Star Lake Saloon

This book, by Wisconsin writer Sara Rath, turned out to be a pleasant surprise. I picked it up few years back, when Sara spoke at a Friends of the Library dinner. Timing must have been bad, since I never finished. However, it is our book group's pick for September, and so, out of obligation, I tackled it again. Rath is a pretty good writer, although she did lead me fairly easily to each plot resolution. She turns a rather nice phrase from time to time, and I was surprised with a couple dicey passages. The story? Hannah lives a rather up-scale life in Madison...until she is notified that she has inherited a fishing resort on a small Wisconsin Lake. You can pretty much guess where that plot leads. The twist comes when Hannah learns that a huge, aggressive company wants to buy the property for a mining venture. Of course, that means razing the resort, destroying the natural landscape, and erasing life amid woodsmoke and quiet places.

I didn't expect to be taken by this book as I was. It rekindled memories - sight, sounds, smells...all of it came rushing back, and I found myself digging through the few family albums I had packed away. You see, my great-parents, Sam and Anna owned a small fishing resort in

Townsend, Wisconsin. Sam's parents had owned and operated a vaudville playhouse in Marinette, so I'm thinking Sma and Anna bought the near-by resort on a whim to stay close to family. I never knew Sam. Anna died when I was in second grade. Each spring and fall we squished ourselves into the car - my parents, my grand-parents, and Anna - and went "up-north." Of course, I figured we were vacationing, but now I understand that those were the times we were opening and closing the cottages. A relative across the road operated them the rest of the season.

I'm pretty sure the man with the dangling butt is my grandfather -gramps - Frank. the picture was taken in 1941. He and I spent many early mornings fishing on Big Horn Lake which was filled with blue gill and Northern. He taught me how to fish from beginning to end, yes, I scaled and gutted, too!

The cottages were quite primitive. There were outhouses, men's and women's identified by pictures of dogs on the doors - setters and pointers. The woods were filled with bear, or maybe that's just what they told me to keep me close to home. The lake was full of lily pads, and the days without TV and radio seemed endless. It was at the cottages that I fell in love with rainstorms. The cottages are still somewhere in the family, but quite distantly so. After finishing the book, I got out a map, to see exactly where this part of my past lies. I am hoping to travel back there sometime this fall just because. Thank you Sara Rath.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs turned out to be tons of fun. We had three spirited audiences. You never know what will happen when you invite kids on stage. Our six little dwarfs fell into place nicely at each show, following the lead of our very tall, chief dwarf, Chuck. We did have one over-achieving dwarf, who chimed in with lines, moved into place blocking Snow White from the evil Queen, and even picking our Queen, Lyndsey up off the floor at one point. You just never know.

Before the show, the kids were kept busy visiting with theatre helpers and having their faces painted. Here are Emma, Terri and Madysen sharing a squeeze in the lobby. Both girls were chosen from a hat to be dwarfs. During the show, Madysen suggested to Snow White that she make corn dogs for dinner since both she and Emma enjoy them. Snowy decided on mac and cheese instead. After the show, I stopped at the grocery store, where I found the girls buying... yup...corn dogs and mac and cheese.

Speaking of over-achievers, we have another post from Steve ready to go. Keep watching for it.

Laura Rider's Masterpiece by guest blogger Steven Head

Note: Somehow, Steve gets the timing right with each review. I arrived today with a plan for what would have been a pathetic post with more than the usual offering of blather. Luckily, I found an email and post from Steve, sparing you the difficulty of trying to read between my crooked lines. My weekend was spent with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at UW-Manitowoc... great audiences, fun shows, and it played well in Peoria. More later. Also, lots about Star Lake Saloon and Housekeeping Cottages by Wisconsin author, Sara Rath.

A few months ago, I opined the same book Steve writes about here. While I found the book a fresh offering from Hamilton, and even laughed out loud several times, Steve's personal email to me confesses that his disappointment in the book was stronger than he lets on in his post. However, the adult nature of the book made it tough for either of us to go into too much detail.

Books encourage dialogue; they help us become more of who we are. Book discussion, whether we agree or disagree with one another, allows us to get to know one another in a truer, more significant way than resume type conversation. I once belonged to a book group that forbid last names, or any type of personal conversation. If people did not like the book, they did not come to the meeting. I felt like I belonged to a Readers Anonymous Group. My current group...of six or so years...well, I adore them all, and look forward to our meetings. We seldom agree, but it is in the disagreement, that we have become closer.

