterinary services. He returns to school but can not bring himself to take the final exams. He hops on a train and discovers he has inadvertently joined the circus. They were looking for someone with his expertise. This is a marvelous glimpse into the small circuses that crisscrossed the country during the Depression, with just enough intrigue and romance to keep the story interesting!
The Whistling Season by Ivan Doig
Paul Milliron lives with his widowed father and two brothers on a dry farm in Montana. The boys receive their education in a one-room schoolhouse. They limp along in with cooking and housekeeping. Their father is busy hauling freight for the "Big Ditch," a government irrigation project as well as farming. They send for a housekeeper form out east(Minnesota) after seeing an ad in the newspaper. The housekeeper and her brother land on their doorstep and soon insinuate themselves into the family's everyday life. When the school teacher runs off with a traveling evangelist, the brother steps into the schoolroom. It turns out he is an accomplished scholar and an inspiring educator. There is a mystery surrounding the housekeeper and her brother that brings the story to a satisfying conclusion.

In addition to reading, I obtained a "Hawaii State Library" card. The State Library in downtown Honolulu is an impressive pillared building with a beautiful atrium and sections for each of the library subjects. Their teen room was nicely appointed but empty of teens. The age of the books really tells the story of funding for libraries in Hawaii,sadly lacking! Perhaps you don;t know the potential of a library until you've worked or even visited an outstanding one like ours right here in Waupaca?

My other literary experience was meeting my new author friend, Pat Wood. (See the following post with review of her book, Lottery.) We spent the afternoon together wandering around Chinatown, trying to avoid the pouring rain. (Yes, it does rain in Honolulu! We dined at an outstanding little Chinese restaurant, The Little Village Noodle Shop and enjoyed meeting her husband, Gordon. Pat and talked about books, libraries, book clubs and of course her book,Lottery. She confided that she had a conference call form Hollywood and whispered the plot of her next book to me. Sorry, I'm sworn to secrecy. The paperback version of Lottery is scheduled to be released in June and she hopes to spend some time on the mainland promoting it. She has promised a trip to WAUpaca if she gets to the Midwest. I know you will enjoy meeting Pat Wood as much as I have.

Fox Valley Technical College in Waupaca

Coming from Illinois I was not familiar with a "technical college." In my home state we would call a facility that offered entry level college courses and continuing education for adults, a community college or junior college. A technical school was for those who wanted to become auto mechanics or welders. After residing in Wisconsin for over twelve years I am just beginning to understand the importance of the technical college system.

This morning I visited the new Fox Valley Technical College Regional Center recently opened in Waupaca. What a wonderful building! And a fine example of environmentally friendly building. The use of solar energy is truly impressive! I would encourage the citizens of Waupaca to take full advantage of this wonderful resource.

Book Club Suggestions

I recently read two books that I feel would generate interesting discussion.
Lottery by Patricia Wood
"My name is Perry L. Crandall and I am not retarded." This is our first introduction to Perry, a Forrest Gump-like character, raised by his grandparents and befriended by his coworkers. Frustrated with the lack of attention he was receiving in public school, Gram began home schooling him at age 13. Even before that, she assigned him daily words from the dictionary. After Gram's death, Perry wins the lottery and finds that those who once shunned him now find him fascinating. Perry finds he has a knack for business and resists the efforts of his extended family to become his legal guardian. A delightful read with real insight into the value of every individual no matter their IQ! See comment from author, Patricia Wood, at the end of this post!

Songs Without Words by Ann Packer
Liz and Sarabeth grew up across the street form each other. They draw even closer as Sarabeth's depressed mother commits suicide. Their friendship survives the adolescent years and now in middle age they find their friendship challenged by a family member's suicide attempt. By the end of the book, I knew the characters like friends from my own childhood. I would love the opportunity to discuss this book. Invite me to your book club if you choose it as one of your selections!

SLAG Book Buying Trip

On Saturday, January 12, ten SLAG members traveled to Appleton. Their first stop was Barnes & Nobel, where they purchased $516 worth of books and music. Then on to the Fox River Antique Mall! Members shopped for record albums, metal signs and other vintage items to decorate the walls of the Best Cellar. The trip was rounded out by lunch and window shopping at the Fox River Mall. Members discussed the fact that SLAG has been spending but not earning. Look for new SLAG fund raising efforts soon!

Schedule for Lunch & Learn

I'm very proud to announce the Lunch & Learn Programs for Winter/ Spring 2008. Here's a just a glimpse so you can mark your calendars. The program will begin at noon on the second Tuesday of the month.

Feb. 12 - New Year's Resolutions with Ann Menzies, Dietitian

March 11- Crafting a Beautiful Salad with Sandy, Salad Artist, of the
The Freckled Frogg

April 8 - Birds of North America with Carol Elvery

May 13 - The Leader Dog Training Program with Annie and Donna
Wierzchowski

June 10 - What's New in the Garden with Jayne Jansen
of Firefly Floral and Gifts

I look forward to having lunch with you. Please call for reservations.

Cooking Memoirs

The family meal was practically an institution in my household as I was growing up. We ate in the dining room with cloth napkins. My father like to remind us that we not merely eating but dining. My mother prepared delicious, somewhat elaborate meals. We applauded the chef for her efforts and we always had dessert. My mother went to culinary school when my three sisters and I entered high school. She was chef at a fancy tea room, exclusive restaurants, retirement homes and a soup kitchen. I have withheld the tradition of the family meal with my own family, while not "dining" every evening we make a point of sitting down together and sharing our evening meal. With such a background cook books and memoirs about cooking are fascinating to me. Here are a few favorites:

Out of the Frying Pan: A Chef's Memoir of Hot Kitchens, Single Motherhood and the Family Meal by Gillian Clark
As her marriage unravels Gillian decides to leave her successful marketing career behind and cook for a living. This book is her journey from new cook to chef in her own, now famous, restaurant. Her story of the struggle to raise two daughters while sweating in front of a stove for 60 hours weeks had me devouring this book like my favorite dessert. The recipes are a bonus. I plan on trying a few on my own family.

Julie & Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously by Julie Powell
The author decides that her life and carer are going nowhere while her biological clock is ticking. After cooking one of Julia Child;s recipes from "Mastering the Art of French Cooking", her husband suggests she attend culinary school. She made the argument that they couldn't afford it and instead she would master Julia Child's book by making every recipe. Our family faithfully watched the Julia Child's cooking show on Sunday nights and my mother's copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking is well worn. I usually dust off my copy during the holidays. You'll notice in Infosoup that the book has been republished in two volumes.

Stuffed: Adventures of a Restaurant Family by Patricia Volk
This book is a delightful account of growing up in the restaurant business. In a restaurant family "[y]ou're never full, you're stuffed," says Volk. The family eccentricities of this unusual family will keep you entertained.