Lallybroch.. Lallybroch.. Oh Lally Lallybroch..

SPOILER ALERT: Dinna read unless you have read the first few chapters of Part 5 in OUTLANDER or CROSS STICH.

Strap yourselves in, lassies. This is a long one. And I've already cut it down. Lorddddd the Gathering. 

Let me start by saying that I am enjoying Lallybroch soooo much more this time around - and I've only been there 3 days. So that says something, right? But now that I've done it twice, I can honestly say what bugged me the last time; and is still bugging me today.

I really don't like the ARRIVAL at Lallybroch at all. Maybe it's because the story is in first person - and I read it as if I'm Claire. And certain things offend me. And yet what offends me doesn't seem to bother Claire in the least.

(Interesting side note; the dogs. Claire thinks there are 12 at first - only to realize there are 4 - once they've calmed down and their tails start to wag. And it signifies a prelude, if you will... a sign of things to come. Seemingly rabid dogs outside the house; one seemingly rabid dogs inside the house. Appearing larger than life - but really just standing barely five feet tall. And this dog's name is Jenny.)

OK so let me get on with it.... here's what truly irks me:  I don't like the fight. I dinna like it at all. I get the fact that they can't just walk in and hug Jenny and all will be right with the world. I get that. When Jamie left - some years ago - he was dragged out and Jenny was about to be raped in the house. That's traumatic any way you slice it - so of course there is going to have to be some type of drama when the prodigal son finally arrives back home again. But the fight? It goes on way too long. Jamie's not stupid.  He should have figured out that Jenny has not spawned with Satan long before he did. The miscommunication factor seems almost like it's right out of Three's Company. I'm half-expecting Jack Tripper to show up and fall over something - while Chrissy's hiding behind the couch and Janet's standing there, wide eyed. The fight just drags.  LIKE THE GATHERING! Lorddddd the Gathering!!

Was it great when Jenny grabbed Jamie's junk? Absolutely hilarious (although slightly unnerving). Do we see how feisty and intense they both are? Yes. Do we see how much they love each other? Yes. To the point where we half expect them to start making out like Greg and Marcia in the Brady Bunch Movie... but yes, we do see how much they love each other.

So. Here is how I think the whole thing COULD have gone down:

Jenny: Jamie!
Jamie: Jenny!
Jenny: I'm so glad you're home!
Jamie: You're with child ya harlot daughter of a wee bitch!
Jenny: Oh, SHUT IT, Jamie! I married your friend Ian while you were gone! Both kids are his! Randall didna lay a hand on me because he's not into vajayjay. It's all good!
Jamie: Get OUT?!  That's awesome Jenny. Now let me introduce ye to me new bride, Claire. Fine lookin' sassenach wench, is she not? Sassenach, please FORGIVE ME for leaving ye standing there.
Claire: Oh no worries, Jamie. Jenny, it's nice to meet you. May I have a new dress, some shoes, a handful of bannocks and a comb? And if it's not too much trouble, maybe some L'Heure Bleu? 
Jamie: (whispering under his breath) Claire, ye left your own time, lass.
Claire: Oh right, sorry! Just the comb would be fine.
Jenny: Oh absolutely! Claire, it's lovely to meet ye. I always knew Jamie would find a good woman one day...

But instead, we have to go through ten or so rounds of tiring - although hilarious - insults between Jenny and Jamie. And yes, yes, I get it... we have to see how tumultuous their relationship is, yet how much they love each other. But....and this is a big BUT...

They just leave Claire standing there! For a LONG time! In her dirty clothes! And no shoes! To the point where she takes herself outside and wanders around! I would be MORTIFIED!! Hell the DOGS were more welcoming for god's sake! Jenny's mad - I get it. Jamie's mad - I get it. But COME ON, MAN! She just gave up her husband - hot baths - and everything she knows for YOU, Jamie! Any sane woman would need a little more reassurance that she did the right thing! She is extremely important - and you just leave her standing there while you're being a complete MORON! Hell, my FIVE YEAR OLD can tell that Jenny didn't have a baby with JACK RANDALL!!  WAKE UP! And Diana even says at one point that Jamie seems to have forgotten Claire is even there! I just canna stand for it. I won't... I canna be gentle about my negative feelings about this scene. 

And then - even the next day - it's still uncomfortable. We never see Jenny be welcoming to Claire. We never see Jenny truly welcome Claire into her home. We just see her yell at Jamie and yell at Ian walk in on Claire and Jamie... and sit there and make small talk with Claire. (Which is brills, by the way. I love how Diana shows you what each is saying - and what each really means. You can FEEL the awkwardness in that scene. It gives me chills and brings back memories of meeting boyfriends' families back in the day.)

One thing I absolutely loved the 2nd time around - and Tracey will appreciate this - is the scene where Jamie tells Claire that he married her for love. I didn't understand the first time I read it that he's saying he immediately loved the touch of her hands and the feel of her against him... and it was dark... so he didn't know what her face looked like... but it COULD HAVE looked like a sheep's for all he cared because the rest of her was so fine. Don't get me wrong - I'm not a moron. The first time I read it, I KNEW he was just being a wiseguy while telling her how much he loved her from the beginning. But I thought he was saying her face DID look like a sheep's...not that I thought he meant it... and... I dunno... I was just put off by it. I guess I kindof felt like "Geez this poor woman shows up at this house - gets a less-than-stellar welcome and basically has to fend for herself with the high-strung sister since Jamie's gone all day - and then when they DO get together, he quasi-insults her by being cute. BUT - now that I've read it again - and read it correctly - I totally get it. Thank god for the reread!

Gung Haggis Fat Choy

I. Love. This. Guy. "Toddish McWong" - aka Todd Wong - a Chinese fellow from Vancouver who found his love of all things Scottish when he was attending one SIMON FRASER University. Some day I will attend his annual Gung Haggis Fat Choy celebration which is in honor of both Chinese New Year - and Robert Burns' birthday. The actual saying is "Gung Hei Fat Choy" (or Kung Kei Fat Choi - or any number of other spellings) which means Happy Chinese New Year. Clever fellow... no? Watch here as he gives his own rap version of an  "Address Tae The Haggis". Then check out his blog, too!

Outlander ReRead Videos!

British Open at St. Andrews this Weekend!

Sassenachs, GET YOUR ARSES over to the GOLF CHANNEL because the British Open is being held at St. Andrews this weekend and they are already giving plenty of interviews and video of Scotland.
I was just listening to Jimmy Reid - a caddy from Scotland - and his accent was like heaven to my ears.

The British Open rotates among five courses... so it is played at St. Andrews every five years. I was lucky enough to be there in 2000 and have every intention of getting back there again.

*Thanks to PolKandMagazine.com for the photo.

What Happened at the Cottage?!

