Halloween Book Club

After Adan and Felicia were done with their session at the  Writers Fest,  Amelia, Ken and I grabbed a cab over to Catherine's house for our Halloween edition of book club. No, we didn't read a Stephen King novel for the occasion; the book we did read was beautiful and brutal at the same time as it dealt with the horrifying hand that life dealt to the central character. Yes, I'm talking about Booker shortlisted book, A Little Life which definitely isn't a little book! At over 700 pages, it may appear to be a daunting read at first, but once you get into it, you'll be completely hooked.

Catherine greeted each of us a with gigantic monstrous hug in a freakish mask, of course,  a sure sign that we were in for a devil of  a good time. I had suggested bobbing for apples in Catherine's swimming pool, but spying her fruitless pool I surmised that she nixed that idea.  She was, however, game for Felicia's idea of baking some Halloween cookies.  So Felicia and Adan brought over a Halloween Cookie baking & decorating kit for some pre-book discussion fun. 

It was only once we were all in the kitchen, that we discovered the full extent of Felicia's baking skills: she knows how to buy a box of cookie mix and that's about it! Nothing else. Thankfully Ken was there to take charge of the situation. Since he's adept in the kitchen Perhaps  Ken can whisk up the menu for next year's AFCC. 

I

Yes, Felicia, you actually have to mix the batter before
you bake it.

With the cookies mixed, folded and baking in the oven, we adjourned to the living room, where Catherine had a box of Halloween accessories for those who had forgotten it was a dress-up edition of book club, which was fortunate as Benjamin and Emma seem to have forgotten it was dress-up night. But since they haven't been able to come to book club for a while, maybe they came dressed as long-lost book club members. Good to have you back again, Emma and Benjamin!

After a full day at the Writers Festival and watching cookies being baked set my gastric juices into overdrive: I was starving! Catherine provided some potato chips but they did little to satiate my volcanic hunger pangs, I needed meat! Meat and more meat and some carbs too!

The prep time for dinner seemed to take forever, but by the time Dave arrived, it was ready to be served. I have to say, Catherine out did herself with a feast of salmon encroute, potatoes au gratin, steamed vegetables and fried rice. Yum!

So while we scarfed down our dinner, we got to the business at hand of discussing the book. Then our book club Cinderella, Myra, had to depart before the stroke of nine and, unlike the shoe-losing fairytale heroine, Myra did not leave anything behind. She never does.

Can you see the ghost me?

Once the official part of the evening was over, it was time to play. Catherine began snapping ghostly shots of each of us and they turned out pretty cool. Dave donned some of the really cool and funky hats that he designed, complete with rastafarian dreadlocks.  Ken and Adan were game to try them on but I declined. When you're as follically challenged as I am, it's very depressing when you realise that the only hair that will ever be on your head is of the synthetic costume variety!

Felicia, in the meantime, went to check on the cookies that were left warming in the kitchen. They were done! So a few of us set about decorating them. They're pretty awesome, right?

Thanks, Catherine for  hosting another amazing book club evening, Catherine! Can't wait to do it again. You know, we don't have to wait till next Halloween to dress up.