Last week a local book group met here. They had recently read the same book we read, and had a totally different reaction. Aren't we happy that we are not all alike? Diversity...we need it in all things...books, music, work...and mainly in people. Just imagine your life if all your acquaintances were just like you. Maybe for you that would be a good thing, but for me...gosh, what a difficult life that would be.

So much for a short note...now on to Steve.....Yippee!

Thanks Steve.

During my recent visit to Manitowoc our hostess of books directed me to Jane Hamilton and her latest, Laura Rider's Masterpiece. Now this is a book I would not normally be attracted to but Bev usually has a reason for her suggestions.

Let me start by saying my preferred genre is mystery or detective fiction. For the most part I have found female authors less satisfying than males. A good exception is Sue Grafton. Another is Laura Lippman's book of stories, Hardly Knew Her. So this book is not a mystery and a female author. Strikes one and two. Jane Hamilton, author of LRM, has been an Oprah book writer on more than one occassion. Since I consider myself a bit of an outlaw the thought of reading ANY Oprah books makes me itchy. Strike three.

So how is it I ended up reading this book? Bev said it was not at all like her other books and worth the read. Trusted endorsement trumps strikes.

LRM is one of those books that is not for Sunday School teachers and those offended by adult situations and language. The plot revolves around a husband and wife, Charlie and Laura, and a radio talk show hostess, Jenna. While three legs are a good thing for milk stools, in relationships they can be very unstable. If you doubt this take some time and read Sartre's play, No Exit.

As the title suggests, Laura has aspiration of being a writer. She is interested in the Romance genre but does not want to follow the conventions, even though she finds them useful in order to get started. To help her in this enterprise she decides a romance between Charlie and Jenna could provide raw material for her book. One of the wrinkles in this romance is Laura as silent partner in many of Charlie's e-mail messages to Jenna.

We all know where adult situations and romance will lead. And Jane takes us there with taste and wit. If you want to know how they got there, what happened once they had arrived, and whether any of the three lived happily ever after, then pick up this book.

Dog Bytes Dos (because I can't spell "two" in French)

Hey! You-Know-Who (YKW), AKA NMBFF (I'll let you figure that one out on your own) is all busy with her "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" play, so...TA DA! another edition of THE DOG BLOG!

Nice picture huh? That's my spot. The spot where I sit and watch the world go by. But, things will be slowing down soon when my neighborhood buds go back to school, leaving only the occasional biker or walker to take care of. No worries, though. A few quick barks and POOF - They disappear.

I launched the DOG BLOG back in April, when NMBFF was working on Heart-A-Rama. I was so excited to commandeer her computer, that I didn't formally introduce myself. I am the ShiTzu that lives with your usual blogger. She tells everyone that ShiTzu means "dog who poops on rug" and I do my best to keep her honest. I'm seven, or six, or eight...not too concerned about that. What does concern me is this name business. I am called George Burns, Mrs. George Burns, actually. Seems to me that makes me Gracie, but evidently, in YKW's mind, it doesn't work that way. To most, I am GB, and to the copiously lazy, I am just G. Come on, what was wrong with Fluffy, or Spotty. Those work. "Here Spotty." Yup, I'd answer to that! One of my neighbors thinks my name is so silly that she calls me Gloria Bianca. Mixes me all up, but then, I have to remember that I am a dog, without logic, or long term memory of insults.

Good old George Burns has been doing lots of reading for you since April, so let's kick this post into gear, shall we? My pal, Carl, had himself some fun this summer, for sure. Carl has lots of adventures with his little friend Madeline. She is growing up fast, and pretty soon she'll have to stop hopping on Carl's back for rides around town. Won't he be surprised when she lassos a collar around his neck and tries dragging him around at the end of a rope. (Don't do it, Carl. Hold out as long as you can, pal.) This summer, Carl and his family went to a cottage, and he pitched right in tot-tending Madeline. They snuck off, hopped in a canoe, and tipped over picking lily pads. They stopped at a picnic. Carl ate a bag of potato chips. Then they played softball with a bunch of guys in a near by field. They did not like Carl's dog rules, however. When the two finally got home after all that, their peeps expected them to eat a big meal and stay awake for the fireworks. Silly humans!

