Dear Reader

Dear Reader Column 09-30-10

Now on sale . . . Muffins & Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if Disorderly) Life by Suzanne Beecher, and when you purchase it, request a free autographed bookplate, by visiting:
http://tinyurl.com/Muffins-MayhemPO

Join my email book club. Over 350,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

Routine. I'm back to a smidgeon of a routine this morning, even though things still feel surreal. Mattresses in my living room--disarray in every room, but the house is quiet and first thing after I awoke, my cat Rudy and I sat together in a chair like we do every morning. Me drinking coffee and reading, Rudy waiting for me to gently rub his head and ears. Rudy loves to have his ears rubbed.

My husband and I sent our son, his wife and our grandsons to a hotel last night. Two adjoining rooms: one for Mom and Dad, one for grandsons James and Paul. A pool, fancy soaps and shampoos on the vanity, pillows out of a "Goldilocks and the Three Bears Tale," (each pillow tied with light green band of material and labeled soft, med and fluffy.) Fancy linens and crisp, white sheets; no smell of smoke, nothing charred and blackened. Macaroni and cheese on the kid's menu, Paul and James' favorite. "Take care of my babies in rooms 305 and 307," I told the man behind the registration desk, who'd given me a super 'fire-sale' rate when he heard about what had happened.

"Fire-sale." Where did that come from? Surprised I could even write such a thing this morning, but then again, humor brings a smile to my face and changes something inside of me. Gives me another shot of energy so I can continue taking care of things that need to be done--after the fire.

Yes, you can breathe, the air is safe. Last evening my family was able to cautiously let down just a little bit, because of the homemade cookies a reader dropped off at my home yesterday, the gift cards and food a friend gave to us, a box of clothes another friend delivered, the hundreds and hundreds of emails from readers surrounding us with love, prayers and encouragement, and a woman who handed me the keys to her lovely 3-story home that's surrounded by trees and gardens. She and her husband had moved to a new home, this empty house is on the market, and this logical, matter-of-fact angel read my column and thought, 'What can I do to help? Why, I have a vacant home. I'll call Suzanne, meet her at four o'clock today, tell her that trash day is Monday, remind her that Nancy, a friend of mine, lives right behind the house. 'So if you need anything rap on her door.' No questions asked, she handed me the keys to her home.

My husband, daughter-in-law and I (our son had to pick up the grandsons from day school) arrived early to meet the angel with the house. We kept repeating to ourselves that we shouldn't fully embrace the idea that this could be "home" for a while. People can get caught up in an emotional moment, but then when the "what-ifs" register in your mind, a mental battle ensues and sometimes sadly from experience and with shame, I admit the "what-ifs" have won over my own heart at times.

But I doubt that the what-ifs even crossed this woman's mind. 'I'm here to help and I'm happy to do it' was the message her eyes were sending to us. And she did help, more than she'll ever know. She rescued our family. Her selfless generosity has left a thread of kindness, in the fabric of our hearts, that will never be forgotten.

I'm in the tub as I write this morning's column. (I know, I know, "more information than we need to know" as my editor frequently tells me.) But the soot and smoke smell doesn't easily wash away. I'm still working on it. And today, while the grandchildren are at day school, my daughter-in-law and I will pick up supplies and turn the vacant house into a home for a weary--but definitely loved by many--family.

May your day be filled with the love that my family and I feel this very moment in our hearts. God bless you.

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Gratefully,
Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
www.MuffinsandMayhem.com

AUTHORBUZZ: A book that became a movie, a $20 Amazon gift card, a trailer produced by an Emmy Award winner and every author is giving away free books. Congratulations to last week's $25 book store gift card winner: Teresa Rice.

