Oly Reads first book discussion!

[Jackie "the Librarian"]

The 19th works for me, or the first Saturday in May. I'll be just back from the WLA/OLA conference the day before April 19th, so I'll be a little tired, but brownies are practically effortless - that's why I make them for meetings.

[Agathafrye]

Maybe we should go for the first Saturday in May so that everybody has time to read the book and not fret about library conferences and the procession and artswalk and my child's birthday and... That would be May 3rd?

[A.J.]

May 3rd works for me.

[Kari]

Greetings! I haven't introduced myself to the group, but I'd like to join your reading group, particularly for this book. I've been greatly enjoying youth literature this past year as a fun break from school work.

I will now tell you Briefly about me, in the spirit of.. not being a stranger trying to crash the party...

I am a grad student- teacher.
I've lived in Oly about 9 months, and live on the Eastside.
But I'm from Seattle, nowhere distant and unusual.
I like rolling down hills but have no one here to do it with (the dog barked and snapped at me).

[Kelsie]

May 3rd sounds fab!

Kari, Welcome! You are in the presence of some professional hill roller-downers! Hope to see you at the book group.

[Agathafrye]

Okay, executive decision time.
* Saturday, May 3rd! 6pm-ish!
* Book: The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin! (note: 18 copies in the Timberland library system!)
* Location: Jackie's house with macaroni and cheese- maybe we could make it potluck so Jackie doesn't have to do all of the cooking?
* invited: each and every one of y'all.

Also: welcome Kari! Your profile pictures looks very familiar- are you an Olympia library user? Or maybe we walk by each other in the hood- I say I live on the Eastside, but I think technically Lacey is the real Eastside. I live by the San Francisco St Bakery, if you're in the vicinity. At any rate, we'd love to have you at our reading club/par-tay.

[Agathafrye]

Oh, and Jackie, you should probably reveal the location of your house so that people know where to go. Once you check in, I'll add this to our "events calendar."

[Jackie "the Librarian"]

Jackie's house:
1413 4th Ave E, Oly, WA 98506

The cross streets are Henry St. to the west and Central St. to the east. I'm across 4th, and about three houses up from The Olympian offices. You have to go up a slopey sidewalk past a bunch of ferns from the street to get to the house.

The house is a two-story white with green trim, Tudor-cottage style (arched entry, peaked roof).

There's a dentist/chiropractor's office two doors down for parking, if you don't want to park on the street. The closest bus stop is in front of the Salvation Army church just past Central St.

[Agathafrye]

Awesome, thanks Jackie! I'll bring Bloody Mary fixins.

[Kelsie]

Got my copy of the book on hold today. May I just say what an amazing cover it has! Who's with me?

[Kelsie]

yeesh. does good reads have a ban on posting photos?

[Agathafrye]

Additionally, I think flickr may be in the throes of a temporary meltdown. It keeps redirecting me to Yahoo India. WTF?

Here's another picture... same cover? I've seen a mostly black cover with some color drawing on it, kinda sixties looking...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_West...

[Agathafrye]

This is also cool, while I'm in a linking frenzy... the University of Wisconsin has digitized pages from Raskin's original "Westing Game" manuscript...
http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/au...

[Jackie "the Librarian"]

Neat! Ellen started out in illustration and design, and then moved into writing children's books. So all the interior art in all of Raskin's books is by her. The original cover art, too.
http://english.byu.edu/Novelinks/Auth...

[Agathafrye]

Yeah, that's the cover I was remembering. My book is waiting for me at the library!

[Kari]

Yes, unsurprisingly I am a user of the Olympia public library! So you would know me from there. Actually I live on "this" side, closer to the house of Jackie. I bicycle past it each day as I return home, which is on 5th Street. Not far to travel for a gathering.

[Agathafrye]

Be sure to say hi the next time you come in. I'm happy that you're joining our merry group of book thugs!

[Jackie "the Librarian"]

That's quite a bike ride to make every day. I am a wimp when it comes to that hill, um, at least going UP it. Down is fun!

[Kristi]

Welcome Kari! Not sure if I'll be able to make the May 3 gathering as I'll be in Seattle that day. Save me a bloody mary anyway, just in case I'm back in time! I just got my book and look forward to reading it (soon I plow through some other titles for upcoming teen book discussion).

[Jackie "the Librarian"]

Kristi, what are you reading for your upcoming teen book discussion? Anything I could borrow for the Oly teen group?

[Agathafrye]

Cleo really liked the latest Ellen Hopkins drug book "Glass." It's written in free verse and is sufficiently morbid and dramatic for your lot of teens.

[Kristi]

We're doing a themed book discussion, so they can read and share any book about dating, romance, relationships, etc. I just started a new one by Lisa Schroeder called I Heart You, You Haunt Me (mortal girl is still in love with her dead boyfriend who died in a car accident- I think his ghost is going to show up here momentarily.) It's in verse, and kind of melodramatic and I think the Twighlighters will like it.

[Agathafrye]

I just bought Betwixt by Tara Bray Smith for Cleo's birthday, and she's absolutely devouring it. It's supposed to be the next Twilight, as well. I wonder how many books we'll see now being dubbed as "THE NEXT TWILIGHT?"