Some dogs, (yours truly not included) do not have a great sense of direction, or strong memories. But, all of us have adventurous spirits, and ridiculous levels of curiosity. We take great joy in an afternoon of risk-taking exploration. Sometimes we can't get home, though, and need a little help. I thought it was just Manitowoc and Two Rivers dogs that got lost, until I read this book.

I see people reading Lost and laughing at the lost dog posters from all over the world. Some are even in French and Chinese. Laugh, if you must, but this is serious business. I demand a follow up book. I need to know if Elvis ever got home to Suzanne, or if Tetley, the dog stolen from a New York Subway was found. Of course, Tetley should not have been travelling in his person's duffel bag, but that is a different issue. I'm worried about the Chinese Poodle, and the black lab with "no collar and no legs." He needs medicine. I can't sleep wondering how these stories ended. What kind of writer would tell half a story? Oh, the book also talks about lost birds and cats. GRRRR.

Now here's a book. Thank you Sam Stall for finally stepping up and showing the world just how important my sisters and brothers are and have been. I'm telling you, you can't top this stuff. Here's a teaser:

Robot: the dog who discovered some of the world's first works of art

Saur: the dog who became a Norwegian king

Cap: the dog who steered Florence Nightingale into nursing

I guarantee, you'll stay up nights reading this one. Way better than late night TV which hasn't been the same since Nick at Night cancelled re-runs of Rin Tin Tin. Oh that Rinny. What a man!

So, that's about it for my summer reading. My world watching slows me down, but hey, it's quality that counts, right? Until next time...lot lots of licks.

Oh. YKW says to tell you that with the play and all, there could be a blog-break next week. This is just my opinion, but I doubt that you will be lucky enough to have NMBFF skip a week. Her nose has been buried in Star Lake Saloon and Housekeeping Cottages, and she seems to be enjoying it. I just know she's going to have to go on and on and on about it.

GB

On the Appalachian Trail by guest blogger Steve Head

Made an unannounced visit to Manitowoc this past weekend for the Lakefest for Kids, or whatever it is called. Even managed a brief stop at the store to learn the latest news on foggy town. Good to be on familiar turf.

Just finished up 'A Walk in the Woods' by Bill Bryson. The book was a birthday gift from an old friend and one I began reading immediately. As expected, this book is his account of walking various stretches of that recently newsworthy Appalachian Trail, 2,200+ miles from northern Georgia up to Maine. Let me assure you it is not 275 pages of how he placed one foot in front of the other and repeated. Although the string that connects this narrative is his walk on the trail and the people, places, and things he encounters. His companion for the initial campaign is a high school friend who has traded an alcohol addiction for junk food. The early days are a struggle for both but they develop their own rhythm and routines.

High on the list of informative research subjects is Bryson's fixation on bears, and other dangerous beasts found on America's trails. He goes into exquisite detail on bears, attacks by bears, eating habits of bears, difference between grizzly and black bears, and more. There are also pages devoted to hiking and camping equipment, birds, trees, lodges, weather, Pennsylvania coal mining, the history of the trail, the various organizations maintaining and providing maps for the trail, the burning town of Centralia, PA, and so much more.

I found this book particularly interesting. Having spent a good deal of time on hiking trails, primarily in Utah. His experiences with weather, trail food, drinking water, uneven hiking surfaces, sleeping on the ground, steep hills followed by valleys followed by steep hills, were so familiar. It takes me back to those younger days of going into the mountains, or the desert of southern Utah, for a day or weekend or week, and all those fond memories and stories.

There is not any mention whatsoever of the current governor of South Carolina. Although you will have no shortage of conversational tidbits from reading this book.

It is hard to determine if every word he writes about his actual adventures on the Appalachian Trail is true or if there is exaggeration for dramatic effect. But it does not matter. It is a delightful read and by the end you want to lace up your walking shoes or boots, load up a daypack, and go out and cover some ground, if only in your mind.

Talent Rodeo Day

Theatre offerings are strong in the Lakeshore this summer, that's for sure! This week, we can catch Tom Drill's "Showtime" in the City Hall parking lot. This is hometown entertainment at it's best. "Showtime" has the feel of an old-fashioned talent show - relaxed, picnic-like atmosphere, and good food and good cheer abound. Lots of talent to be showcased each year; I don't know how Tom and his committee decide who will perform, but they always have a great line-up, proving, once again, that the Lakeshore is bursting with creativity.

