Hosting Bookclub

There is a great book club in our ward here in Lynchburg. The girls are funny and smart, and this night, as usual, I end up laughing until I cry. I hosted in April, and chose a happy memoir: "The Prize Winner of Defiance Ohio; How My Mother Raised 10 Kids on 25 Words or Less". It's about how a mom helped provide for a family by entering jingle-writing contests and sweepstakes. 

Kristina Randolph, Natasha Manning, Jennifer Wight, Kim Mace, Dacy Ayres, Natasha's friend, Melissa Wolf, Lauren Malone, Talina Salimiento, Kirsti Lovelace, Lyndsey Leech (and later, Lyndsay Greer). Michelle Samples, and Shelene Shorter are part of the group too.

I bugged Dave to finish our new walnut and birch bookshelves, and they were done just in time.

I sponsored a jingle-writing contest that night. Best 25 words or less about bookclub won a $20 gift card to Barnes & Noble. The best compliment to the hostess (moi) would win a copy of the book. Everyone wrote great entries.

Melissa Wolf won my vote in category 1 with this ode to our group:

UB

This, the hub

Of no typical scrub

An emotional sub 

For a backrub

There'll be some grub

And some hubbub

I'm in lub

My bookclub.

Lyndsay Leech won category 2 with some amazing limericks in the style of the book's main character, including the type of contest where you had to write the last line of a jingle. (Plus she imitated her multiple contests entries under her children's names, and the reference to me and the mitten story was very clever. )

In a world of sameness

She is a red mitten

We reaLIZe we are smitten

Because her hosting, only awesomeness

...?

"All endeavors taken with zealousness!"

-Mrs. L. B. Leech

"Her home exudes beautiful kindness!"

-Mrs. Beth Leech

"We are overflowing with thankfulness!"

-Mrs. Eliza Leech

"She is best described: Personableness!"

Mr. Xander Leech

My socca didn't turn out, but I got to use my letter cookie cutters (which 6 months later, are still sitting on the counter full of dried cookie, part of a laziness contest & casual debate between Dave and I about whose job it is to clean them.)

The funniest chapter is about a grocery shopping spree the main character won, so my centerpiece was Jessica's shopping cart. You can read that chapter here.

Dave started a fire so we could roast s'mores, and we got to hang out on our newly furnished porch, (my birthday and Mother's Day presents.) The only picture I got was this dark one of Dave burning his scrap wood in our fire bowl. But the other pictures give you a feel for it: great April weather to swing and chat with flickery lights and friends.