[Kristi]

Susan actually made a great "If you liked Twighlight" list...

[Agathafrye]

So, our next book group meeting is almost here! Who's coming? Who read it? I really enjoyed it- it was a real pageturner. I think I read it in like three days.

Most importantly, what do you all like to eat?

[Judy]

I'm hoping to be there and hope to drag my hubby along for the ride - I have a feeling he will know more people than I will :>)
Just started the book and will be done by the appointed hour.
I'll eat almost anything. Suggestions of what to bring are welcome.

Judy

[Jackie "the Librarian"]

I just bought macaroni elbows, so there will be mac & cheese of the homemade variety.
What kind of beverages would everyone like?

[Agathafrye]

I love me some homemade mac and cheese! I'm cool with any beverage- water, iced tea, lemonade, Arnold Palmers, bubbly beverages in a variety of flavors, etc. etc. Jackie, do you want me to bring salad/veggies or dessert?

I'm excited that you're coming, Judy, and it will be nice to see Jon outside of work for once.

[Jackie "the Librarian"]

Salad/veggies would be great, Agathafrye!

I'll lay in some lemonade and fizzy lifting drinks.

[Blujbird]

Dang! Again I have to miss it and all of you..I was so wanting to come. Anyway, I am having an operation on the first and will be laid up for a few weeks.

Have fun you guys.....

[Judy]

Jon makes some very yummy beer and we might have some of the last batch to bring. I was also thinking about bringing some cheese and crackers, if no one else has suggeseted it yet (I'm too lazy to look back at the messages).

Judy

[Agathafrye]

I wish you well on your operation, Blujbird. There will always be another time! You should read the book anyhow, it's pretty awesome. Judy, Jackie is making mac and cheese if that makes a difference. I'm sure handcrafted beer would get consumed!

[Agathafrye]

I forgot to mention, Jackie, that I think Dory and Devon might be coming too. Dory was a big fan of the book.

[Jackie "the Librarian"]

Excellent! The more the merrier...

[Judy]

Hey everyone
I'm going to have to back out of tonight's festivities. Not feeling too well today... A bummer since I actually read the book :>)Have fun.

Judy

[Jackie "the Librarian"]

Sorry to hear that, Judy.
Hope you feel better soon!

[Kelsie]

I'm not gonna make it tonight either... Sorry for bailing, I'll be a the next fo sho! Have fun tonight, everyone. Roll down some hills for me!

XO-Kelsie

[Jackie "the Librarian"]

All right, you guys! Who IS coming? How much macaroni and cheese should I make?

And there's ice cream, too! Haagen Dazs, vanilla AND chocolate. Mmmmmm.

[Jackie "the Librarian"]

:::cricket, cricket:::




Okay, so it was NOT the weekend for the book group. Agathafrye had a family emergency, Judy wasn't well, and others had conflicts that kept them from coming. In other words, a complete bust. We will have to try again once Agathafrye is back.

I am going out of town myself for a week, so let's think about what we want to do, and I'll be back next week to check in.

[Judy]

Eesh! What a bummer, Jackie. Hope you didn't make a boat load of Mac and Cheese just to have it go wanting. My apologies to you, our gracious hostess. We all rather left you hanging. :>(

[Jackie "the Librarian"]

Not to worry, it freezes nicely. And it's not like anyone had said they were coming and didn't. I kind of had a feeling it wasn't going to happen.
And now I get to eat ice cream! Yum!

[Agathafrye]

I'm so sorry, guys. My dad just passed last night, so I am in Connecticut. I was able to be with him for a whole day before he peacefully died in his sleep. I'll probably be back in a week or so. I really enjoyed the book and would love another opportunity to make this happen, so let's try again soon. Jackie, thanks so much for all of your efforts, and I'll check in with you when I get back.

[Kristi]

BIG HUGS to Agatha. Let us know what we can do and we'll look forward to seeing you when you get back. Thanks Jackie, for trying to get something together.

[Blujbird]

Agatha, Please accept my deepest sympathy on the passing of your father...whew, that's a big one.
Take care now and have a safe trip home.

[Agathafrye]

Thanks, Jenny. Hope your surgery went okay, as well.

[Agathafrye]

Okay, I'm back in the land of greenery and nice weather. When shall we reschedule our book group? I like Saturday nights generally, but I'm also flexible.

[Blujbird]

Welcome back Agatha! Its good to see you.

I am soo going to make this time. I'm flexible too. Just let me know what others want/need, I'll be there.

[Jackie "the Librarian"]

A big welcome back with hugs and kisses to Agathafrye! You were missed, sweetie...

I don't know how quickly we want to try to get the book group together - this weekend is Memorial Day weekend, and the next, I'm out of town at the Book Expo.

I could do this Saturday, though...

[Agathafrye]

I heard you came by Jackie- Dave said, "Your boss came by earlier on her bike" and I was all confused. We finally worked it out. Thanks for thinking of me. It's good to be back.

Jenny, how did your surgery go? Are you recovering okay?

Anyhow, are there any objections to Saturday, June 7th?

[Jackie "the Librarian"]

Ooh! I get to be the boss of you? Cool!

Saturday, June 7th works for me.