Ok DON'T ANSWER THAT. Because I'm about to listen s'more (mmmmm...smores - said like Homer Simpson) and find out what happens next. What am I talking about? Well here is my comment from the last post that will explain it to you:

OMG - I am having issues with the audio right friggin now. I just sat through the "Claire almost burning at the stake" scene - and finally got to what I thought was going to be Jamie and Claire nirvana at the cottage after she told him she stayed - only to hear about them crying - sleeping - crying - sleeping - and riding off on a horse. I had to run and get my Kindle to confirm because I thought my iPod skipped ahead. Where's the sex? Where's the "I canna live without you?" Where's the profession of love?? Did I make this up in my head?!? 

I am hoping this is one of those times where Diana skips to the next part of the story - but then goes back and explains what happened in the past - because I can't BELIEVE I made up an amazing scene at the cottage that never happened?!  Didn't they tell each other they loved each other right after Claire decided to stay in the 18th century? (DON'T ANSWER THAT) I am really perplexed and confused. I guess I'm mixing it up with the end of Dragonfly?? Oh who KNOWS!

The Most Beautiful Song on the Planet

You must read this commentary from Diana on Compuserve - and then make sure you listen to the song. 

Put it this way... this was Tracey's email to me last night about it:

"Holy effing lord. Go here and click the link. And have tissues ready."

US rule could keep Iroquois from lacrosse tourney - NYPOST.com

US rule could keep Iroquois from lacrosse tourney - NYPOST.com

Wow. Thought you all might want to read about this.

My Outlander Bracelet

SPOILER ALERT: Dinna read unless you have read VOYAGER. 

I have to throw a supermassive THANK YOU out to my cousin, Jenn D. for giving me one of the greatest gifts I have ever received in my life.





Remember my post about the Outlander bracelet, made by MaryFaithPeace over at Etsy?  Well my cousin Jennifer promptly ORDERED ONE for me - and I love her to pieces for it.

The bracelet has the most beautiful charms - all having to do with the Outlander series in one way or another. In the photo I took (of my own left wrist... which was none-too-easy!) you can see a strawberry... a whiskey cask... a wine glass... a dragonfly... a snake... and a syringe, like the one Claire used to stick Jamie in the rear when he was dying of infection after Leghair shot him. Can you believe it? It's STUNNING!!!  I can't tell you how much I love wearing it. Get one for yourself!

Redeeming Qualities

First off - if you commented in the "What Did They Know" post, please go check out my comments. I just spent like 5 million centuries replying - to the point where Google almost shut me down for my lengthy response - and I'd hate it if no one even saw my replies! Sorry I'm a few days late. I just got a new computer (yey me! I love you, Apple!) and it's been a busy few days (Tracey was here over the weekend! More on that in a few...)

OK so I had to share a little story. Thanks to Melissa for reminding me. We've been discussing Dougal lately... and Melissa made the comment "how bad is he? How good is he?" And it got me thinking about a little online commentary I had some years ago with one of the greatest actors on the planet (who happens to be born and raised in Scotland) Dougray Scott. I was taking part in a chat a few days after Mission Impossible II came out... and he was talking about his character, Sean Ambrose.... and how every character has some "redeeming qualities". Well - if you've ever seen Mission Impossible II,  you'll know that if Sean Ambrose has any redeeming qualities, we certainly NEVER SEE THEM in the film. So of course, big mouth that I am, and not one to feel it necessary to walk on eggshells around a Hollywood actor in order to spare his feelings, I pipe up and say: "What redeeming qualities does Sean Ambrose have??"  to which Mr. Scott replies "I knew SOMEONE was going to ask that" or something of that nature. He then went on to throw out an answer which I forget at this point... most likely because I disagreed with it entirely. LOL Now let me be perfectly clear; I LOVES me some Dougray Scott. He is one of the most fantastic actors of our generation and he's married to that gorgeous creature, Claire Forlani. He can play the most ridiculously amazing range of characters I've ever seen. I won't wax on (much longer) but let me say this - if you have any interest in his career - rent "Twin Town", "Enigma",  "Ever After" and "Ripley's Game" to see what I'm talking about. Oh and "The Truth About Love" - totally cute chick flick (although my husband thought it was cute, too). Skip "Dark Water" and his stint on "Desperate Housewives" - not because he wasn't good - but because his accent wasn't stellar in either. Dougray Scott is one of those actors like Gerard Butler: FOR GOD'S SAKE let them use their HEAVENLY SCOTS ACCENTS!  It should be a crime, punishable by law for any Hollywood mogul to allow otherwise.  At the very least, limit them to English if not Scottish. But not American (or snooty English like in D. H.) LORDDDDDD DO NOT let them use American accents. NO ONE wants to hear that - whether they do a good one or not! Let them speak Scots.

And that's all I have to say about that.

Oops. No, it isn't. One more thing.... Dougray Scott is on my short list to play Dougal, y'all. And that's a very SHORT list. Check this out:

Outlander Chat Tonight

Chat tonight! 9PM Eastern!  I want to know what YOU think Colum knew about Claire getting mixed up in Geilie's witch trial!

What Did They Know?!

SPOILER ALERT:  Dinna read unless you've read chapter 25 in Outlander. 

OK so here's the thing. Claire is sitting in the shed - eating bread and wine that thankfully does NOT have any dooty on it. (Was that gross or was that gross? And she and Geilie ate it!) And I'm sitting here listening and wondering "Has she even washed her hands since then?!?"  I cannot IMAGINE living in that time. I just can't. I'm sorry.

And I'm wondering a zillion things. Does Colum know Claire is being tried with Geilie? He must. And if he does, can't he put a STOP to it? He's the Laird!  I know he wants Geilie to burn... but come on man! Claire is your nephew's WIFE who - last time I checked - you kindof like. As far as I know, Colum thinks Claire is swell. Unless we're going to find out differently when The Exile comes out.

OK so - more. Dougal is off with Jamie... knowing it's going to be "taken care of". (Typical men, btw. What did you THINK was going to happen, dude? You put your thingie in her hoo-hoo! That can happen! Sex Ed 101!) But if he knew Claire was with Geilie - would he care? I'm thinking "No". COMMA HOWEVER - he wouldn't want Claire to die for the simple fact that she solves his property and succession problems with Jamie. So I dunno... I'm sortof thinking Dougal would try to help if he could.

I just can't get past Colum. He knows Claire is in trouble and does nothing to stop it? WTF?

And then... there's LaogWHORE. Snotty little beotch from Planet Hell. She is the scourge of the earth... the dregs of society. Selfish little piggie. She's evil from the word "go".  COME ON! She sent Claire to Geilie's KNOWING there was going to be a witch trial! She KNEW what would happen! I don't buy this "Oh Leghair wasn't really trying to have Claire killed." Oh really? Then what was she trying to do, send Claire down for a little crumbcake and marigold leaf? No way man. She knew. She's vile. SHE'S the WITCH who should be hangit!

