Serena

Serena: A Novel by Ron Rash



My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The book conveyed a lot of emotion that I associate with the big business monopolies of the 20s. And oh the simmering angst I feel lurking. Or is it the hint of that dang cat always there just beyond your field of vision?

I really wanted to like Serena Pemberton - I thought she'd have a lot to offer. Desire to be seen as an equal in a male-dominant microsociety, feminine when required, and really in love with her husband. She failed me in all accounts.

I'd like to think that she got what she deserved, but I think she ended up bringing everyone down to her level and destroyed all that was good. Can you say evil incarnate? She couldn't even do it on her own - she was above that. She had to have someone else do it for her. Was she really above the law? In command of funds and all the right people? Don't know, but I found nothing revering about the woman.

So - how about the comparisons: 1) Destruction. It was emotional, environmental, and moral. It followed the Pembertons and their logging operation. 2) Snakes. Slithering, unsuspecting, and gutless. Serena had men and beast (I'm talking about that eagle) eating out of her palm, and she had them all hunting for snakes. The snakes went about their business until that eagle (or its one-handed Serena-worshipper) swooped in with the talon to rip out their inards. 3) Fear. Whether of a cat, a murderer, or the potential for job loss, everyone felt it. Serena manipulated that fear to her twisted liking.

Not a woman I'd want to meet on a moonless night.

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I Thought This Would Be Easy

Last week at book club my friend, Alena, made some delicious chicken fajitas using homemade tortillas. I got there just as she was rolling out the tortillas and putting them in the fry pan. The woman was walking around the kitchen, talking to me, talking to her daughter, setting the table, and not even acting stressed. Jennifer said she wanted Alena to come over and teach her how to make them. Then we decided that on our next movie night we'd have Alena teach us all how to make them.

This is NOT Alena or any of the other ladies in my book club...

I was talking to Jon later and told him about the tortillas. It was so easy to do, why did I need to wait for Alena to show me how? Yah. So not what happened.

I went ahead and mixed the dough - it was a bit lumpy, but I figured that would work out.

I rolled a couple out and put them in the pan - they were entirely too thick. It was like eating an unlevened fry bread. Too dense, too dry, too uneatable.

Jon suggested getting out my pasta maker and rolling them through that. Great idea - not great results. Although I think that some of the problem was that he was cooking them too long. The directions did say that slow cooking would dry them out.

We ended up with flatbread ham and cheese sandwiches that literally crumbled on the first bite. Jon was taking the boys to a $1 movie so they were in a hurry. They were great sports, but I'm afraid that most of the sandwiches were slipped out the door to the dogs.

See how fluffy and bubbly and round these tortillas are? Mine didn't look like that.

Alena? HELP!

Mon ami aime le rose

or RETURN OF THE STIPPLE MONSTER

I made my friend, April, and myself table runners for Valentine's Day. I named these runners "My Friend Loves Pink" - hence the title for this post.

They are just a little bit different (different sashing on the two sets of 4 hearts and I forgot to add the ribbon to the center square on hers), but I think she got the point that I was thinking about her...

I do realize that the plant on my table is a Christmas remnant, but it's still thriving, and it's red. So it works - OK?

 I had some left over charm squares, so I practiced meandering loop, grid, and squiggle grid machine stitches - because every machine quilter will tell you that it all takes practice. I doubled up the grid and squiggle grid squares to make a hot pad, and the other one I used to create "A Little Bit O Love". I'm currently using this in my living room. I'm going to have to make another one soon since the season has changed...

I don't think April knew what she was unleashing. I've got a small stockpile of table toppers building up, and I don't quite know what I'm going to do with them.

Oh - and if you're wondering who those handsome silohouettes (sp?) belong to, those would be my 3 offspring. That was last year's Mother's Day gift for my mom and myself (made by me).

Dang - where am I finding all of the time?