Loot from the girlfriends&new reads

Last night was (Quilting)girls night out-what that means is that we went out to a local place, Skipper's on the harbor and exchanged our Christmas loot. It was made even more fun by the fact that we were trying to be inconspicuous in a booth but we had gifts that were rather large in some cases. Since it was a slow night in the village in winter-it worked out o.k.

I got a very funny book by Amy Sedaris-who some of you may know from "Strangers with Candy" on Comedy Central(I think-I can't remember the network) Anyway-It's amusing for several reasons, not the least of which is a look at personal hygiene and home remedies you never want to try. My favorite bit so far is the "Meat Cake" that you can put together for unexpected company. Here's a shot of that.

Along with this I got some lovely fabric from the Old Country Store in Amish Country, where my friend Pam went a while back-She was thinking ahead and good for her!

I got a couple of books I had been wanting as well-"Climbing the Mango Trees" by Madhur Jaffrey-a memoir about her childhood in India and how the cooks in her ancient family expressed themselves and the seasons in food.

I also got a book by John Sedgwick called, "In My Blood" This one is of interest to me because I have always had an interest in the Sedgwick family for several reasons. Somehow they have shown up in an interesting way for me throughout the years. When I worked in cosmetics years ago I met(really briefly and totally intoxicated) Edie Sedgwick-who was a protege of Andy Warhol(I think they're making a movie called Factory Girl, about her) and known as the "it girl" of the day. She died f an overdose which came as no surprise to anyone who met her during that time but there was something fabulous and fascinating about her. The family goes back to the signing of the Constitution and, of course, there is Kyra Sedgwick who is the star of "The Closer" one of the great programs on t.v. They have a burial plot that is shaped like a piece of pie. It is called, appropriately enough, the Sedgwick Pie and the stones go back to before the revolution. It is said that they made it in this shape so that when judgement day comes they will all sit up and face forward seeing the Patriarch of the clan. The other unfortunate thing about them is that there is a strong line of depression & mental illness that, while researching the book, John has traced way, way back. I love history so I can't put it down. It's really about the history of our country, Boston Brahmin's and Stockbridge and what happened to the Native American population of that town. Anyway-I loves me a good read!

I'm really enjoying the 12x12 pieces that have been posted so far and I have come to the conclusion that I may have to post late. I spent all day yesterday between the Dr's office being a pin cushion and shopping for the trip. I have a number of important things to take care of today that are not quilt related so I don't think I'll finish on time and therefore I'll wait till other have posted & move to the end of the line. It's not like me and I don't like being late.