A farm, two tots and some really good Korean food

Wow, it's been a full day! We started off the morning going to a local farm with these two Tots (and their respective parents, of course):

We'll call them Tot #1 and Tot #2. Sure, they aren't standing very close together in this picture, but they were just getting reacquainted. There were lots of animals for them to meet. Goats,

and, my personal favorite, baby sheep:

But what really captured the heart of Tot #1 was the tractor. This is what happened when the tractor drove away:

You wouldn't believe how long Tot #1 chased that tractor down the road! After a nice picnic lunch it was time for Book Group. (In case anyone is wondering why there aren't more pictures of Tot #2: he wouldn't stay still long enough to get more than a colorful blur moving across the frame. He ran from the goats to the sheep to the cows to the horses to the pigs to the chickens...all before I had taken my 150 pictures of the lambs. Boy can that kid move!)

E baked a wonderful basil pound cake (yes, E, it tasted wonderful despite it's poor appearance) and we chatted until dinner, at which time we decided to rustle up the spouses/significant others for a meal at THE BEST Korean BBQ place I've found in the area.

Despite the fact that this restaurant is one of my favorites around here, we only get out to it about twice a year. But the wait staff still seem to know who we are and what we like to order! That's what I call service. The food was amazing, per usual, and E was going to take pictures and document the meal for her blog, but it was impossible *not* to eat once the food started coming off the grill, and all she managed to take were a few pictures of empty dishes stacked all over the table. Stay tuned for those pictures here.

Talk about your mixed metaphors

Here is a snippet of a conversation I had with E today. We were discussing the donuts my brother makes every year:

The Bibliophile: You're more than welcome [to the 2008 donutravaganza]
E: Yes! I didn't think it would be that easy to steal an invite.
The Bibliophile: We gave you one last year!
E: I know, but you never want to assume. Two donuts in the hand is worth three in the bush. Don't count your pastries before they're hatched.

What I want to know is, where can I get my hands on this so-called donut bush and these pastry-laying birds?!

And don't worry, come December I will dedicate an entire post to these donuts of which we were speaking. They're light, tasty and impossible to stop eating!


Just look at all that tasty perfection! Yummm.

My book group is a little dorky

Ok, fine. It's just me.

You see, once upon a time E and I were the only two members of our book group, but then C wanted to join us. Since we can't just have members joining all willy-nilly, I took it upon myself to write down some bylaws for the book group just to, you know, keep us on track (there must be order!). My family insists this is riotously funny, if not totally absurd, and has insisted that I post them. So here they are.


Article I: Name

This collection of individuals shall be known as The Book Group.

Article II: Statement of Purpose

The Book Group will serve as an excuse for members to get together, read books and eat good food at meetings.

Article III: Membership

WHEREAS, the Book Group does contain two charter members; and
WHEREAS, the charter members may be inclined to accept applications for membership; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, all individuals applying for membership must attend one meeting as scheduled by all parties involved; and
RESOLVED, all individuals applying for membership must bring one baked good to said meeting.

Article IV: Meetings

WHEREAS, the Book Group does meet no less than once per month; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, the members must take turns hosting meetings.


Shouldn't all book groups have bylaws? Protect the innocent and whatnot? Although it looks like our rule that no more than every third book be considered "Young Adult" was never entered in, and can therefore be violated!* Mua ha ha ha...

*Actually, we have already violated this rule as The White Darkness is our book for May and Harry Potter is our book for June!

"My book report" or, "how a book group can save you loads of money."

A little over 6 months ago, E and I started a book group. Yes, we decided that the two of us could be considered a "group." A book "couple" just didn't seem right, and in any case, three months later C joined. We take turns choosing books and hosting monthly meetings, but spend way more time eating than discussing our book of the month.

C chose this month's book, The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean. The plot on a shoe-string: Symone is a fourteen year old girl obsessed with Antarctica. Her mentally unstable uncle is equally obsessed, but for reasons she only discovers when he takes her there on a surprise trip. The best, most riveting part of the story details their journey towards the center of the continent. Without giving away any more of the plot, McCaughrean does a wonderful job using the geography and the dangers of Antarctica to her advantage.

I loved the book and was completely drawn into the story and into Symone's character. However, McCaughrean's mind-boggling description of her trek was enough to make me want to curl up in my bed with a nice, warm blanket and enjoy Antarctica the way it was intended: BBC nature videos. Who knew a $13 Amazon.com purchase could cure me (likely only temporarily) of any desire to visit Antarctica, thus saving me at least $15,000 in the process?


For your reading pleasure, here is a list of all prior books the group has read:
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Lisa See
The History of Love, Nicole Krauss
The Memory Keeper's Daughter, Kim Edwards
The Princess Bride, William Goldman
The Talented Mr. Ripley, Patricia Highsmith
Sorcery and Cecelia or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot..., Particia C. Wrede
Julie and Julia, Julie Powell
Suite Francaise, Irene Nemirovsky


What I'm reading now: