A Haunting, Contemporary Tale, With Just A Touch Of The Brontes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                              Take two sisters undone by trauma, send them off to a horrible foster home, and see how they fend in the world. Sounds like something the Brontes might have dreamed up, right?

                                                 Yes--and no.  Despite the haunting cover and the murderous events that set the trauma for sisters Louise (Lulu) and Meredith (Merry) in motion, is less the subject of the story than the paths these two take, and the impact of one on the other.

                                                    First, after Daddy is hauled away to prison, I have to condemn Aunt Cilla, that despicable bitch, who refused to shelter her nieces for what their father had done. And her son, Arnie, turns out to be gay, and lives with her, and she hasn't a clue!  Hah!  This one seems patterned after Ruth and David Greenglass, those two who refused to house their nephews, because they were the children of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg!  Well, The Greenglasses are surely burning in hell, right now, and so will Aunt Cilla!  They will very likely hang out with each other.

                                                      Lulu dismisses her father from her life,  marries, has children, and takes up the help profession of being a physician.  She does all the so-called right things, but still does not feel right.

                                                         Merry, the prettier one, discovers sex and drugs, but chooses to keep her father in her life.  She also goes into a help profession--Victim Advocacy.

                                                            A climactic reversal, a change of heart, a strengthening of the sisters' bond, closes out this rather understated book.  With the exception of an explosive climax, there are no sweeping moments; just a careful dissection of the sisters' relationships.

                                                             I discovered the author comes from a similar profession background as Merry, and has written other books, very much in the vein of this, her first. They are hard to find; I never heard of this book, or the author--it first appeared in only 2009--and wondered if she had written anything else. She has, and, on the basis of this novel, I would say she is worth exploring.

                                                                 Yes, it is wrenching, but hopeful for trauma sufferers!!!!!!!!

Let's Focus On Fun Now, Girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                             With the colonoscopy more or less behind me for another five years, I can focus on plans for Summer Reading. Right now, I am coming down the home stretch on "The Murderer's Daughters," by Randy Susan Meyers.  After that, the reading is going to accelerate to seriousness, beginning with Matthew Pearl's latest, "The Last Bookaneer."  But here is the rest of what I hope to get through this summer,

1 ."Eligible," by Curtis Sittenfeld--The supposed modern retelling of "Pride And Prejudice," which will only lead me to re-read--

2. The classic "Pride And Prejudice" by Jane Austen.

3. "Gojiro", by Mark Jacobson.

4. "The Girls," by Emma Cline.

5. "Modern Lovers," by Emma Straub.

6. "Dear Mr. You," by Mary-Louise Parker.

7. "City On Fire," by Garth Risk Hallberg--I have had my eye on this one, and all of these, for awhile.


        Only the Summer will see which ones I actually get through, and which may unexpectedly pop up here, in between.

          So, plan your Summer Reading accordingly, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, I Think I Am Fine, But Tell Me What You Think!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                     My blood pressure was up, when I entered the room, and my fingers were shaking.  The only time I remember relaxing is when they put the anaesthetic into me, and the room began spinning.  Of course, I muttered something about "The Wizard Of Oz," then I woke up in my cubicle.

                                      I freaked when I heard the word polyp.  Me?????????  But, then, I am 61. The doctor said it was small, and looked benign.  He said there was nothing to worry about.  He said if I wanted to call him next week, I could--and you better believe, I will!--but he said basically I should not return for another five years.

                                       Which sounds like I am basically OK.  But for someone who had nothing on the last two, to this on my third, I thought God was calling me home, like Miss Ruth, and I am not as brave as she is, nor do I feel my work on this Earth has been done yet.