Meet authors and enter-to-win: Debbie Macomber/CALL ME MRS. MIRACLE; Jennifer Estep/VENOM; Katia Lief/YOU ARE NEXT; Antoinette van Heugten/SAVING MAX; and Ramola D./TEMPORARY LIVES. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

* This month's Penguin Classics book is TEVYE THE DAIRYMAN AND MOTL THE CANTOR'S SON by Sholem Aleichem. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin totebag. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/September10Classics

Dear Reader Column 09-29-10

Now on sale . . . Muffins & Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if Disorderly) Life by Suzanne Beecher, and when you purchase it, request a free autographed bookplate, by visiting:
http://tinyurl.com/Muffins-MayhemPO

Join my email book club. Over 350,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

My family and I are surrounded by love--your love. Thank you so very much. Your emails, prayers and offers of kindness make it easier for our minds to move away from the fire.

My husband, son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren--we are all amazed at the hundreds of readers who've emailed after reading about our "kids" losing their home to a fire. And now in the middle of writing this column a book club reader, who lives here in Sarasota, calls and says, "Suzanne, I read your column this morning about the fire. I was thinking what can I do. I have an empty house in Sarasota with some furniture. Would your family like to stay there until their home is fixed?"

The words left me speechless, tears. I am blessed.

There was a column in my heart for today, but now...

My family and I are surrounded by love--your love.

Thank you for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Gratefully,
Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
www.MuffinsandMayhem.com

* This month's Penguin Classics book is TEVYE THE DAIRYMAN AND MOTL THE CANTOR'S SON by Sholem Aleichem. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin totebag. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/September10Classics

Dear Reader Column 09-28-10

Now on sale . . . Muffins & Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if Disorderly) Life by Suzanne Beecher, and when you purchase it, request a free autographed bookplate, by visiting:
http://tinyurl.com/Muffins-MayhemPO

Join my email book club. Over 350,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

This may be brief this morning and it may be a bit jumbled. I think I am still in a bit of shock. Yesterday morning my daughter-in-law called early in the morning, "Oh my god, the house is on fire and it's engulfed in flames." My son, daughter-in-law and grandsons, Paul and James got out of the house safely. But Frank and Maggie, two of their cats, perished in the fire and the fish in the large aquarium (each one named by my grandchildren), also died. The family's third cat will come home (in good health) from the emergency veterinarian this afternoon.

I could write about the terror and horror and sadness of such a thing, but that's not where I want my mind to be right now. I'm not ignoring the sadness and grief in our hearts, but at the moment I'm choosing to soldier on. In the midst of every tragedy in my life there are stories of love, and those are the stories I'm telling myself right now.

Tragedy brings out the worst in some folks, but in my son and daughter-in-law's neighborhood yesterday there was love. A fireman whose eyes were filled with tears when he handed me one of the cats he couldn't save in the smoldering house. A dad raising three young daughters who took my grandchildren in, a neighbor I'd never met before, and who knew I needed a hug and held on tight when I cried.

Bits and pieces of stories to be told, but the tears won't let me go any farther today. A fire, great loss, horror and sadness, yet there is love.

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
www.MuffinsandMayhem.com

* This month's Penguin Classics book is TEVYE THE DAIRYMAN AND MOTL THE CANTOR'S SON by Sholem Aleichem. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin totebag. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/September10Classics

Dear Reader Column 09-27-10

Now on sale . . . Muffins & Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if Disorderly) Life by Suzanne Beecher, and when you purchase it, request a free autographed bookplate, by visiting:
http://tinyurl.com/Muffins-MayhemPO

Join my email book club. Over 350,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

First thing when I wake up in the morning I try to remember to ask myself, "What's the best way for me to spend my time today?" It's a question I ask out loud, not expecting an audible reply; because no one is listening except me. I'm not trying to assemble a "to-do" list, rather my question is a proclamation of sorts, hoping it will set the course for my day and be a reminder to follow my heart.

When I really listen to my heart, it seldom reflects the "to-do" list I'd crafted the day before. Following my heart, most days it takes a leap of faith as Shelley, a reader at the book club, reminded me after she read last Friday's column.

"Suzanne, I know I may be like a broken down record--but I do love your column--there are times when I'd love to shake you and say Suzanne wake up to who you are. But today I have to share with you that (in my humble opinion) the greatest piece of wisdom you have ever given yourself and shared with your visitors was: 'It's a joyful thing when I follow my heart.'