Post Scriptum: My daughter just came over to show me something she drew - and I went to say "Hang on" and I said "Hangit" - because that's what I was typing at the time. And she goes "Hangit? Huh?"

I'm still laughing....

And Speaking of Ned Gowan

So I'm sitting in Toy Story 3 last night... and am I thinking about Woody or Buzz Lightyear? NO! I'm thinking about NED GOWAN! Why? Because it only took me 3 movies to realize Rex the dinosaur's voice is coming out of Wallace Shawn - aka "MY NED"!!!

Sliding Doors, Outlander Style

Ya know... I sortof have this "Other Outlander Universe".  It's like the sideways life in "LOST".... or a "what could have been", if you will.  It's a place where things turned out differently, based on the thought that one small decision change could have brought on a totally different outcome. (Think "Sliding Doors").

So in my Sideways Outlander world, Geilie and Dougal actually get married and live at Leoch after the Fiscal and Dougal's wife both died. They're just sickeningly fun characters... and I think of all the antics and hijinks Claire and Geilie could have gotten involved in at the castle. Geilie whispering to Claire about Laogwhore's naughty travels around the castle.... Jamie and Claire getting into heated arguments about Claire's friendship with Geilie (just THINK of the make-up sex!!)... Dougal coming home wounded after battle and us getting to see Geilie's softer side as she gives ministrations to Dougal.

Am I the only one who thinks up these things in my brain?

So it's Possible?

SPOILER ALERT: Dinna read unless you have read up through Voyager. 

WHAT in god's name did Geillis mean when she and Claire were being held captive... and she started asking Claire about Jamie... and she said "So it's possible"?  I assume she means "It's possible to go through the stones and find love"??

When I first read Outlander I never clued in that Geillis might know Claire was from the future. Now I totally get that - and that's why she gave her the opium and tried to find out where she came from. Damn well would have succeeded too, had the Fiscal not come in. Geillis must have had a major suspicion about Claire from Day 1. I wish she would have come right out and asked her.

OK so here's my question. If Claire knew that Colum and Dougal were talking about Geilie - and not Laogwhore - do you think she would have warned Geilie that they were going to off her?

Discuss!

PS - Have I mentioned that Cathy Moriarty has been my Geillis Duncan since the second I saw her name? I am thinking she could play older Geillis at this point?

No Chat Tonight

We're going to cancel chat tonight in observance of Independence Day. We hope you've all had a wonderful weekend (and for those who are still enjoying it; ROCK ON!)

The Declaration of Independence - July 4th, 1776

When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security. --Such has been the patient sufferance of these colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former systems of government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these states. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his assent to laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his governors to pass laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of representation in the legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved representative houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the legislative powers, incapable of annihilation, have returned to the people at large for their exercise; the state remaining in the meantime exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavored to prevent the population of these states; for that purpose obstructing the laws for naturalization of foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migration hither, and raising the conditions of new appropriations of lands.

He has obstructed the administration of justice, by refusing his assent to laws for establishing judiciary powers.

He has made judges dependent on his will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of new offices, and sent hither swarms of officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, standing armies without the consent of our legislature.

He has affected to render the military independent of and superior to civil power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his assent to their acts of pretended legislation:

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by mock trial, from punishment for any murders which they should commit on the inhabitants of these states:

For cutting off our trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing taxes on us without our consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of trial by jury:

For transporting us beyond seas to be tried for pretended offenses:

For abolishing the free system of English laws in a neighboring province, establishing therein an arbitrary government, and enlarging its boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule in these colonies:

For taking away our charters, abolishing our most valuable laws, and altering fundamentally the forms of our governments:

For suspending our own legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated government here, by declaring us out of his protection and waging war against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burned our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large armies of foreign mercenaries to complete the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of cruelty and perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow citizens taken captive on the high seas to bear arms against their country, to become the executioners of their friends and brethren, or to fall themselves by their hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavored to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian savages, whose known rule of warfare, is undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these oppressions we have petitioned for redress in the most humble terms: our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have we been wanting in attention to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, enemies in war, in peace friends.

We, therefore, the representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name, and by the authority of the good people of these colonies, solemnly publish and declare, that these united colonies are, and of right ought to be free and independent states; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the state of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as free and independent states, they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which independent states may of right do. And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.

New Hampshire: Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton

Massachusetts: John Hancock, Samual Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry

Rhode Island: Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery

Connecticut: Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott

New York: William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris

New Jersey: Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark

Pennsylvania: Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross

Delaware: Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean

Maryland: Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton

Virginia: George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton

North Carolina: William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn

South Carolina: Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton

Georgia: Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton

Androgynous Kilt Hotness

This is a tremendous picture, sent in by Angie, one of our best My Outlander Purgatory buds.  Here's what I canna figure out. Is it a guy or a girl???  Honestly I'm starting to think it's a woman - and it looks like it could have come from a fashion show... like Alexander McQueen's "Highland Rape" collection from 1995... or something Highland-inspired.

Am I totally off the mark here? Is it obvious that it's a guy? Or a girl? My husband just said "It's a woman! Look at the hands!" But the knees look like a guy's to me.  Is that because of the way the kilt is hitting her? Or him? Is it Pat? Pat MacGreggor of the Clan MacGreggor?! Seriously. I'm perplexed! What do you think??

Over the River and Through the Woods to Jamie Fraser's Bedroll we Go!

SPOILER ALERT: Dinna read unless you have gotten to chapter 19 in "OUTLANDER". 

OK y'all.... the last time I blogged about my reread,  Leg Hair was jumping Jamie in the alcove (I refuse to see it any other way.)  So I think it's time I did a little blogging... don't you? Mkayyyyy let's get started.

They. Got. Married. And I cannot TELL you what fun I had, listening to Davina wax on about the fly in the green puddle on the bar. I dinna know why, but I have always felt a certain bond with that scene. I can totally put myself in Claire's position in that scene... and it absolutely cracks me up. She's surrounded by people... and yet she's all alone. And she's owning it. She's saying to herself "Well this is a fine mess  youve gotten yourself into, Beauchamp...better just embrace it and marry the bugger." And I'd be saying the same damned thing. So there she is... almost falling off the bar stool... and what I REALLY want to know is 1) WHO got her off the barstool and 2) WHO undressed her down to her shift and put her to bed? I am going to assume Murtagh got her off the barstool and fetched the innkeeper's wife to undress her. I canna imagine any of the men would have done it. Hell, Jamie wouldna even sleep on her floor! Remember?!

Anyway... it is so DIFFERENT, reading it now, when you KNOW the outcome. During my first read, I was totally with Claire in her desire to get back home. The fact that she had gone through the stones was always running in the background in my mind (like some annoying Microsoft program you don't even know is clogging up your harddrive until you see the blue screen of death and it's all over with.) So THIS TIME I'm like "EFF THE DAMN STONES, WOMAN! STAY WHERE JAMIE TELLS YOU TO STAY YOU MORON!" If I were her - NOW that I know what happens - I'd be making every excuse to fetch water... or wash clothes down by the pond... or pick berries... or do anything that meant Jamie was going to come with me as a bodyguard - and we were going to have wild monkey sex in the ferns. Seriously, y'all. Doesn't it kill you the second time around???