                                         Of course I will let you know about the doctor's words when I call next week, But I would think if something were up, he would say so sooner, or let me know then.  It wasn't like Peggy Lipton, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                           So, now, it is time to look forward to fun stuff!  Like celebrating Auntie Alvin's birthday, on Saturday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Expressing Fright And Fear, With Determination!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                 Well, darlings, this is IT--the day before my colonoscopy, when I have to drink that God awful stuff, and face all kinds of fears.  If only this stuff tasted better!  If only it had no flavor at all!  If only someone would come up with a better prep.  They will, I am sure, but not in my lifetime, dolls!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                  What would MERYL or Mary-Louise Parker do???????  I know Miss Ruth would be brave, and I am trying to be brave like Miss Ruth, but I need extra special help.   And there is no more extra special help than Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O'Hara, in the penultimate moment from "Gone With The Wind!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                     Here is that iconic scene to inspire us all.  "I will live through this colonoscopy, and when it's over, I'll never be hungry again!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                       "Get off these steps, you colonoscopy!  Get off this land!"

This Could Be The Theatrical Event Of The Season--Here Is How!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                              Unbelievable as it may seem, despite my incredible admiration for Hayley Mills, I have never seen the film version of "The Chalk Garden," made in 1964, and featuring Edith Evans, Hayley's father, John, and the great Deborah Kerr.  The Broadway production, which opened at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on October 26, 1955, was the stuff of legend.  The sets and costumes were--oh, my God!!!!!!!!!!!--by Cecil Beaton!!!!!!!--and the cast included Gladys Cooper, Siobhan McKenna, Fritz Weaver, and, in Hayley's role, Betsy Von Furstenberg!!!!!!!!!!!!  It has never been revived.

                                Well, now comes word that, next Spring, Dame Angela Lansbury, who will then be 91, is going to star in a revival.  No theater has been set, so I cannot say if Roundabout is doing it, but I know Scott Rudin is one of the producers.

                                  But, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                  Even though I should be seen for the Hayley Mills role of the disturbed, pyromaniacal granddaughter, I am abdicating to the one truly deserving of the role, as she would be so heartbreaking--Celia Keenan-Bolger.  Those Keenan-Bolgers have the gift of youth, and Celia is actress enough to pull it off.  And who better to play the governess than that acme of femininity--Mary-Louise Parker??????????

                                     I am telling you, darlings, with a cast like that, I am there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                     And maybe--just maybe--as she takes her final curtain call, Angela will sing "If He Walked Into My Life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                       See you at "The Chalk Garden," girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"It's A Whole World That Only Wants To Be Graceful And Beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                               Remember when Olivia De Havilland said that, during the panoramic porch shot in "Gone With The Wind?"  A recent visit with Idgie and Ruth made me realize that this Plantation Princess just loves the Old South!

                                 It was a place of elegance and gracious living.  I hope my entire Summer season goes like the picture above.  I always love going to New Orleans; I feel almost at home, there!

                                   The South can never rise again, but I can bring it to life anytime in how I approach it!

                                    Such loving hospitality, darlings!  Just like I was taught!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anna, You Are Missed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                             Anna is not just Anna Wintour.  In  keeping with Idgie and Ruth, the Lighthouse Cafe, just a block from our place, is to us what Idgie and Ruth's was to Whistle Stop, Alabama.  You see the same people, get to know them on a casual and sometimes no so casual basis, and the food is simple and good.

                               The other night, while doing a take-out run, I saw an envelope, next to the photo of a little girl, that said "Donations For Anna."  I had seen this before, and thought it applied to the child, but then I realized I had not seen Anna here in a while.

                                 Anna would walk right up to you, and see "Talk to me!"  By that, she meant what you wanted to order, or anything on your mind.  People told Anna everything.  And she would listen.

                                  On said night, I discovered the donation envelope was for our waitress, Anna. When last I saw her, she said she was not feeling up to snuff.  It turned out she had stomach issues, involving a benign--thank God--tumor that was removed, along with half the stomach!  She is at home and recovering.

                                    All of us here wish you a speedy and safe recovery, Anna!  We miss you so much at the Lighthouse Cafe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  We just adore you!!!!!!!!!!

                                      Get well soon, Anna!  Keep Sylvester on his toes, in the kitchen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!