Fries with Gravy

I just finished reading Nights of Rain and Stars by one of my favorite authors, Maeve Binchy.  Instead of the usual Irish setting, the story that drew the characters together in Nights was in the Greek village of Aghia Anna.  Four characters are running from circumstances in their lives within the US, Germany, England and Ireland.  They become friends in the face of a tragedy within Aghia Anna and bond with the eccentric Irishwoman Vonni, who has made the village her home and with the tragic Andreas, owner of a favored taverna.  It's an intricate tale of bonds between parents and adult children and of lovers and what they mean to one another, charmingly told as usual by Binchy.  I adore the way she writes a story but didn't feel that this was one of her very best novels.  If you're curious to immerse yourself in a Binchy story, I'd suggest Quentin's or Tara Road for starters.  Taking the Ireland out of her books is losing a huge part of the charm, in this reader's humble opinion. 

Let's take the opportunity to discuss Brad Pitt and his finest role EVER as Louis in Interview With the Vampire. *le sigh* (the extent of my discussion, lol) After Risky Business and Top Gun, this movie is possibly the only place where I've ever been able to stomach Tom Cruise. Kirsten Dunst was remarkable, especially considering her age. Her character inspired the name that should be mine, had my parents named me properly. In my next life, I should definitely be a Claudia.  I have loved Anne Rice since middle school (naturally - isn't that when everyone develops their Anne Rice love?) and I was with her when she pfft'd Tom Cruise's portrayal of Lestat. I was also with her when she ate crow. I dunno if she lusted after Brad as Louis, but if she did...I was really with her. Heh. I had the Interview poster hanging in my office for years - I wonder if I still have it somewhere.  I guess that's enough to inspire me to move from the computer chair and get back to clearing stuff out in my house... I'm just looking for my vampire poster, yeah.

In some of our cases, Mother's Day isn't the happiest or is at best a bittersweet occasion.  It's a day to be celebrated as Mother, Mommy, Momma and receiving sweet little drawings from the little ones and nice presents from the bigger ones is a treat certainly.  For those of us who lost our mothers too early in life though, it can also be a really painful occasion where it's impossible not to mourn for what you're missing as a daughter.  I was 25 when my mom died - we'd just begun to be really good at having an adult relationship.  I was really just starting to be the kind of person that she worried I'd never be when I was flippantly leaving the house with way too much black eyeliner.  We'd settled into enjoying each other and then she was gone. My mother was lovely and spirited, generous to a fault and taught me the type of woman that I would be. Sometimes I catch myself performing routine tasks and I marvel at how I do it exactly as she did.  I didn't have her for nearly long enough.

After she died, I searched for comfort and reason in my pain.  I was introduced to the writing of Hope Edelman and took a lot from Motherless Daughters and Motherless Mothers.  For anyone who is putting together the pieces of themselves and living an adulthood with mother loss, Ms. Edelman's work  is priceless, if only to say, "I feel like that too." 

I have a *thing* for Ireland that isn't just Old Navy inspired.  I have an Irish grandfather and my mother, who passed away in 2001, was an Irish spitfire, complete with curly red hair and freckles.  I'm a redhead now (by choice, not circumstance) and my appreciation for the Emerald Isle grew from a grand appreciation for my mom.  I've a bit of a fancy for Irish music (hello Tommy Condon's - Charleston, SC!) and have often perused the library for Irish writers (don't get me started on how long I'll watch QVC on St. Patrick's Day).  But, yeah... authors - my favorite is Maeve Binchy. 

http://www.maevebinchy.com/books.html

If you're in the mood for an authentic Irish experience via the written word, try a Binchy novel.  I loved Tara Road, Scarlet Feather, Circle of Friends and The Copper Beech especially.