He Said, She Said

SPOILER ALERT: Dinna read unless you've read chapter 80 in A BREATH OF SNOW AND ASHES.

Here is the email I - not two seconds ago - sent Tracey:

CHRIST ON A CRUTCH!!!!!!  Shannon and I are at the part where HUGEASS PREGNANT BITCH OF A HO, MALVA accuses Jamie of knocking her up. Claire ran out - Tom Christie asked for money and Jamie's coming to the realization that he's in deep doodoo.

I am not even for ONE SECOND going to even CONSIDER that Jamie did anything wrong.

I just don't know how Malva knows about the butt-scar.

MMMMMPPPPPHHHHHMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!

Dear John

SPOILER ALERT: Dinna read unless you have read chapter 76 in A BREATH OF SNOW AND ASHES. 

This will be a quick one because I must get back to reading. I just wanted to say few things before I forget them.

So I've read more about Lizzie and the Beardsleys. Or shall I say "about Lizzie Beardsley and her two husbands" now that Jamie married Lizzie and Kezzie and Roger married Lizzie and Jo.  I dunno...it's totally creepy... and yet, I can't help thinking "GO TEAM LIZZIE!" I mean - wow. She's got two of the same guy pretty much. Can you imagine the possibilities? Double the dinner being caught. Double the wood being chopped. And double the bedroom fun. FOR HER! For once - it's not a GUY having all the fun! Not a bad deal, I'm thinking. And if Bree could just get the pizza going, it can be "Two Guys, A Girl and a Pizza Place"!

Now... what do the Beardsleys look like at this point? How old are they? 20? 22? Hell if you can make them look like Rob Pattinson I'm thinking Lizzie should just put a big, old "I WIN" sign above her door.

Actually - speaking of Rob Pattinson, I have been thinking of him for Roger for the longest time. I can literally hear some of you cringing - and some of you cheering. It's making me giggle. I dunno... if you can put the enormous monster that is "Twilight" out of your brain for one second, you might be able to see this along with me. He could just do the whole understated, sweet, slightly tortured soul soooo well. Hell - pull Twilight back out again for that matter. Cuz I think I just described Edward Cullen. No WONDER I love Roger!!

OK moving on - had a dream last night that I was MARRIED TO JAMIE and we lived in a HUGE MANSION with lots of gorgeous dark wood moulding. Only problem? HE WAS AWAY - so I didna even get to enjoy or even SEE him. What was weird was that the mansion was very old - and so were most of its' contents - but it was modern times, and I saw Jamie's clothes. And there was a HAWAIIAN SHIRT in his wardrobe. NOT EVEN KIDDING. How funny is that???

OK lastly for now - I am loving  John Grey right now and just cried a tear when I read Jamie's letter, telling him they canna continue their correspondence. I keep finding myself saying "OMG you HAVE to TELL him about Claire/Bree/Roger and warn him about the Revolution!"  Am I the only one thinking this??? Take the chance that he'll think you're a freak because you might be able to save his life!

A Breath of Snow and Asses

SPOILER ALERT: Dinna read unless you've read chapter 73 in A BREATH OF SNOW AND ASHES. 

OK first question: Is everybody just doing everybody on the Ridge and in River Run these days? That's what I'm feeling like.

Duncan: I canna blame him. Not one bit. IF (and that's a big "if") he's telling the truth about being impotent since he was young and that something suddenly came up when Phaedre was cleaning up his butter. No pun intended. 

Lizzie:  LIZZIE YOU IGNORANT HO-BAG! Who knew she had it in her?! No pun intended. What is she, Malva?! And she did BOTH of them?!? BLECH. I still havena finished the chapter so I'm still a little confused on what exactly transpired. Did they mean to trick her - or did they think she knew the diff? Not really sure at this point. All I know is she's got a bun in the oven and doesna know which Beardsley put it there. Um, ew.

And might I say, I'm sick of Jocasta. I really am. I dinna think I care too much about her welfare. Is that mean? I think I'm just starting to really classify her with her brothers and think "ick". I REALLY wonder more and more about what Ellen was like, coming from a horrible family like that. 

OK - SO - on to more important things. Ian. SOBBBB! Poor baby. I cried for him when he was getting all philosophical about his daughter - and when Bree prayed to Frank to take care of her. Poor souls - both of them. What a poignant scene. I also started to really feel for Bree - and the loss of the only  father she'd ever known until she went through the stones and found Jamie. Even if I didna like him all that much, Frank was her world - and now he's gone. I almost wish he'd somehow show up on the Ridge. I really do. That would rightly muck things up for sure. My god IMAGINE the fun!!! Oh god - that meeting. Jamie vs. Frank. THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!!!

And WHO is Ian going to marry NOW that Lizzie has seen fit to roll in the hay with the Beardsleys and get herself knocked up? OH and how about the admission that she almost did the nasty with Bobby Higgins! WOWWY MCWOW! I didna even know they kissed - let alone came close to fornicating.

