Like Father, Like Son

SPOILER ALERT: Dinna read unless you have read chapter 18 in AN ECHO IN THE BONE. 

Jamie + Fergus = VINTAGE OUTLANDER, does it not??? Oh MAN I loved this chapter!

"Then I grew older still, and discovered that, after all, it was true. I am the son of a great man." 

The hook touched Jamie's hand, hard and capable.

Wow. SO moving. And Germain was cracking me up. He's a little fire cracker... and I LOVE that Fergus is teaching him to pick pockets... and then put back whatever he has taken... because it is a "family legacy". Oh holy hell that made me laugh.

I'm so glad to see Fergus BACK IN BUSINESS. He's much more interesting when he has confidence, is he not?

And HELLO??? I. Am. DYING! WHAT does Percy want with Fergus?? I canna WAIT to find out!

Chat Tonight - 9PM Eastern

Don't forget tonight's Outlander Chat! We'll be discussing up through Chapter 17 in AN ECHO IN THE BONE! Hope to see you there!!

Carol's "Favorite Things"

SPOILER ALERT: Dinna read unless you have read chapter 12 in AN ECHO IN THE BONE.

I have a few favorites in the Outlander series. A favorite character - Jamie Fraser, duh. A favorite food - bannocks. A favorite love scene - "I canna be gentle about it" (although "watch while I take ye" is such a close 2nd and may even be a tie.)

And now I have a favorite Chapter.

Chapter 12 in An Echo in the Bone is so fantastic, I dinna know what to do with myself. From start to finish - it is so poignant. So riveting. So gut-wrenching. And most of all - so beautiful. I don't know who I love more in this scene; Claire or Jamie. Or even Adso...as he has such an important place in the scene. I almost want to pick him up and hug him... almost.

Lord, he'd said. Let me be enough... 
"Jamie," I said at last. "oh, Jamie. You're...everything. Always."

A while back, over at Outlandish Observations, Karen picked a song that expressed the depth of Claire and Jamie's relationship... and she wanted to know if anyone else had a song that was near and dear to their heart in this way. It was such a great question - and I have always been all about music - and yet I had such a hard time thinking of a song. But if I were to pick a chapter that truly expresses the heart and soul of Jamie and Claire Fraser, this would be it.

You go in the cage... Cage goes in the water... You go in the water... Shark's in the water... Our shark.

SPOILER ALERT: Dinna read unless you have read Chapter 13 in AN ECHO IN THE BONE. 

Sometimes the Outlander books are like JAWS. Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water...

So I'm reading along... through Ian's highly adorable and very neurotic over-thinking of Arch Bug...a possible wife...Jamie and Claire's sex life...and any female he's ever had lusty thoughts about... and BOOM! I turn the page and I'm back to at least 6 months ago with Lord John. Not that I dinna LOVE Lord John. But... well.. you know. Sometimes you're just so ingrained in Jamie and Claire and Ian and anyone living on the Ridge.. that you sortof wake up and go "huh?" when you all the sudden find yourself in the 20th century - or with any male who a) has manly love for Jamie Fraser or b) is an offspring of Jamei Fraser. 

So let's back up a bit, shall we? I found it hilarious when - after Claire had labeled a cask filled with grain alcohol as "sauerkraut"- Jamie uttered the words "and what if we should be set upon by illiterate banditti?" Oh my god I HOWLED at that immensely amusing bit of commentary from Mr. Fraser.

OK so I have a few predictions. There has most likely been some MASSIVE foreshadowing, in my humble opinion. Claire and Jamie were in the Spaniard's cave, discussing how Jemmy fell into the cave on top of Jamie and he could have broken his neck and killed him, which would have left Jemmy alone and unable to get out of the cave.  And Claire thought to herself: and we'd never have known what happened to either one of you... and on any given day, something just as random might happen. To anyone.... and she asked Jamie of the Spaniard: "What do you think happened to this gentleman?" and thought to herself: His people never knew. Ho. Ly. CRAP.  Is Claire - or Jamie - or Ian - or anyone - going to be left in a situation where nobody knows what happened to them??? Holy god - if I'm right - is this how the  book is going to end???