Do that consistently and regularly and your life will become what it is you desire. Sure it takes a leap of faith sometimes, yet my own experience has been when I do follow my heart, it does indeed all work out for the best--sometimes eventually--but more often than not rapidly. Thanks for being you."--Shelley

Therein lies the scary part of following my heart--the required leap of faith. A list of work items, I was brought up on that kind of logic, but no one schooled me about how to listen to my heart. No one even hinted that the answers and joy I search for in life are there for the taking.

I'm not suggesting that if I'd follow my heart, my life would flow merrily along; no problems, plenty of money, health and happiness, with a storybook ending. But in the midst of working my job, cleaning the house, shaving my legs, spending time with family and friends, feeling happy, and sad, or even scared to death about what lies ahead, it's an easier journey...when I follow my heart.

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
www.MuffinsandMayhem.com

AUTHORBUZZ: A book that became a movie, a $20 Amazon gift card, a trailer produced by an Emmy Award winner and every author is giving away free books. Congratulations to last week's $25 book store gift card winner: Teresa Rice.

Meet authors and enter-to-win: Debbie Macomber/CALL ME MRS. MIRACLE; Jennifer Estep/VENOM; Katia Lief/YOU ARE NEXT; Antoinette van Heugten/SAVING MAX; and Ramola D./TEMPORARY LIVES. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

* This month's Penguin Classics book is TEVYE THE DAIRYMAN AND MOTL THE CANTOR'S SON by Sholem Aleichem. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin totebag. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/September10Classics

Dear Reader Column 09-24-10

Now on sale . . . Muffins & Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if Disorderly) Life by Suzanne Beecher, and when you purchase it, request a free autographed bookplate, by visiting:
http://tinyurl.com/Muffins-MayhemPO

Join my email book club. Over 350,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

My "to-do" list is pleasantly overflowing with choices. The things on my list--I need to get them finished soon--they're part of my job. But sometimes in the midst of taking care of every day things, instead, I need to take a break and follow my heart.

My sewing machine had been sitting in the closet for the past three years, but suddenly last Friday afternoon I felt an overwhelming desire to start sewing a quilt, so I went to the fabric store. I love looking at the colors and designs in different materials. The possibilities bring joy to my heart, but it's not love at first sight. Once I find something I like, I take the bolt of material off the shelf and carry it around the store looking for four other fabrics to go with it. I know I've found "go-together" when I stack the five bolts of material on top of each other, then stand back and gaze and dream. What do I see in the mix? Last Friday I saw my brother-in-law.

My brother-in-law came to visit for the first time last Thanksgiving. He stayed for four or five days and I felt sad when it was time for him to leave. I suppose like other things in life, it's better to "leave them wanting more" and I certainly wanted him to spend more time in our home. I'm an only child and his visit made me feel like I had a brother. My "brother" is coming back to visit again this Thanksgiving, but this time when he leaves he'll be taking home a quilt. A reminder of the love my husband and I feel for him.

It's a joyful thing when I follow my heart.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
www.MuffinsandMayhem.com

* This month's Penguin Classics book is TEVYE THE DAIRYMAN AND MOTL THE CANTOR'S SON by Sholem Aleichem. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin totebag. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/September10Classics

 

Dear Reader Column 09-23-10

Now on sale . . . Muffins & Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if Disorderly) Life by Suzanne Beecher, and when you purchase it, request a free autographed bookplate, by visiting:
http://tinyurl.com/Muffins-MayhemPO

Join my email book club. Over 350,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

Barbara, a reader at the book club, was busy baking while I was on vacation. Read all about it and then be sure to enter this month's Chocolate Chip Cookie Giveaway. Paul, my 3 year-old grandson, helped me bake three batches of chocolate chip cookies and they're keeping fresh in my freezer until I find a good home for them.

From my Email Bag:

"Hi Suzanne, while you were gone on vacation, I discovered the gift of giving chocolate chip cookies. It isn't that I've never given them away before, but in recent weeks, when certain people came to mind, this was the gift they needed. So, there are several people in our church who were the recipients of my chocolate chip cookies. There are a lot of people today who are wounded by life and people who attend church are not immune from that.