For you Twilight fans (Non-Twihards, just skip this part...and dinna judge!) - don't you see Claire like Bella when you do the reread and she leaves to go find Fort William and the stones? The first go round had me saying "Yeah Claire - you go girl - you're tough - you can travel 7 miles and find the stones!!"  This time I'm all "BELLA CLAIRE, YOU DOPE" - he told you to stay there - so STAY THERE!!  He'll be back and once again you'll be playing "Hide the Haggis" with Jamie under the blankets while Murtagh's snoring 2 feet away! Pure bliss!!!" But noooooo....instead she's got to try to escape... fail miserably... and end up in Jack Randall's office, where she is now. And something I don't get - why doesn't she ever even TRY to reason with Randall? They're both English. Can't she use her English charms on him and just say "Look, honestly, I haven't done anything wrong. I'm sorry you think I'm someone I'm not. But please try to understand I'm alone and the Highlanders offered me a place to sleep and protection and there really isn't any more to it than that." Now I KNOW Black Jack would have probably just laughed at her because he's a sadistic mofo - but it still irks me that she never tries. She just keeps giving him her sassy little retorts that are just enraging him even further.

OK before I go - let me say this - the scene where the Grants attacked them while they were camped out on the granite (ouch)?? Holy god -I forgot all about that. And I am now visualizing it SO WELL! I hope y'all got your free Outlander audio... because it is so different when you LISTEN to the story. You can form pictures in your mind and totally lose yourself in the scene. I am glad I READ it first... but now it's like dessert. Just sit back... and listen....while spooning more of the gooey chocolate stuff into your mouth.

Get a Free Audio Book!

"My Outlander Purgatory" friend JENNIFER let us in on some serious scoop: Audible.com is offering a FREE audio book... no credit card required! And guess what book is on the list you can pick from? That's right - OUTLANDER by Diana Gabaldon! (You know, the book I just paid iTunes $29.95 for last week? Yeah! THAT one!)

Hurry up! You have to order by FRIDAY 7/2 at 11:59PM.

PS - THANKS JENNIFER!!

Another Great Outlander Chat!

Thanks to everyone who came out to the chat tonight! Wow -  LOTS of people... over 20 chatting at one point... with 5 extra viewers, too!

Lots of good speculating... from what Jamie's reaction to Claire and Lord John will be... to whether Murtagh ever saw anyone besides Claire come through the stones... to whether Roger's dad may be in the 18th century.

What say you? Come to our next chat and let your Outlander voice be heard!

Outlander Chat Tonight!

Do NOT miss Outlander chat tonight!  We're stoked to discuss the new excerpts of The Exile found in the back of the new, very green, paperback copy of And Echo in the Bone. 9PM Eastern!

New Video: THE EXILE Excerpt from "An Echo in the Bone"

SPOILER ALERT: Dinna read unless you have read the 8 page excerpt from The Exile that appears in the back of the new, verra green, paperback version of An Echo in the Bone. 

The New Green Echo has Arrived!

Do ye mean to take even more time about it, lass? Just read the damn book already.

An Echo in my Mailbox

Squeeeee!

Greetings from Amazon.com.

We thought you'd like to know that we shipped your items, and that this
completes your order. 

The following items have been shipped to you by Amazon.com:
--------------------------------------------------------------------
 Qty                           Item    Price         Shipped Subtotal
---------------------------------------------------------------------

Amazon.com items (Sold by Amazon.com, LLC):

   1  An Echo in the Bone: A Nov...    $9.18               1    $9.18

If you love Outlander AND Twilight...

In a way, isn't "The Exile" kindof like Twilight's "Midnight Sun"?

Discuss!

An Echo in Murtagh's Bone?

Did I see this at Costco today? Yes I did.

Did I open it? NO I DID  NOT.

Why? Because I promised Tracey I would not look until we BOTH get them on Thursday, which she now tells me might be Friday (nooooo!!!) so we can make a reaction/skype video.

I. Am. DYING to know what the Murtagh spoiler is! I have a hunch... because just this morning I listened to Claire signing the marriage contract and getting her dress on after having gotten stinkin' drunk the night before. (atta girl! Be just like one of those MEN!)

Here's my prediction:

Remember in Outlander when Claire got loaded and woke up the next morning with Murtagh standing at the foot of her bed??? I'm thinking maybe she made a drunken pass at him? Or maybe she told him she's from the future? Or maybe they HOOKED UP??? No way. Couldn't be. COULDN'T BE. But it's still fun to guess.

So... please... if I'm right - or wrong - DON'T TELL ME!! The video will be much better if Tracey and I are clueless... and I am enjoying the high I'm on whilst pondering this Murtagh fun.

PS - KAREN - do Tracey and I need to see the Murtagh spoiler AFTER the Exile excerpts in the new paperback Echo? If NOT, maybe we'll make a video later today while reading the Murtagh spoiler on Compuserve!

So Many Outlander Excerpts... So Little Time

WHAT was I thinking NOT pre-ordering The Green Slime - aka An Echo in the Bone -  in paperback?! I just ordered it - as did Tracey - and we will be making a Skype reaction video the second we see the new "Exile" excerpts. Hopefully this will be happening on Thursday... if Tracey gets her book from Borders.com by then. (I use Amazon Prime, which I LIVE for, and will most assuredly have it by Thursday.)

AS FOR THE NEW MURTAGH SPOILER.... (Something tells me I will soon be saying "LORDDDDDD the new Murtagh spoiler!") Yes. I WILL read it SINCE it's a spoiler about Outlander... and not Book 8. (I will never, ever, ever, ever, EVER read a spoiler about Book 8. Never. Ever.)

Squeeee! I don't know what I'm more excited about! The Exile excerpts from the Graphic Novel...or the Murtagh spoiler!

Another Great Outlander Chat!

Thanks to all who came to the chat last night! I had a ton of fun, as usual.

If you've never been to a chat, I put 3 of 9 pages from last night's chat on a new "Chat" tab above. Check it out and let me know if you want to see more of the chat!

OUTLANDER CHAT TONIGHT

Chat tonight - 9PM Eastern, lassies! Hope to see you there! I'm enjoying the thrilling joyride that is "The Outlander Reread". My god, it's like crack! I'm loving it even more this time; and I've been LISTENING! Much to discuss!

James Mackenzie from Edinburgh

By default, this guy should be cast as someone in an Outlander film, no??