I. WILL. SHIT. MY. PANTALONES!!!

OK I have to move on because just saying all of that out loud gives me chills. SO - Tracey, Jenn M, Shannon and I have mentioned the possibility of going to NYC one of these days... because we want to check out a Scottish bar or two. What I didna realize until VERRA recently is that we have an authentic pub to visit which was mentioned in An Echo in the Bone. The Fraunces Tavern is still in operation - under new management - and I am psyched to go there!  The Beekman House doesna seem to be there anymore... but the post office in Rhinebeck has some stones from the ruins. Kindof cool.

OK I MUST go to bed as it's almost midnight and my children will be up verra early, looking for their Easter baskets. More tomorrow as I've got an entire new blog entry in my head, waiting to be posted!

Happy Easter to those of you who celebrate! :)

Here's my new post... NEVERMIND!

SPOILER ALERT: Dinna read unless you have read chapter 11 in AN ECHO IN THE BONE.

OK I have to some posting - and then some more READING! Things are progressing nicely on the Ridge. Although I'm wondering if Jamie, Claire and Ian are ever actually leaving the Ridge - or if they're just going to keep talking about their Scotland trip for the next 10 years. (Sounds like ME, actually. Dinna get me started.)

OK scratch that. Tracey just accidentally let it slip that something juicy is going down between Jamie and Claire in about 4 more paragraphs... so I'm going to have to get back to y'all. SORRY.

I'll leave you with this. Lizzie just birthed a daughter. The Beardsleys are fawning over her. Her stepmother is already worried about the next bairn because a) Claire might not be back to deliver it and b) Lizzie and the Beardsleys seem to be humping like rabbits.

Livin La Vida Outlander

SPOILER ALERT: Dinna read unless you have read Voyager.

OK so I'm down here in Florida - and all kinds of things are jumping out at me and saying "Hey! Your life is ruled by the Outlander series!"

Let's review a few things that have happened in the last 24 hours: 

My in laws live in a complex where lots of Brits and Canadians vacation. I met a Scottish woman today - who happens to live in Canada now. And all I wanted to ask her was "Do you know anyone related to Simon Fraser, originally of Lovat"? And did I mention her name? Carol. I felt so verra proud to share a name with a Scot.  Dork, party of 1??

Today I passed - I kid you not - a store called "HONEY POT Bridal and Tux". I really dinna know what to say about that, except that I squeeeeeed like a 12 year old when I saw it and thought of Jamie uttering "She shaved her HONEY POT?!" in Dragonfly. SO verra funny.

OH and last night we ate a bean salad made by "Paisley Farm" from "Willoughby Ohio". "Paisley" as in Paisley, Scotland. "Willoughby" as in Mr. Wee Stabbers" himself! YOU CANNA MAKE THAT SHIT UP, SASSENACHS!!!

A Printing We Will Go

SPOILER ALERT: Dinna read until you have finished chapter 7 in AN ECHO IN THE BONE. (I still CANNA believe I'm finally reading the last one.)

Oh for the love of god. Could someone get Bree out of Roger's ass, please? She's camped so far up there that his hemorrhoids now have hemorrhoids. Seriously. Leave the guy alone. It's a bit traumatic, following one's girlfriend to the 18th century - marrying her after learning she's possibly had another man's baby - living with her crazy-assed family - being hangit - working on a farm - and traveling back through yon stones to your own time... is it not?? If he's meant to be a Minister - he'll be a Minister. Get off his back and go see what Annie's doing in the kitchen. Let's hope it's not what you and Roger were doing on the currant-stained granite last week. Word to the wise - I'd pay close attention to what Annie's doing. I only just learned she was their "hired girl" at Lallybroch and already I'm having visions of Malva. Shudder.

So I just read Jamie's letter - the 2nd of the bunch - about going back to Scotland and retrieving his printing press. I am DYING to know if that is going to happen in this book - and if they're going to come all the way back in Echo, too. In all honesty, I'm envisioning Voyager on steroids - and getting a little nervous about the prospect. And where the hell is Mr. Willoughby with yon wee stabbers when we need him???

I have to say - reading Jamie's signoff - "Kiss the children for me" and "your most affectionate Father" made me spill a few tears. It is just hitting me now that Jamie had to give up his daughter yet again. And that hurts me to the core of my being. AND - that Bree had to give up her father - whom she was never fortunate enough to meet when she was a child - because her mother waited 20 damn years to find out what happened to him. And now here Bree and Roger are, going through these letters from Claire and Jamie at a snail's pace... and I'm on the edge of my seat!! Would you not TEAR INTO those letters like it was Christmas morning and you were in your best plaid Christmas nightgown?!? HELLO??? I could not wait one more SECOND to know what happened to my PARENTS!!!