I don't think I've ever received the gift of chocolate chip cookies myself, but it sure has been joyful giving them away."--Barbara

Enter this month's cookie giveaway, go to: http://www.muffinsandmayhem.com/node/1284

Visit my website www.MuffinsandMayhem.com and request an autographed bookplate for your copy of Muffins and Mayhem, create a Cookbook of Memories with your family, watch cooking videos and if you belong to a book club that meets in person, check out the Book Club Goodies and more.

"Dear Suzanne, I've been a reader at your book club for many years now and just finished your Muffins and Mayhem book. I just love your style of writing, because it feels as if we are sitting down and sharing a cup of coffee together. I laughed and I cried! I can definitely relate to your stories about your mother, even though I have never met you, I feel like we have bonded together. Thanks for all you do."--Donna H.

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
www.MuffinsandMayhem.com

AUTHORBUZZ: Discover five new books, meet the authors and enter-to-win signed copies and a $25.00 gift card. Send an email to me at [email protected] letting me know which author(s) caught your attention and your email will automatically enter your name in a drawing for a $25.00 bookstore gift card.

Susan Henderson/UP FROM THE BLUE; Sabrina Jeffries/A HELLION IN HER BED; Lorna Seilstad/MAKING WAVES; D.E. Johnson/THE DETROIT ELECTRIC SCHEME and Rusty Whitener/A SEASON OF MIRACLES. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

* This month's Penguin Classics book is TEVYE THE DAIRYMAN AND MOTL THE CANTOR'S SON by Sholem Aleichem. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin totebag. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/September10Classics

Dear Reader Column 09-22-10

Now on sale . . . Muffins & Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if Disorderly) Life by Suzanne Beecher, and when you purchase it, request a free autographed bookplate, by visiting:
http://tinyurl.com/Muffins-MayhemPO

Join my email book club. Over 350,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

It's light blue. The Crayola color I'd choose if I were drawing a picture of the sky filled with puffy clouds. The soft color is what first attracted me and then I fell in love with the shape; a round, curved surface that conformed to my hand the minute I picked it up.

My right hand gently grasping the handle, my left cradling the opposite side of the mug, sipping my favorite morning blend of coffee (Starbucks Verona) and I was in heaven. I loved this mug, so why did I find it tucked out-of-reach, way in the back of my kitchen cupboard? Thrilled to reacquaint myself with a long, lost friend, I filled the mug up with my morning coffee and sat down in my reading chair, but as soon as I took my first sip, I remembered why I abandoned this mug.

It dribbles.

It didn't matter how careful I was, after every sip, drips of coffee ran down the side of the mug, eventually landing on my nightgown. I also remembered trying to return the mug to Starbucks. It doesn't bother me to return things, normally I'm a confident woman. But waiting in line at Starbucks, surrounded by customers ordering ostentatious drinks like a Grande Caramel Macchiato, a Cinnamon Dolce Latte, and a Triple Venti Soy White Mocha, when it came my turn, no way was I going to announce to the barista, "I'm returning this mug because it dribbles."

Thinking about it now, I suppose I could have taken the approach (when in Rome...) and delivered this "uptown" explanation instead, "I need to return this mug because when I take the first morning sip of my Verona Starbucks coffee, with the dark cocoa texture and roasty sweetness, like a fire-roasted marshmallow after you pull off the darkened cap, it gently weeps down the exterior of my light blue vessel." (Yes, that's the actual coffee description on the package of Verona coffee beans in my cupboard.)

But instead of telling it like the hometown girl I am, "This mug dribbles coffee onto my nightgown and I want a refund. Don't you guys test these coffee mugs?" When it came my turn to order, I handed the barista my light blue vessel and placed my order, "Tall, black, please. I brought my own cup."

Dribble, dribble...