DAMN. Life on the Ridge is pretty interesting, ken?

Thanks, Diana!

So I woke up to 8 inches of water in my basement yesterday. Which is the kids' play room. Faulty sump pump. And my 7 year old brought her Queen Elizabeth report back to me today after handing it in to her teacher because it didn't have a cover on it (a cover was NOT in the instructions, thankyouverramuch, and they're presenting them in class - in costume. A cover was the last thing on my mind). She then informed me she had to move her fish because one of the boys was poking her on the carpet when they were supposed to be paying attention - and of course, she retaliated and poked him back. (I'm half "YOU DID WHAT?" and half "THAT'S MY GIRL!" at this news). And to top ALL of that off, my courses will be dropping in on me any second, now, and I feel like I need a good cry.

Which is why I was floored, touched, flabbergasted and all-around thrilled to find out our Outlander videos have made it to Diana Gabaldon's Youtube page.  Look under "Favorites" and "Book Review Videos".

jedecec Meets Peter Facinelli!

OK I have to share something huge that happened to one of our readers today.

My cousin, Jenn D, who follows My Outlander Purgatory as JeDeCe met a certain someone named PETER FACINELLI today. If you don't know who that is, he plays CARLISLE CULLEN in the Twilight series films... and is also a regular on Nurse Jackie.

Not only did Jenn meet "PFach" and get her picture taken with him... but he had someone take a picture with her on his iPhone and then TWEETED about meeting Jenn. And about 7 hours later, the tweet is still up! 

It was an amazing day for Jenn and I just had to share. Go check it out!

Outlander Chit Chat Between Sisters

SPOILER ALERT: Dinna read unless ou have finished chapter 66 in A BREATH OF SNOW AND ASHES.

Email: Carol to Tracey:

How is it possible that in ONE WEEK Claire seems to have lost her ass 
and is reduced to skin and bones. And in three weeks of dieting, I'm 
lucky if I lost three pounds.

My prediction: Malva poisoned Claire and Tom Christie. That way, 
she'd be free to have Jamie. Why isna Claire seeing this??? She still 
thinks she and Tom C. had some odd illness. NOT. Malva's BAD news. I 
can smell it.

Email Reply: Tracey to Carol:

You should copy that email and paste it right into your blog. LOL  

 Malva is verra interesting. I thought so right from the start. 

Oh and BY THE WAY - I just read the end of Chapter 66 where Claire finally invites Jamie back into the marriage bed after almost dying (from being poisoned if I'm right.) And all I have to say is: Thank you, Diana. Thank you verra much. LORRDDDDD thank you very much!

Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death

SPOILER ALERT: Dinna read unless you've gotten 3 or 4 pages into chapter 65 in A BREATH OF SNOW AND ASHES. 

Dear Diana, 

What's with this Wedding at Cana writing style of yours? I love it! Just when I think things are slowing down, you change the water into wine and start serving up the deliciousness!

Yours in Christ (and Jamie Fraser),

Carol 

Seriously - I CANNOT believe what a turn this book has taken. Then again, I suppose I can believe it, after previous books that went along their merry way until PRESTO! They took off like a bat out of hell. 

I am going back to reading now because this part is SO good and I only have a short free time window in this insane asylum I call my house. But I'll tell you this: I am at what I believe to be one of the most powerful - if not THE most powerful - moments in this series.

Photo credit: philadelphia.about.com 

Jamie just declared himself for liberty. That is HUGE. Put yourself in his position. He's an honest, hard-working man who spent years at the mercy of English rule - fighting for Scotland and suffering subsequent punishment - and has finally found some peace. And he now has to put every ounce of faith and trust into his oddball, time-traveling wife's notion of a Revolutionary War -  and declare himself a rebel. When all he really wants to do is stay out of trouble and avoid fighting like the plague. It's mind-blowing how huge this is.

Photo credit: planetware.com

I am more than nostalgic for where I grew up right now. No shocker as I've waxed on previously about my hometown bordering Valley Forge. I used to drive to my friend Katie's house and pass cannons and log cabins along the way - and think absolutely nothing of it. Dinna get me wrong - I respected the hell out of what took place at Valley Forge. But it was what it was; I lived there. I had to drive through the park (Bitterman) to get to the local shopping center!  Seriously though - I went through a Revolutionary War obsession in the 4th or 5th grade... and even had wedding portraits taken at Valley Forge Park in front of a log cabin (Tracey is right now going "OMG I totally forgot about that!) And now - wow.  Reading this book...I'm dying to go back. Tracey - Shannon - Jenn M. - and anyone else who wants to join us, I have one thing to say:  ROAD TRIP!!!!!! 

PS - Check out these pictures taken by a fellow named Adrian from England who lives in PA now and has a personal website at adrianc.com. I have posted one of the inside of a cabin, below. Can you imagine Jamie, Claire, Bree, Roger and Jemmy all sharing ONE?!

ALSO - click this link for some fascinating information and links regarding Valley Forge and George Washington's troops camping there (what was left of them) for 6 months.