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Hi, all. I need some help. A few days ago my husband asked me if I remembered the title of a book that we both read. Unfortunately, we read it 15 years ago, but now I can't stop thinking about it. You know how something like this just keeps popping into your head? I kind of hate to describe it, because it sounds like the strangest book for anyone to read. Actually we both loved it. It was set in (I think) Texas or the southwest. It wasn't a typical western; more like the West was in reality. It's about an "earthy" family living in a ramshackle house. The kids were grown, and most or all were named after months of the year. I remember a July, a Junie, and a January. The mother was a laudanum (opium tonic) addict and the father was a horse trader (in the loosest sense of the word). The main character was the eldest son and in the beginning of the book the mother sent him to look for his pa, who hadn't come home from his last trading trip. Meanwhile, the mother hung a summer sausage on the front porch to "ripen" because that's how the father liked it. Pretty soon the sausage was so ripe that a buzzard started hanging out in the tree trying to work up enough nerve to fly down and get it. The mother, who spent most of her time in a rocker on the front porch and in a pleasant drug daze, became convinced that the bird was her husband, who had changed into a buzzard, so she started making conversation with it. I only remember bits and pieces of the rest. Something about the richest man in town trying to bring in a railroad and the stage making its last run. Oh, and there were two old men constantly arguing throughout the book over whether the fruit from the tree in the Garden of Eden was really apples or pomegranates. (I told you this book was strange ;-) I would really appreciate any help you can offer. Becky -- ><><><><><><><><><><><><><>< Becky Smith Rusk ISD District Media Coordinator Rusk, TX bsmith @ lcc.net =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= To quit LM_NET (or set NOMAIL or DIGEST), Send an email message to: listserv@listserv.syr.edu In the message write either: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET or 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL or 3) SET LM_NET DIGEST For more help see LM_NET On The Web: http://ericir.syr.edu/lm_net/ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=