We also have two new improv groups that have popped up in the last few weeks - home base for one is Kathie's Stage Door Pub, while the other works out of Manitowoc Coffee. Having organized and coached improv for many years with my pal, Kevin, I know how hard these folks are working, and I understand the risk they are taking. If well prepared, most nights will result in a strong offering, but when an improv show tanks, the cast wants to leave town - fast - or at least find the nearest hole in which to stick their heads. When it works, it's a brilliant, energizing format for cast and audience. I wish them the best, and can't wait to be part of a supportive audience.

Be on the lookout for the game show group, performing for special events, private parties, and at Time Out. Lots of energy from this bunch as well. Don't forget about Peter Quince, all the music in the parks in Manitowoc and Two Rivers, art show, entertainment at the farmers' market....gosh, mother nature needs to give Manitowoc more summer so we can work all of this in.

That's Lindsey Otten-Dramm at the top. She's the evil queen on our production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs which you can catch August 21 (7:00) and 22, 23 ( 1:00 and 3:00) at the University of Wisconsin-Manitowoc. Funny thing is, once we got into the script, we realized it was far too violent for young audiences, so we worked to add some fun twists and turns. I wanted to take the script as far from the Disney version as possible, and I think we have succeeded. We wondered if the title was too insensitive, and overtly politically incorrect. In the end, we decided that the story is part of our collective experience with fairy tales, and in that context, it' still OK. We have tickets here if you need them -$5.00 each.

Small shows, in small venues are my favorite. I'd love to put on a show on someone's deck, or basement, just about anywhere non-traditional. This show has tons of audience participation, and so seating will be limited to make sure that we don't miss anyone who want to play along. The audience will be seated on the stage with the cast, and six little attendees will be chosen at random to be the dwarfs! Everyone else gets to be trees, birds, the sun and the rain. Hopefully, they will help cast members as they search for the queen, or try to hide Snow White in the forest.

Corrie Skubal, school psychologist at Riverview School plays our happy, spunky little Snow White. Corrie has performed with Masquers, and I got to know her last year when she auditioned for Heart-A-Rama. Corrie is a big talent, and are we happy to welcome her to our projects at UW-Manitowoc.

Chuck Allger is a Manitowoc native, back after several years in Madison. If there's a show, there's Chuck. He has worked with Masquers, Heart-A-Rama, Capitol Off-Broadway, and is currently training with an improv troupe.

Lyndsey has performed locally with just about every company there is. She is the reigning Supnikfest's Miss Space Debris, and along with her husband, Fritz, co-chairs Heart-A-Rama.

*****Steve, our guest blogger from Nebaska, stopped by last week. He was in town to catch The Happy Schnapps Combo. We had a great visit, catching up on movies, books, theatre, and grousing about micro-communications, such as Twitter. Steve's new job encourages what he calls "a culture of greeting," meaning that people are expected to make eye contact, greet, and perhaps share small talk when they meet as they go about their day to day duties. What a great idea. Ironic, though, isn't it...that we have be be "encouraged" to share niceties?

Steve is on a campaign to bring civility back to his world, and I challenge all of us to find our own ways to do the same. We don't have to make big gestures, start small, and add new ideas over time. Steve has chosen to help people in need of direction. If someone looks lost in a parking lot, or appears to be hunting for something in a department or grocery store, he jumps in to help. That in itself is great, but he goes a step beyond. Steve will actually take the individual to the pots and pans section of the store, or point out a landmark that will help someone remember where the car is parked. How much time does that take? Is that time even measurable? Not in minutes, I would guess, but surely measurable in how good it will make you feel know that you helped. Even better...knowing that you contributed to a revolution of niceness. So, what's your plan?

*****What am I reading? After watching "Lost in Austen" this weekend, It's back to Pride and Prejudice for me. this time, I will finish it, I think.

Lonesome!

