Que Sera Sera...

SPOILER ALERT: Dinna read unless you have read chapter 23 in AN ECHO IN THE BONE. 

Ho. Ly. CRAP. This book is so damn good I dinna know what to DO with myself!!! SO much has happened since my last blog; let's get right to it!

JAMIE SEES DEAD PEOPLE!!!!! OK wait. That's not right. But y'all know what I mean. He is having these dreams... and he's seeing Jem and Mandy playing at the cemetery at Lallybroch... and he has had multiple dreams about them in Lallybroch... and Claire remembers Lallybroch being for sale... so they KNOW ROGER AND BREE LIVE AT LALLYBROCH!!!!! I am shouting it from the rooftops! This. Is. So. Exciting!!!!! I canna WAIT for the next letter. They are going to say something about Jamie seeing the kids at Lallybroch... and then Roger and Bree are going to start looking for/finding things that Jamie and Claire have left for them - JUST like I predicted!! I can TASTE it like it was one of Mrs. Bug's bannocks ("lord of mercy on her" as my mother would say).

OK... so... next.... there are SO MANY NAMES popping up in this book that are making me go "Oh my gosh - that's so and so!" Like.... Randall-Isaacs??? HELLO?? Jack Randall's son/nephew!!! And he's a dirty dog who hangs around with Percy-the-Derelict. And how do we know this? Because Nessie (the madam who readers of LJG books know but the rest of us poor chumps are totally clueless about) told John Grey. And ewwww - he's hanging out with William (waaahh my French is terrible... please come helpppp me) to get dirt on LJG for Percy-The-Derelict! And here's poor William - knowing something ain't quite right... but not being able to figure out what it is. He knows Randall-Isaacs is interested in his dad... but doesna know why. What I want to know is if Randall-Isaacs has any sexual interest in LJG - or if he just wants info for Percy - and to meet him because, let's face it, LJG is DA BOMB and knows EVERYONE in England, France, Canada and the bad-assed Colonies!! Give Lord John his PROPERS, y'all! He da man!!!

OK enough of that - let's move on - how much did I go "RABBIE MCNABB!!!" when we got to the brothel?? Tracey doesna want to commit to the possibility that it's the same Rabbie - but I said "come ON! It HAS to be!" His wife is from the Highlands (I thought she might be someone we know but so far, there's not been much revealed about her) so it's GOT to be him. How can there be two Rabbie McNabb's?? Two Robbie's maybe... but Rabbie's? (I know, I know, Rabbie/Robbie are the same name but work with me here, people!)

LORDDDDD what else? SO MUCH DIRT! OHHHHH ROGER AND BREE!!!  HOLY CRAP - Jerry MacKenzie DIDNA DIE in WW2!!!  He WENT THROUGH THE FRIGGIN STONES IN NORTHUMBRIA!!! (Not to be confused with Umbria and Maggie Smith... Chris Cooper... ) THAT storyline is blowing my mind almost as much as Jamie dreaming in 20th century technicolor. Can you IMAGINE how badly Roger Mac will FLIP OUT if his father shows up? And they thought maybe that was who was skulking around in the broch (which Jamie isNA happy about). Poor Roger Mac canna handle a little conversation about his future career, let alone a visit from his dead father who is now a time traveler. I am going to be taken out in an ambulance when I get to THAT PART of the book.

You should have seen me reading all this on the plane today (in between telling my son to stop playing with the tray table every five seconds and telling my daughter to stop putting her iPod headphones in my ear)... I. Was. A. FREAK. At one point I reached across the aisle and whacked my husband on the arm. He was like "What was THAT for??" and I was like "What's it for??? ROGER MAC! THAT'S what it's for!" I really need an Outlander meeting with the girls STAT. (Oh and when we meet, I will be sure and ask them when precisely Roger started speaking as if he were born in yon 18th century mind you, do ye ken?)

PS - Could I have been ANY MORE WRONG about William's career choice? I truly thought the skunk and subsequent Hale hanging did him in - and he'd never choose Intelligence. Shows you what I know. One of these days I'll have to add up all my predictions/theories and see just how wrong/right I was!

"YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!"

SPOILER ALERT: Dinna read unless you have read chapter 20 in AN ECHO IN THE BONE. 

I've been fighting it. Fighting William. I didn't really want to be interested in his life; it just... happened. And now I'm stuck. I am moving on to Chapter 21 - "The Minister's Cat" (which makes me giggle, as I love Bree and Roger's little game) - and I'm finding myself a little bummed; I want to know what happens! Will he take Richardson's offer and become a spy? I think not. I thought he was going to - until this horrible situation with Hale. And now I'm thinking he's going to say "no", now that he's gotten a taste of what it feels like to watch someone die - indirectly - by your own hands. Or your own actions.  I'm thinking William is going to realize it's better to kill someone outright on the battle field... than take part in killing someone by sneaking around lying and hiding. There is honor in fighting fair. And I have a feeling that William - like both his fathers - will choose honor.  I can't wait to read on and find out.

PS - Speaking of The Minister's Cat - am I the only one who gets a little giddy every time a new chapter starts with the word "Lallybroch"??

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TRACEY!

 Just wanted to throw a Happy Birthday out there to my sister and Outlander mentor, Tracey! Hope you had a great day (and that work wasna too grueling!)

We may have to celebrate your birthday when we celebrate Jamie's birthday! Won't THAT be fun?! :)

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!