*Yes, there's a photo AND I'm giving away my light blue coffee cup (I'll even sign it). Perhaps it will work better for you. To enter the giveaway drawing and to see the photo, go to: http://www.muffinsandmayhem.com/node/6249

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
www.MuffinsandMayhem.com

* This month's Penguin Classics book is TEVYE THE DAIRYMAN AND MOTL THE CANTOR'S SON by Sholem Aleichem. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin totebag. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/September10Classics

 

 

 

Dear Reader Column 09-21-10

Now on sale . . . Muffins & Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if Disorderly) Life by Suzanne Beecher, and when you purchase it, request a free autographed bookplate, by visiting:
http://tinyurl.com/Muffins-MayhemPO

Join my email book club. Over 350,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

Paul, my 3 year-old grandson and I are going to bake this afternoon. Grandma/Grandson bake together every week. Paul's favorite, chocolate cupcakes (from scratch) and chocolate frosting topped with a few sprinkles. But this afternoon, Paul's agreed to change our lesson plan and we're going to bake chocolate chip cookies. Paul and I will bake the cookies, and your contribution is to enter this month's Chocolate Chip Cookie Giveaway.

Simply enter the giveaway and if you're a winner, dunk and eat the cookies (all of them yourself or share with friends) hmm good, then please email a photo so Paul and I (and book club readers) can see your smiling face.

To enter this month's Chocolate Chip Cookie Giveaway, go to: http://www.muffinsandmayhem.com/node/1284 You'll also find a list of recent odds and ends winners: MUFFINS AND MAYHEM caps, books, coffee gift cards, and guest author winners, including some photos.

Paul and I are ready to bake, so be sure to enter.

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
www.MuffinsandMayhem.com

* Marshall Cook was one of my vacation guest columnists. If you requested to receive his newsletter, but haven't, please contact him again. Marshall had a computer failure and lost several requests. You can reach him at: [email protected]


* This month's Penguin Classics book is TEVYE THE DAIRYMAN AND MOTL THE CANTOR'S SON by Sholem Aleichem. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin totebag. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/September10Classics

Dear Reader Column 09-20-10

Now on sale . . . Muffins & Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if Disorderly) Life by Suzanne Beecher, and when you purchase it, request a free autographed bookplate, by visiting:
http://tinyurl.com/Muffins-MayhemPO

Join my email book club. Over 350,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

It will be 16 years this December that my husband and I have lived in our house, so we're not the new kids on the block any more. But we might as well be because we don't know anyone's name. We've become close friends with a husband and wife in our neighborhood and have been invited to parties at their home, numerous times, where a group of nameless people show up. In our defense (of not remembering their names) the faces rotate--the same group of nameless folks don't show up every single time.

When our hosts say, "Bob and Suzanne, have you met so-and-so?" My husband and I only commit to a smile, and wait to see if so-and-so acknowledge that they've met us.

If they have, we follow the leader, "Yes, we've met, why hello there."

If we haven't met these so-and-sos yet, we are so relived to be able to start from scratch to learn someone's name, that while we are exhaling and thanking the patron saint of names, our hosts introduce the new so-and-so's, but my husband and I weren't listening yet, so while we're shaking hands and saying,"Nice to meet you," we realize we are doomed again.

But we haven't given up hope. Every time we leave one of our neighbor's parties my husband and I play the memory game. "Okay, let's at least get two names down. The guy in the blue shirt, with the glasses, his name was Tom wasn't it? Or was it Bob in the blue shirt and Tom in the Greenpeace T-shirt?"

We thought our prayers had been answered when we were invited to our neighbor's 50th birthday party, because there were place cards on the table. Fifty guests to celebrate the big 5-0, so it was our chance to finally learn everyone's name. But for most of the evening people weren't sitting in their assigned seats, and the only place cards my husband and I could really read, without making it obvious what we were trying to do, were the ones on each side of us. But we were grateful to learn four names: Nancy and Al, and Adam and Shelley, but since Adam and Shelley moved away last week, we're down to only two, and no new ideas about how to solve our name problem.

But now that I've written this column I realize I may have created an even bigger, more embarrassing problem. What if the next time my husband and I are invited to a party at our friends' home, one of the familiar, nameless faces says to me, "Suzanne, I read your column, let me introduce myself and everyone else--we're all wearing name tags just for you."