OK that's it for now. Going to visit the in laws - and I'll have a nice chunk of time on the plane tomorrow to read (if my children behave, that is.) And yes - the laptop is-a-comin'. So there will be blogging - and Monday's chat is definitely still on!

Damn Yankees

Spoiler Alert: Dinna read unless you have read chapter 6 in AN ECHO IN THE BONE. 

So... I'm just hangin' out with William in Staten Island.... But the chapter is called Long Island, right?  At first I wondered if William was going to end up shooting up the Hamptons.  I hope he knows better than to travel there on a Friday afternoon in the summer. (OK I knew it didn't happen that way but c'mon - a Hamptons joke in an Outlander blog? I absolutely HAD to!)

OK so poor William just got knocked off his horse and had the ponytail cut from his head.  I dinna know if they're going to take him - or leave him there. I have a hunch they'll leave him there with his new, short cut....to be totally embarrassed in front of his men. Sound familiar? Well - it's not like being tied to a tree near your camp where your ammunition has been stolen... but close enough in the embarrassment department, ya know?? I have to hurry up and blog so I can read. I'm dying to know what happens!! I had visions of them taking him... and Jamie finding out and traveling up North to kick yon Continental butt.

And my apologies to Karen - how could I have not mentioned Mrs. Bug's untimely demise?! I have to admit something; I wasna that broken up over it. She was a sweet lady, yes. She took care of the Frasers. She made a mean bannock. BUT YON WOMAN SHOT JAMIE! I just canna feel sorry for someone who shows up in the middle of the night - sneaks around looking for something that isn't really even hers to take - and is PACKIN'!!!!!! She had not one but TWO guns! And she used one to SHOOT JAMIE! She's lucky they didn't mistake her for someone and cut her damned head off!! Getting an arrow through the neck is almost MILD considering where she was - and what she was doing. Again - I will miss her sausage rolls and her hot, buttered bread.. and maybe even her gossipy attitude and occasional murders. I even made bannocks for our meeting at Shannon's today - in Mrs. Bug's memory. But I don't really feel that bad for her or for Arch who - let's face it - sent his WIFE to do the dirty work in that scenario. UNLESS we're going to find out she didna tell him she was going - or something like that. In which case, I'll feel worse for him than I do at this moment.

And as for my thoughts on Arch telling Ian he'd be back when Ian found someone he was close to? Let me explain my feelings on this in the following letter:

Dear Arch, 

Go north 5 miles - way up over the Ridge. Make a left at the first set of pine trees. Cross the river.. and make a right at the next rock. There, you will find a group of people known as The Mohawk. 

When you get there, ask for Emily. 

Love, 

Carol

An Echo in the Bone, Indeed...

SPOILER ALERT: Dinna read unless you have read chapter 5 in AN ECHO IN THE BONE. 

I don't know how I'm going to get through this book. I tear up constantly when I'm reading about Bree, Roger and the kids at Lallybroch. It started to rain - Roger went to the kitchen to close the windows - and that was it - I was crying... again. The granite counter tops are original??? They are stained with "the juice of currants" and "the blood of game and poultry". Oh. My. GOD. I am a huge fan of genealogy...and family heirlooms... so this part of the book is grabbing me by the heart and pulling me under its spell... and I have no choice but to enjoy the ride.

Do you have any family heirlooms you absolutely love, not because of their monetary worth but because of their emotional worth? I have a guilded mirror with a Victorian bust carved on the top; my husband's great grandfather had it made for his great grandmother. I love that mirror so much because of all the people who have looked into it over the last 100 years. I have a gate leg table that was my great grandmother's...and I smile every time I serve desserts on it.. wondering what my great grandmother served on it all those years ago.

That warm feeling is what I get during every second of Lallybroch. Shannon described the early chapters in Echo as "lounging in your favorite, comfortable chair"... and now I totally get what she means.

Outlander CHAT tonight!

My Outlander Purgatory Chat tonight - 9PM Eastern! Discussing the first 5 or so chapters of Echo! (Gotta check with Jenn M on that - so don't quote me!) Hope to see you there!