Scottie Translator

My thanks to m'girl ANGELA who just got back from a Scottish festival and had a ScotTASTIC time! She also sent me this HILARIOUS Scottie Translator and I am giggling my goodies off. Check it out right after you check out my letter to Jamie in Scots-speak:

Hen jamie, 

i loove ye. claire loves ye. wa ye messin aroond wi' leghair? she is a whiny wee beotch an' will only cause ye pain an' misery in life. stick tae th' sassenach. she's th' a body ye want. 

love, 

carol

Somebody get me the NAIR.

SPOILER ALERT:  MOST of this is about Outlander...but there is a Voyager reference.  I will post another alert before that sentence. 

I finally did it. I caved and bought the Outlander audiobook, read by Davina Porter, and listened to it today. (Thanks so much anyway for your help, Angela!) I was headed to see my parents who live almost 2 hours away... and realized what a godsend Microsoft Sync is! The kids were happy with a DVD and I was happy with Davina.

UNTIL THAT BITCH LAOG-WHORE JUMPED JAMIE IN THE ALCOVE!

OK maybe she didn't jump him. Maybe he pulled her tighter on his lap when he saw Claire. Fine. Whatevs.

No - NOT "WHATEVS"! I couldna STAND it! What is his DAMAGE??? What kind of childish game is he PLAYING with Claire? The night before, he hands LegHair Claire's empty wine glass and basically says "Here - do something with this, will ya?" (which made me tinkle).... before disappearing into Claire's bed chamber to strip to the waist and speak so poignantly about not wanting Alec to see his back... that Claire feels the need to play Chutes and Ladders with her wee fingers all over his back.... before sharing a laugh with him about their simultaneous saying of "goodbye". BUT THIS MORNING.... it's a totally different story! BENDING TO HIS WORK!!! SPOILER: (Forgot I'd heard that before - when he was bending to Geneva 2 books later! with none other than the wee-est HO in the land!)

Seriously folks - I don't get it. Yeah yeah - he's a guy - she's a girl - and a cute one at that. Gotcha. Comprehendo. But you're the guy who stood up and got the shit kicked out of you in order to save her the embarrassment when you hadn't even done anything wrong! That's some serious INTEGRITY right there. So how do you then go and make out with her a few days later??? Negating all the good you did! And after COMPLETELY BLOWING HER OFF the night before?!?

I dinna get it.

A few thoughts:

-- I think I figured out a big piece of the puzzle. I was listening to the part where Claire is listening to the stories from William at the castle, and Jamie is translating the Gaelic (you know, right after he switched placed with Claire, bumping Wee Ho to the other side of the bench. Oh how I HOWLED at that!!!) And Claire is thinking about the 200 years timeframe and how all the stories involve women going back 200 years... and coming back. I think we ought to research old stories. That may be the key to what is going to happen ultimate with Claire (will it be Ground Hog's Day and she'll keep going through the stones and finding Jamie?) ... why she went to the 18th century...  etc etc.

-- I'm surprised Diana didn't take advantage of Jamie's turning down the oath - and make LegHair flip out because it meant he's not a clansman in her clan. Alec said her father would never let her marry outside the clan. Well now Jamie is officially remaining "outside the clan". I would have liked to have seen her go apeshit on his ass. Claire took off (once Mrs. Fitz shoved her out the door! I love that!) and that's where I left off.

-- What do you think Geillis (who I still love, I'm sorry) wrote to Dougal (when she bullshited Claire and said it was her bill that had to go to no one but Dougal or she'd never get paid)? I know she had a relationship with Dougal and she could have been saying anything... but do you think maybe GEILLIS planted the bug in Dougal's ear that Jamie should marry Claire? It's pretty soon after that that Dougal drags them away and makes them get married. Maybe BJR just played into his hands and helped him further the cooked-up marriage along.  Just a thought.

-- How funny was the "under the table kicking incident" between Claire and Jamie after she caught him with Le'Ho? I was dying. And I love how he's all smug as if nothing happened and he can go back to being Mr. Manly Man "I Can Do Nothing Wrong". That incident really took him down a notch with me. I'm looking forward to his explanation because I canna remember exactly what he said. I'm thinking he said she just wanted to thank him or something... but that would be BS because she already did in the courtyard.

GOD I CANNA STAND LE'HO!!!

Riding the Roller Coaster with Jamie Fraser

SPOILER ALERT:  Dinna read unless you've read Chapter 8 in Outlander. 

Still plugging along with the reread. And I'm dying.

Claire went to bring Jamie lunch (a-GAIN!) and fell asleep while he was talking to Alec. (Who does that? She's quite comfortable at Leoch, is she no?) I LOVE how Alec was all "and this lassie's bringin' ya wee lunch every day cuz she's diggin' your mojo" to Jamie and she sits herself up PROMPTLY so as not to hear them talk dirtily about her. I'm such an over-thinker that I'd probably do the same damn thing but honestly.. I'm thinkin' they'd have just switched to the gaelic if they wanted to talk that way about her. And it's not like it's The Exile or anything; she's not Chesty Deluxe in the regular version of Outlander.

Do you find during a reread that you feel like you're on a roller coaster? One minute I'm all up in Jamie's business and feeding him hunks of cheese... and the next I'm alone in the dreary surgery trying to figure out why there are belly buttons in jars. It's maddening. You just want to read at 90 miles an hour through those parts so you can get back to Jamie! You feel like you're back in high school and watching the clock like a hawk because you know the second the bell rings your boyfriend is going to meet you outside Spanish with Miss Sonzoni and walk you to World Cultures with Mr. Florez. And you get to flirt in the hallway for a few minutes... but then you have to go a whole hour without seeing him AGAIN.

And Alec? I'll thank ye to stop mentioning LEG HAIR in Jamie's presence, thankyeverymuch!!!!

Outlander vs Twilight Top Ten

This list from goodreads.com came in from My Outlander Purgatory reader "VilMarie" today. I cracked up (even though I will always love Edward Cullen!)

TOP TEN REASONS WHY THE OUTLANDER SERIES IS BETTER THAN THE TWILIGHT SERIES

10. Heroine is not complimented on how delicious her blood smells. Instead, she is told that her ass looks like two ripe melons. Just what every woman wants.

9. When the hero has to rescue the heroine, he doesn't merely have to run at lightning speed across the parking lot. He actually has to travel halfway across the world, kill a few dozen villains, and blow up a few buildings.

8. But that doesn't matter because just as often the heroine can rescue her own damn self.

7. Pirates are WAY better than vampires.

6. The creepy, obsessive dude is an actual villain and not the hero of the story.

5. The denouement involves actual danger, as opposed to what essentially amounts to a Rainbow Gathering gone awry.

4. The doctor doesn't come off as a pedophile.

3. Not one single Renesmee in the entire series.

2. Nobody is sparkly.

1. People actually have sex, and lots of it.

Claire and Maidenform: Perfect Together

Um... Hi. Have you seen THIS new sneak peek of "The Exile" - the Outlander Graphic Novel???  The entire chat last night was spent discussing Chesty Deluxe - I mean Claire. WHAT is with the HUGE CHONGAS???? Does anyone know?? Why yes - Diana Gabaldon does.  (Thanks, Karen, for the link!) I'll give you a hint. It's, correction, THEY'VE been toned down already. And it IS a graphic novel... which is a comic at heart... and well, think of all the comics you've seen over the years. Wonder Woman? Yeah. Exaaaaactly.