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
www.MuffinsandMayhem.com

AUTHORBUZZ: Discover five new books, meet the authors and enter-to-win signed copies and a $25.00 gift card. Send an email to me at [email protected] letting me know which author(s) caught your attention and your email will automatically enter your name in a drawing for a $25.00 bookstore gift card.

Susan Henderson/UP FROM THE BLUE; Sabrina Jeffries/A HELLION IN HER BED; Lorna Seilstad/MAKING WAVES; D.E. Johnson/THE DETROIT ELECTRIC SCHEME and Rusty Whitener/A SEASON OF MIRACLES. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

* This month's Penguin Classics book is TEVYE THE DAIRYMAN AND MOTL THE CANTOR'S SON by Sholem Aleichem. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin totebag. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/September10Classics

Dear Reader Column 09-17-10

Now on sale . . . Muffins & Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if Disorderly) Life by Suzanne Beecher, and when you purchase it, request a free autographed bookplate, by visiting:
http://tinyurl.com/Muffins-MayhemPO

Join my email book club. Over 350,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

Staying at home during my recent vacation was a deliberate decision. I wanted to see where my heart would lead me if there weren't any plans for each day. Notes from my vacation journal...

September 1, 2010

This is what a vacation day should feel like. At 9:30 this morning my neighbor John came down to the house. We had a date. He wanted to learn how to roll a piecrust and I offered my Never Fail Piecrust Recipe (the one in my book Muffins and Mayhem).

"The dough's always too sticky for me to roll it and it ends up a mess," John said.

But I assured him that just like the name says, "Never Fail" he'd never fail to roll this pie crust. You can roll it and reroll it, but the dough has to be chilled for at least three hours in the refrigerator. So the plan was to mix the dough in the morning and he'd return later in the afternoon to make a peach and blueberry pie.

When John and I bake together it's an exchange. I may be giving him a "how to roll a pie crust" lesson today, but he pushes me to be adventurous. Trying a brand new recipe, no need in John's mind to follow the instructions exactly as printed first time out. "How about if we do this instead Suzanne?"

Change it up a bit and see what we end up with. If things don't work out like we'd hoped, we eat the good parts and don't worry about what went wrong. Try again another day. Easy-going, aprons on, willing to make a big mess, just two grown up kids playing in the kitchen, and one of them learned how to roll a pie crust. Hmm, the peach pie was my favorite.

I had the feeling when I was writing about the funky chicken lamp, (in Wednesday's vacation column: http://tinyurl.com/0915column) that I should snap a photo. But the photo-snapper (my husband) had a bad cold, so I decided to run without a picture. I'm happy to report my photo-snapper is feeling much better, so the funky chicken and frog lamps are making their book club debuts today. No big story about Mr. Frog, but since the funky chicken has taken the frog's place on the writing table in my sunroom, I felt they both deserved recognition. Funny how things work out. I moved the frog lamp to an end table in the office, which turned out to be where the lamp should have been all along. The soft light from the frog lamp throws a comfortable, inviting hew over the room and looks so picturesque through the window.

To see the lamps and to enter a drawing for a Muffins and Mayhem cap, go to: http://www.muffinsandmayhem.com/node/6166

If you'd like an autographed bookplate for your copy of my book, go to: http://www.muffinsandmayhem.com/content/special-offers

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
www.MuffinsandMayhem.com

KIDSBUZZ: Books and books--lots of children's books to give away. Email an author, sign up for their giveaway and learn about great titles for kids of all ages from Patricia Lakin/MAX AND MO GO APPLE PICKING; Robert L. Forbes/LET'S HAVE A BITE! A Banquet of Beastly Rhymes; J.M. DeMatteis/IMAGINALIS; and Hugh Lupton/THE ADVENTURES OF ODYSSEUS. For a chance to win free books and more, see http://www.authorbuzz.com/kidsbuzz

* This month's Penguin Classics book is TEVYE THE DAIRYMAN AND MOTL THE CANTOR'S SON by Sholem Aleichem. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin totebag. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/September10Classics