The Highly Anticipated Aunt Helen Interview!

OK Y'all - we have it on good authority that L's "Aunt Helen" is visiting her tomorrow...and we're going to try our darndest to...

SKYPE WITH AUNT HELEN! 

SO - does anyone have any questions for sweet 80-something year old Aunt Helen who LOVES herself some Outlander??  Don't be shy...let's hear 'em!

More Hubby Fun with Outlander

SPOILER ALERT:  Don't read unless you've read  61% of Outlander.

OK y'all - my Tom (that's a Bronze Horsemanism.  MY Tom) has finally gotten to the witch trial!  Ooooh I'm so jealous!  And I totally forgot that Claire doesn't mention Geillis' vaccination scar until after Jamie saves her and they talk...and almost let the cat out of the bag!  It went something like this:

Carol: "Um...did Claire mention anything about Geillis?" 
DH:"Uh...that she's pregnant?" 
Carol: "Maybe something slightly more wee about her?"
DH: "Huh?"

It was at that point that I realized I needed a big, ol' cup of shut-the-eff-up or I'd be giving a huge spoiler!

I then told Tom about my big screen version of that scene, where Jamie gallantly rides in on his horse and rescues Claire whilst Bono is heard in the background yelling "All I want is youuuuuu!  All I want is youuuuuu!"  Um...yeah.  He wasn't exactly as blown away as I am by my vision.  If only I could reach in and grab it out of my head.

PS - Hub will SO be reading The Bronze Horseman after this.  I think he'll need a break before Dragonfly...and let's be honest...all that talk of war?  Men "live for that shit" like grandparents live for birthdays.

Outlander Chat Tonight

Outlander Chat Tonight - 9PM Eastern Standard Time!  Although I have to apologize right now because I may have to cut out early and finish reading Book 2 in The Bronze Horseman series.  You guys have gotten me so ensconced that I can't even drag my face out of this book.  Can someone please go pick up my kids at school?  ;)

PS - My hub is halfway through Outlander.  I'll have some good male observations for tonight's chat.  He's like "Thankfully, I think I'm past the parts about the hair on Jamie's knuckles".  ROFLMAO!! 

Outlandish Observations 20th Anniversary Edition CONTEST

Listen up, y'all.  Karen's got a WAY cool contest running over at Outlandish Observations.  See details below!

The Prize:  An autographed copy of the 20th Anniversary Edition, signed by Diana Gabaldon (and inscribed with the winner's name, if you like).

The Rules:

1) Write a short (no more than 500 words, please!) description of what OUTLANDER means to you.  Topics may include:

• How did you find the series?
• What's the most interesting, amusing, or unusual experience you've had as a result of reading the books?
• What are some of your favorite scenes?
• How many times have you read the books?
• Have you tried to get other people to read the books?
• What do you like best about the OUTLANDER fan community?
• And anything else you'd like to say to Diana in honor of this 20th anniversary.

Feel free to add your own ideas, if you think of something I've left out.

2) Submit your contest entry:

• You can post your entry here on Outlandish Observations, by leaving a comment on this blog post.  (Please make sure to include your name and email address so I can contact you if you win!)
  
  OR
• By email, to Karen.L.Henry@gmail.com.  Please use the subject line "OUTLANDER 20th Anniversary Contest".  (And don't forget to sign your name.)

Please don't post contest entries on Facebook.  It's too difficult for me to keep track of them there.

Contest Ends:  June 30, 2011 at midnight Eastern Time.  The winner will be chosen at random on July 1, 2011.

Who is eligible?

Anyone can enter this contest, even if you live outside the US.  (One entry per person, please!)  I will arrange with the Poisoned Pen bookstore to ship the book directly to you if you win.  (The Poisoned Pen is Diana Gabaldon's local independent bookstore in Scottsdale, Arizona.  She says they ship all over the world.)

For Diana

If there is enough interest in this contest, I plan to collect all of the entries and send them to Diana as a 20th-anniversary gift.  (Please don't mention this on Compuserve.  I'd like to keep it a surprise if I can.  Thanks!)

Questions?

If you have any questions about this contest, please feel free to post them here, or contact me.

And So it Begins

My DH is truly digging his 2nd go at Outlander.  They just left to collect the rents and Jamie and Claire will soon be married.

What is he hung up on?  The fact that Claire didn't seem to have much of anything on her person that would show she's from the future when she went through the stones.  I keep trying to tell him she had shorter hair (a long bob?) at that time - and wasn't a big jewelry person (other than Frank's ring)...but he's not buying it.  "Not a plastic comb in her hair?  Not a watch?  Not a pence or a pound note in her pocket?"

I told him she was just going up to the hill to pick herbs and it didn't seem odd to me that she didn't have any of those things with her (none that I remember, anyway).  I then told him when all else fails...suspend disbelief!

He also asked why Dougal would allow BJR to punch Claire in the stomach.  I told him a) "Dougal's a bit of a douche" and b) "Dougal didn't trust Claire either...and he certainly doesn't want BJR to think he's in cahoots with her!"  That seemed to do the trick.

Onward and Jamieward!

YES! Chat is on!

Chat is on at 9PM Eastern TONIGHT! 

A Whole House of Outlander!

IT HAS FINALLY HAPPENED!  My hub is reading Outlander!!  And LOVING it.  He tried last year and stopped after one too many mentions of James Alexander Malcolm Mackenzie Fraser's hot bod.  But all these months of watching me chat on Mondays and listening to me wax on about Scotland's history (while HE'S of Scottish descent) has proved too much for him.  He canna have an Irish/Italian wifey knowing more about his heritage than HE does.  And let's face it, most of everything I know about Scotland, I've learned from Diana Gabaldon.

And so it begins.  Tom is at Castle Leoch and Claire is about to start helping Colum out by treating the sick.

And get THIS - I just heard him outside explaining the story to my 9 year old daughter.  You know, the pesky one who shows up in our videos from time to time, giving Tracey and me rabbit ears?  Yeah - that one.  Never has she asked her crazy-assed MOTHER about the story - oh no.  Just my own beloved Scotsman.  I love it!  You should HEAR him out there telling her all about the standing stones and Claire's time travel.  I wish I had this on video!!!

Stay tuned, lads and lassies.  This...is getting good.

PS - Amede - you might have to share chat with another man one of these days!  (We won't hold our breath, though...my hub still thinks the internet is a fad. LOL)