Beautiful Outlander Bracelet

Feast your eyes on this GORGEOUS bracelet our friend Lesley mentioned in her one of her comments from earlier today. Isn't it stunning?? I totally want it. It was designed by someone on Etsy.com who goes by MaryFaithPeace. Wow. I can't stop looking at it.

OUTLANDER CHAT TONIGHT!

Outlander Chat TONIGHT at 9PM Eastern! I am on a "ReRead LEGHAIR RANT" - should be a GOOD ONE!!!

Jamie Fraser: Lordddd the ReRead!

I read like a fiend on the beach today. Like a FIEND, I tell ya! So here's where I am:

Claire just left her little picnic with Jamie and is realizing she never looked at his shoulder / gunshot wound. Ugh. It's KILLING ME. I totally remember why I wasn't thrilled with Jamie (as if.... I feel almost blasphemous even SAYING that!) during the first read before they got married.  When Mrs. Fitzgibbons sent the wee dude to go find Jamie at the stables...and the wee dude came back and said Jamie said he was fine and didn't need to be seen?? UGH! I was so annoyed! James MacTavish - get your ASS up here and SAY HELLO, damnit!  And then when he stepped in for the wee ho, I was like "Ugh whatEVER Jamie. Yeah yeah - you're altruistic - whatevs - just hurry up and get ON with it so we can get back to some major cutesiness between you and Claire!"

(taking a deep breath...)

OK so Claire goes out to the courtyard to help Jamie after he gets his ASS beat... and there's all sorts of face-touching from Claire going on between ministrations from Mrs. Bug - whoops, I mean Fitz - and the leeches. LORDDDDD the leeches!! Gross - yet oddly fascinating, right?!  OK... soooo.... then - out comes THE WEE HO - and I'm thinking "UGH! HE DOESN'T LOVE YOU! HE LOVES ME!" in Liza Minelli's voice (think the movie "Arthur") and all I want is for Laoghaire to take her SORRY ASS back to wherever it is she came from. But nooooo...she's got to THANK him... and Claire steps aside to LET HER - in PRIVATE. Here's where knowing the story comes in handy: DON'T FRIGGIN DO IT, CLAIRE! I wanted to yell to her to stay RIGHT THERE and not let the wee ho have 5 SECONDS alone with Jamie. It was horrific. But there she went... and next thing we know it's the next morning, which means she has no CLUE what kind of THANKING the wee ho did. And make no mistake about it: she is a WEE HO -  of EPIC PROPORTIONS - or girlfriend wouldn't have gotten a serious PUNISHMENT from Colum!

Ooooh the reread has me in a FOUL mood - even after watching one of the greatest True Bloods of all time!!

I'd better go read more... STAT!

PS - Come to chat tomorrow!  I'll need to vent out some of this LEGHAIR FURY!

The British are Coming!

Whoa. Who watched the World Cup match between the US and England today? 1 - 1! Not too shabby!

The New York Post had the match on the front page and was calling it the Revolutionary War 2. How funny is that?? And of course you KNOW what it made me think of!

Outlander Reread: Chapter 4

SPOILER ALERT:  The following has a cryptic Echo reference...but it's a big one...so DO NOT READ if you havena read Echo.  

Oh boy. I've been reading. And it's soooo good. In some ways, a reread is better than the original read... because you just pick up SO MUCH MORE the second time around.

---Claire was NOT a virgin when she married Frank! I had no idea! Claire, you ignorant slut! How juicy. A couple months ago I'd have said it would be cool if one of Claire's previous conquests showed up in the 18th century. But that was before...nevermind.

---I miss Murtagh, who I had forgotten was "ferret faced".

---I miss the heavy Scots-speak in Outlander. "Yon wee stramash"... "dinna fash yourself"... "feisty wee bitch"...sigh. It was all so... so.... so SCOTTISH!

---I still say Frank is the reincarnated Jack Randall. Losing Claire was his retribution for everything he did to Jamie.  Karma, my friends... karma.

---Holy CRAP Jamie was funny in Outlander. "Let a stray bannock come within reach, though, and I'll no answer for the consequences."  HILARIOUS.

---The scene where Jamie is telling Claire about Jenny's run in with Black Jack Randall... and Claire stands there - hand on Jamie's shoulder - not because she's still fixing his shoulder, but because she doesna want to wake him from his reverie? Wow. Just... wow.

That's all for now, lassies.  I've got some more reading to do!

Whoops... Wrong Jamie Fraser!

Ever see a Facebook page and flip out in your head a little - until you read the fine print?

Because I just did.

PS - Remind me to use the word "gobshite" in a sentence about 80 times this week. Hilarious!

Scottish Festival, Anyone?

SPOILER ALERT: Contains info about the entire Outlander series.

Went to the Bonnie Brae Scottish Festival in Liberty Corner, New Jersey yesterday with Jenn M. and Shannon. Had a GREAT  time! We were like little kids in a candy shop. All giggly and embarrassed and full of "look over THERE!".  There were lots of things to buy, people to meet and vinegar fries to be eaten. (Wolfed down, really. They're so damn good.)

First we headed over to the Clan tents and searched for a Fraser tent (duh!) but - sadly - there was none to be found.  I was tres disappointed. But we DID find a tent for the Murray Clan and this lovely woman was kind enough to let us take her picture. We also checked out the Campbell tent  (a family which appears in Shannon's lineage) and they were verra lovely as well. Although some dude yelled out "I'm a MacDonald!" and I had a strange desire to back away slowly.

After that, we headed over to the merchandise tents where we made more than a few purchases. Jewelry... t-shirts... I even bought a Fraser hunting tartan scarf (come on, cold weather! Whoo hoo!) I also got a magnet for my hubby that boldly states "Up Your Kilt!" - a phrase he taught both of my children the second they were old enough to hold up their sippy cups and say loudly in whatever restaurant we were sitting in at the time.

Anyhoo.....while at these tables, we found a booth that sold swords and dirks. It. Was. So. Cool! Here we are, sampling the merchandise. I was a wee bit nervous about being near all this metal. And yet - it rocked.

The swords and dirks were totally cool and reminded me of Jamie  helping Roger pick out a sword with which to slit Stephen Bonnet from ear to ear.  (Must... read...scene...again!)

After that, we found our way to the historical area of the festival where we met reenactors dressed as members of the 42nd Royal Highlanders in the British army. (And there's Mrs. Bug in the background!) They were so great - gave us lots of good info - and will be doing a reenactment of the Battle of Monmouth on Saturday, June 19th in Freehold, NJ.
















