Another gal in my Book Club hosted our group in September for a discussion and lunch.  Think the warm colors/textures of autumn like camel, tweed, amber, burgundy, and take a peek back at our afternoon…

ART OF THE TABLE

Our hostess who loves to set a pretty table pulled out her fall-colored dishes

–

–

–

PLACE SETTINGS

Layers upon layers of dishes topped with a camel colored napkin along with amber-colored water glasses

–

Clever Idea:

The napkin rings are repurposed belts.  Some of the gals in our group bought old belts at a local Goodwill Store(s) and then had a “craft day together” to cut the belts and convert them into handsome napkin rings

–

OTHER DINING ROOM DETAILS

Our host is also very talented in the floral arrangement department – she arranged these floral swags (along with her table centerpiece)

–

–

–

Always coordinates her hutch with her table décor…

–

–

–

LUNCH IS SERVED

BLT chicken salad made with mayo, sour cream, yogurt, and a bit of ranch dressing for some kick

–

She did serve dessert, but I must have gobbled it up so fast that I forgot to take a photo:(

–

BOOK DISCUSSION(S)

My Book Club also had another lunch & discussion together after this one.  I did not take any photos, however I will briefly discuss that book too.

~ Both books were fiction but inspired by real people/true stories ~

The Rent Collector by Camron Wright

This book got high reviews from our group, although I must admit I never finished the book by the time we met.  I was too busy planning for my son’s wedding (more about that in a future post:).

We felt the characters were well-developed, and the story an interesting read.

The book takes place in Cambodia where a woman and her husband live in the largest waste dump in Cambodia.  They make a meager living by scavenging recyclables from the trash.  It is a story of the woman’s journey to save her son who is poor health.  She also hopes to better educate him.  It is the story of humility, and the honor and support people are capable of giving to each other even in the poorest of conditions.

***********************

Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate

This book also got very high reviews from us.  We had a hard time putting the book down, and once again, like a good writer of historical fiction, Ms. Wingate motivated us to want to know more of the true story.  Two of my BC gals went on to read The Baby Thief:  The Untold Story of Georgia Tann, the Baby Seller Who Corrupted Adoption (by Barbara Bisantz Raymond).  They shared a lot of what they learned in that book throughout our discussion.

This book (story) is eye-opening and disturbing.  It is the story of adoptions, heartbreak, the trafficking of children.  It is based on the true story of Georgia Tann & the Tennessee Children’s Home Society who take children from families from the 1920s through 1950.  How a scandal like that could go on for that amount of time is so troubling, but what is most appalling is the amount of people including judges, police & politicians who played along for the purposes of financial gain.

A must read.