Frost

Book review: Broken for You

Broken for You by Stephanie Kallos               

From the Amazon.com
“…the story of two women in self-imposed exile whose lives are transformed when their paths intersect. Stephanie Kallos's debut novel is a work of infinite charm, wit and heart. It is also a glorious homage to the beauty of broken things. When we meet septuagenarian Margaret Hughes, she is living alone in a mansion in Seattle with only a massive collection of valuable antiques for company. Enter Wanda Schultz, a young woman with a broken heart who has come west to search for her wayward boyfriend. Both women are guarding dark secrets and have spent many years building up protective armor against the outside world. As their tentative friendship evolves, the armor begins to fall away and Margaret opens her house to the younger woman. This launches a series of unanticipated events, leading Margaret to discover a way to redeem her cursed past, and Wanda to learn the true purpose of her cross-country journey.
From the Book jacket
“Exuberant, heartbreaking, and alive with a potpourri of eccentric and irresistible characters”  
Not only does Margaret, live in her mansion with valuable antiques for company, she talks to them. She asked for her furniture’s permission to rent one of the 15 rooms to a stranger.

I found the writing and the descriptions in some passages hilarious.  (Laughing out loud, in the car, all by myself, at least I’m not talking to my car, Yet!!!!
For example:
“One of the women was strikingly tall and wore a bulky woolen cape, two emaciated support stockinged legs and a wooden cane protruded from the bottom.  The woman’s head emerged from the top, it’s near perfect roundness accentuated by the fact that it was nearly completely bald.  The overall effect was that of a perambulatory floor lamp with the bald head providing a small globular finial.
The other woman was shorter and the shape and size of her torso suggested that it had been formed by pinning together 5 adipose spheres, two for the breasts, one for the stomach and two for the buttocks.”  
The book while covering only a few years,  does flashbacks to WWII, and the gathering-up robbery and detention of Jewish people.  Although it may be a cliche' and worn one at that.   Family isn't always the people you are born to.
I agree, with all of the above reviewers. .  I found it funny and heartbreaking,   As many of you may know, I judge a book by how well I get to know and like the characters, Well, I loved these strange, unconventional, wounded, caring and loving people.  I would love to see what happens to them in the future

Crockpot Chicken

I tried this recipe on Sunday. 

 Because we were home, I could cook it for the correct length of time

Charlie said it was OK,  I thought it was really good.  

4 chicken breasts at the bottom of crock pot. Pour stove top over chicken. Mix 1/2 C. sour cream and 1 can cream of chicken soup with 1/4 Cup water the pour over chicken and stuffing. Cook low 4 hours. Fluff and serve. Easy peasy!

I found it on Pinterest,  I think it originally came from team-t-adventures.blogspot.com

Christmas Catctus

 My Christmas Cactus is blooming.  A little early, I think.

Best Broccoli of your life?

I tried this recipe tonight.

Best broccoli of your life, according to the Armature Gourmet

I thought it was pretty good, a different way to serve broccoli.  

Charlie, who hates broccoli, can't even stand the smell of it said "The taste isn't too bad.  It's the texture, it's too weedy.