All in all - we had A GREAT TIME and I urge any and all of you who a) love the Outlander series and b) have a penchant for 18th century Scottish and American history - to find a day of Scottish Games in your area. You will learn a lot - you will meet some really great people - and pick up some really great things to take home. Trust me; you will NOT be disappointed!!

Bonnie Brae or BUST!

Sorry my reread has slowed down a bit. My neighbor wrote a screenplay... and was good enough to let me read it. It's fantastic, too... so I will be finished this weekend and will get right back to my Outlander reread.

OK so get this - Jenn M, Shannon and I will be going to the Bonnie Brae Scottish Festival tomorrow in Northern New Jersey and doing Diana Gabaldon proud. We're all VERRA excited... and I hope to get some good video while we're there. We plan to storm the clan table and get some good "Fraser" info/stuff. And speaking of stuff - I plan to stuff my pie hole with as much Scottish food as humanly possible (hold the haggis, please.) And if THAT weren't enough... there are sword/fencing demonstrations! Jamie Fraser and Dougal MacKenzie REPRESENT!!!

Soooooo.... I plan to have some good stuff for you this weekend, sassenachs. Stay tuned!

New Video from My Outlander Purgatory!

Oh boy. Wait until you see these. There are six. But they're worth it because we covered a TON of ground from Echo and beyond (predictions anyone?!)

And we answered your questions!!!

And there are a couple special guests in these videos... and maybe a little surprise. :)

Channing Tatum as Jamie Fraser?

Dear Channing,

If you can do a Scottish accent, you might just be my Jamie Fraser.

Love,
Carol
PS - Please never do another movie where you don't sport a tank top through 1/2 the film. KThxBye.

No Chat Tonight - Memorial Day

There will be no chat this evening in observance of Memorial Day.

Our regular Monday night chat will be rescheduled for  Monday, June 7th at 9PM Eastern.

Happy Memorial Day!

Outlander Reread: The Rest of the Story

SPOILER ALERT: Dinna read unless you have finished An Echo in the Bone. 

OK so here I am again... not liking Frank. I didna like him much the first time around... and I like him even less now. He is ALWAYS ditching Claire! It's their 2nd honeymoon and he leaves Claire to go and chit chat with historians about god knows what. Jack Randall? Um EW. And here's something else. How about how Claire is all "oh I'm going to brush my hair and use my L'Heure Bleu and Frank dahhhhhling is going to come back and want to make love to me and isn't it so divoon?" BLECH. Dude you have JAMIE FRIGGIN FRASER'S GHOST wandering around outside - WATCHING you ("WATCH damn you!") - and you dinna even KNOW IT. That makes me throw up in my mouth a little, I'm so sad for her. Frank? FRANK? Oh Frank pleaseeee come back from your two glasses of sherry with boring Mr. Bainbridge and give me some sugar. Meh. I'd be quickly brushing my hair - and jumping into bed with NO candles lit so I could feign sleep. I'd be snoring my ASS off when Frank got back so he'd just go to bed and shut the hell UP about the water missing from the ewer. "Um, Frank dear... maybe if you'd get off your 1940s ass and DO SOMETHING OTHER THAN TALK ABOUT HISTORY, there'd be some water left since YOU were the one who used it all up in the FIRST place. Perhaps I should have your SLIPPERS WAITING BY THE DOOR when you get home, too???"

OK so I didn't cry when Jamie showed up outside, terribly upset about something. This is surprising since I usually cry about anything DG writes that involves the 20th century and Jamie being worm food. One thing I DID notice (now that this is the third time I've read that part) is this:  Frank knew Jamie was in love with Claire! He could feel it when he saw his ghost. That's why he asked if Claire tended to any Scots in the field hospital. He could tell just from Jamie's GHOST that he loved her. How is THAT for eternal love and longing??? That really grabbed me and wouldna let go, lasses. I just have to know what happens to him at the last. And Claire. And yet - I dinna want those answers to be in Book 8. I want this series to go on and on and never end. I don't want to know Jamie was a ghost, pining away for Claire and wanting her to go back through the stones. And why is Jamie ALONE as a ghost?? Why is Claire not WITH him?? That's what *I* want to know, damnit. It hurts me in my bones. It makes me verra sad. Why is his ghost alone? Riddle me that.

Questions to ponder:

Frank wanted to ask Jamie where he got his beautiful running stag brooch. Did Jamie give that brooch to Claire at one point? Or Bree? I remember it being mentioned.. I just dinna remember in what context. '

- Why are DG's Scots "terrible cowards about injections?" My hub is a (partial) Scot and he isn't a coward about anything. I swear he would have survived the Titanic. Even if he were one of those poor souls depicted in the film who were bouncing off the deck into the water at the end.

- Is Frank's telling Claire it would make no difference if she had been unfaithful...somehow related to the fact that she was unfaithful to Jamie?

- WAS Claire even unfaithful to Jamie?  Survey says "NO". Stupid in his absence... yes. But unfaithful? Not in my mind.

" 'The quality of mercy is not strained,' " I quoted. " 'It droppeth as the gentle dew from heaven...' ". 

Well isn't THAT Outlander quote interesting, now that we know what Claire did with Lord John. Hmmm.....

PS - Well now we know why Frank eventually believed Claire about Jamie and took him seriously. He saw his GHOST. Once she showed up pregnant and told him the story about Jamie...and he did some snooping with his boring historian friends (not that all historians are boring; just Frank) he must have pieced together the story with the ghost and realized she was telling the truth. Might I say I am DYING for more Frank backstory from the 40s/50s/60s when Claire and Frank were raising Bree. WHAT  did Frank do to research Jamie?? You KNOW he did. HOW did Frank know Bree would be dangerous and in danger all the time??? I hope Book 8 is chuck full of this Jamie-research goodness. Maybe I'll like Frank a little better once I know "the rest of the story".

Tartanic's Scottish Car Wash

Holy cow. I dinna even know what to say about this. It's very funny. And a little gross. And a little yummy. All at the same time. Kindof like when Jamie Fraser smells like woodsmoke. And pungent man-fug. And wild flowers. All at the same time. 

Next Up: Another My Outlander Purgatory VIDEO!

Just a quick post to let you know Tracey is coming on Friday for a new video session for My Outlander Purgatory! And I am hoping for a guest appearance by Jenn M and Shannon, too! We need their reactions to the end of "An Echo in the Bone", right?!

Sooooo....

Any topics you want us to discuss? 

Any questions you have for us?

Any shout-outs you want us to give? 

LET'S HEAR 'EM!!!!!

Leave us a comment below - or send us an email here.

The Things Ye Miss During The First Go Round

OK so I'm reading Outlander again. And I'm looking for things. Holy COW, am I looking. And I'm finding. To the point where I'm making things up in my head. Or am I?