What a lonely week! Both employees gone...Debbie in Brazil, and Terri out for a few weeks. Steve and Karen are on a crazy motorcycle trip to California. Karen called with a travel update earlier this week, and I found an obnoxious message from Steve on my work phone this morning. Was it intuition, dumb luck, or skilled lawyering that told him I might be a John Steinbeck fan? If I were forced to choose a single author to read for the rest of my days, it would be Steinbeck. From the contents of the snarky message, I assume that Karen and Steve are in the Salinas Valley since he announced they had nothing better to do than tour the Steinbeck museum. Jeepers! California has nothing else to offer, so they are stuck looking at a has been writer' s typewriter? Life is rough...although there are some who would be moved to tears by that typewriter. Did I ever tell you about the complete breakdown I had standing in William Shakespeare's bedroom? Not a pretty sight, but when no one knows you, hysteria is permitted, right?

Being friendless for a few weeks prompted me to reacquaint myself with an old friend, Arturo Perez-Reverte. Actually, it has been almost twelve years since I first stumbled across him, and I found him by chance again a few weeks back. When the store first opened, my friend Brad would stop by almost daily before going to work at a nearby pub. We were both fascinated by the mysterious cover of a book called The Flanders Panel. The foreground shows the beginning stages of a chess match, but a couple of the pieces are askew. The background is cloudy, that is until you look closely enough to see there is a skull in the clouds. We both bought the book based on the cover alone. That was a good decision. Reading it was as well.

The plot revolves around Julia, a young art expert living in Madrid. Those foreign setting always mean added intrigue, don't they? Her speciality is the restoration of paintings about to be auctioned. When the book opens, she is working on a 15th century masterpiece depicting a chess game between the Duke of Ostenburg and his knight. A lady in black velvet sits in the background. What makes this project different is the hidden inscription Julia discovers in the corner... "Who killed the Knight?" Her hunt to find the answer leads her into a modern day game of sin, betrayal and death, all calculated with deadly precision.

Last week our book discussion group got a little off topic, and the subject of (you guessed it) Johnne Depp came up. I mentioned one of his movies "The Ninth Gate", and a new group member said it was based upon a book called The Club Dumas. The movie had an interesting premise, but the delivery was uneven. The first half was brilliant - a book related mystery, set in the underground world of rare book collectors. Then came the second half where it just turned creepy, and crummy. It was as if the director walked off and was replaced with the director of "Eyes Wide Shut," a movie that still gives me the creeps just thinking about it. Sure, I understand the whole concept about the man being intoxicated by danger and all, but it was creepy - come on, admit it.

Now, Club Dumas, I discovered, was written by Perez-Reverte. Such a coincidence! And, it far surpasses the movie. Lucas Corso is a book detective, a mercenary hired to hunt down rare editions for wealthy and unscrupulous clients. When a well-known bibliophile is found hanged, leaving behind part of the original manuscript of Alexander Dumas' The Three Musketeers, Corso is brought in to authenticate the fragment. He is soon drawn into a plot involving occult practices, and a cast of characters bearing a suspicious resemblance to those of the Dumas' masterpiece.

There's something compelling about books translated into English. To me, the seem steady, more deliberate. The ornamention is sparse, and the language is precise. I am not a fan of similes on top of metaphors, puntuated by alliteration and personification. When some writers kick into high gear, they start tossing in the fancy-pants figures of speech like metonymy and litotes. Don't get me started on how much I adore The Shipping News by E. Annie Proulx. I know it won a Pulizer, but come on, a story about a man dragging a house across miles of ice...all wrapped up with pretty little phrases...too many pretty little phrases for my taste. Give me a book that tells a good story in a straightforward manner. That's not to say that I don't appreciate exquisite language, and admire controlled rhythm and flow. I just don't like it hiding beneath layers of billowing verbiage.

Enough...on to something fun. These are some of our new
Ugly Dolls. Aren't the cute? These little critters defy explanation, but they sure are a hit. The Obama girls love them which explains their recent popularity. A 2008 article in the New York Times says that boys love these huggables so much that NYC's toy giant, FAO Schwartz, displays them right next to the National Football League action figures.

Each of these little persons has a name and a personality. the teal blue guy is OX. Here's his description:

" What kind of name is OX? No, not the animal..OX - as in HUG and KISS! How can he hug you with such short arms? OX uses his ears! He's not a very good listener, but he puts his ears to good use in many other ways! OX is great at magic, and his best trick is turning your stuff into his stuff. His best buddy Wedgehead call that stealing, but OX just want to borrow things from you for a few hundred years. He promises to put everything back when he's done."

Hey...next week, I'll tell you all about our children's show at UW-Manitowoc, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The might even be picture for you.