Frank says:
"If I end as a childless stub on my family tree, it will undoubtedly be on fault of our untiring hostess out there."

Carol thinks: 
"Holy CRAP - Mrs. Baird has something to do with why Claire went through the stones!  Wait. Baird - LAIRD. It all means something!"

Frank says:
"Bodies under the foundation, though-that's where a lot of the local ghosts come from."

Carol thinks:
"JAMIE'S UNDER THE FOUNDATION! But where?! And does that mean he'll definitely die in Scotland like Diana hints at in The Outlandish Companion?!" 

I'm telling you - I am having more fun with this reread than I ever imagined possible! I'm probably overreacting - but it's a lot of fun to ponder all of this, ken?

Here's a burning question that means nothing but I pondered for a good 30 seconds:

What ever happened to the vases?!?

And I'll leave you with THIS:

Frank says:
"You've never heard that old song about what a Scotsman wears beneath his kilts?" 

Well lassies... you're in for a treat. Warning: careful at work or around the bairns.  There may be a wee bit more than you bargained for showing in a photo or two.

Outlander Chat TONIGHT!

Dinna forget Outlander Chat this evening at 9PM Eastern!! I have read a little more in Outlander and I have a TON of topics!  Hope to see you there!

I'll Have What She's Having!

Dinna fash  yourselves, sassenachs... the camera turns about 15 seconds in. And check out the hair on the guy playing the pipes! Right out of an Outlander novel, I tell ye!

Outlander Newbies

So yesterday I'm at school pick up... and I see Jenn M talking to my friend Lorraine. And Jenn looks like the cat that swallowed the canary. And Lorraine sees me and says: "Carol, I've tried reading this Outlander book... because I know you all said it's so good... but I just don't know" to which, I reply: "Well where are you?" and she says "I'm about 50 pages in or so... she's on a horse with this guy". At this point Jenn can no longer contain her amusement at the humor in this situation and says "yeah... she's with SOME GUY... you know... the guy she HELPED!" OK so now I'm dying... and I'm being a wiseguy and going "I think I remember that guy..." and Jenn and I are giggling together...and saying "YEAH - SOME GUY!!!!" in unison. And Lorraine's like "OK then... I should keep reading..." And we're like "Um, yeah. You should keep reading." And then she walked away and we just laughed our arses off. And Shannon's behind Jenn, talking to someone else... but listening to us and laughing her arse off. I tell you - it was two scoops of yummy newbie goodness. There's nothing better than the innocent stage of early Outlander reading. We've all been there.

OK off to a grad party... and I am thrilled to report that it's a good hour+ away from my house... and I'm really excited to get a good chunk of Outlander in... especially since I left off at like page 2 or something. I remember kindof skimming through the skirmish between Jamie putting Claire on his horse the first time... and them getting to Leoch. I'm also so excited because I now know where Jamie was coming from and what he had been through leading up to that trip. It's all so much fun the 2nd time around!! No worries! No pressure! Just pure, unadulterated FUN with the SCOTS!

Carol's Casting Couch

SPOILER ALERT: This section if full of spoilers. Enter at your own risk!

Ian Murray Jr. 
My Ian Murray Jr. would be played by Joe Mazzello. I knew the moment I saw him in HBO's "The Pacific".  He's perfect.  Ian is tall and homely with the most beautiful, soulful brown eyes.  Joe Mazzello has or can be all of the above. (I'm sorry about the "homely" thing, Joe! I think you're adorable!) He's even got a wide mouth like Jamie. And he can saunter. And even though he's thin, he's muscular and solid. And most importantly,  he can ACT. Joe Mazzello impressed me more than any actor has in a long time. I'm showing you two videos because you really have to see him move and speak to understand why he'd be so perfect as Ian.

Jenn M made a really great comparison: Joe Mazzello's character comes home from war a completely different person... just like Ian Murray comes home from the Mohawk a very changed man, indeed. Both of these characters begin as boys, but become men in front of our eyes... due to their brutal surroundings. I'm telling you - if you didn't see The Pacific, try to rent it when it comes out on video.



Geillis Duncan
My older Geillis Duncan would be played by Cathy Moriarty. She was my Geillis when I read Outlander... but I always figured she was too old to play the part. Imagine my THRILL when she showed up 20 years later in Voyager!

JUST DO IT!

I have this problem. I make things harder than they have to be. When my house is a mess, I see the whole house simultaneously in my brain and get so overwhelmed I don't know what to do... instead of taking one room at a time.

When I saw the Book and Writers' Community over at Compuserve, I was panicked by the vast number of posts... and stared at my computer screen like Cindy Brady stared at the red light during the quiz show ("Baton Rouge, Cindy! Baton Rouge!").. instead of just picking a topic and replying.

When I've thought about posting my casting choices for Outlander movie/series, there were some I didn't have pegged... and I have put off posting a casting entry forever... because I was waiting until I knew who I wanted for everyone.

Well NO MORE! Today I jumped in over at Compuserve (Karen are you proud of me?!).... and I am going to post some casting choices momentarily. So sit right back and you'll hear a tale...

And oh yeah... my house. Weeeeel... (rubs chin).. 2 outta 3 ain't bad!

The Big Outlander Reread

SPOILER ALERT: Dinna read unless you've read the first two pages of OUTLANDER. 

So I started again. I didna get far but WOW - the things you miss the first time around! Seriously... the things I took for granted during my first go-round are totally interesting now!

Who knew the entire series opens with Claire's light brown curly hair? Not I, said the fairy queen. And Mrs. Baird! I barely remember her. She's like the modern day Mrs. Bug! I'm getting Wizard of Oz vibes here! Is Claire going to wake up in the B&B when this is all over and say "And you were there... and you... and you!" pointing at Mrs. Baird aka Mrs. Bug and Frank aka Jack Randall???

So there Claire is, discussing Olgilvie home perms and trying to get away from Mrs. Baird... and I'm thinking "Run, Claire.. Run! Run to the stones! You won't be sorry!"

And then I read a bit about Claire and Frank having a little afternoon delight whilst Mrs. Baird vacuumed outside their door.. and I kiiiiiinda threw up in my mouth a little. Frank Randall, indeed. I may have to skip these little amorous parts between the two of them... because I feel dirty.... like she's cheating on Jamie. I mean.. if she was with Jamie 200 years ago... then that already happened, right? And m'girl's CHEATING with Frank. Jamie was her husband first!

Damn if I know. Which came first, the chicken or the egg?

Jamie Fraser or Frank Randall?

Survey says: JAMIE!!!

POST SCRIPTUM: WOW WAIT til you hear THIS! I was going to give credit for the standing stones photo above.. and when I went to the homepage of the website... I found out it was taken by someone named...

wait for it....

JOCASTA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And she makes BEAUTIFUL, handcrafted cards... so check out Art in Nature... and Jocasta!