Ron Wood

Still haven’t heard from the American president but encouraged by response of others to All Roads Lead To Manyberries. The Hill Times in Ottawa (a must-read weekly that covers politics and government) did a very positive article, as did the Calgary Herald, Edmonton Journal, Lethhbridge Herald, Medicine Hat News, Bow Island Commentator, CBC Radio’s Daybreak hosted by Russell Bowers. Might never hear from President Obama if he doesn’t buy the book and read it. Unless of course he gets a copy gratis from Frontenac House “for review purposes only”.

As previously confirmed All Roads Lead To Manyberries will be launched in Calgary on June 15th, 6:OO pm at the Ranchmans, 9615 Macleod Trail SW. A $30.00 ticket gets you a book, a beer and a beef on a bun and a lot of fun. $40.00 gets an additional beer and beef on a bun and $60.00 buys an additional book. The book will retail in stores at $21.95 so this is a helluva bargain and net proceeds go to Project Warmth. THEN, The International Launch will be staged in the Just One More Saloon of the Southern Ranchmen’s Inn in Manyberries, Alberta on June 19th  commencing at about 1:00 pm.  The book will be on sale for $21.95 and the author will do a reading and will sign any and all books sold.

It is now official: All Roads Lead To Manyberries will be launched on June 15th, 2010 at the Ranchmans Inn on Macleod Trail in Calgary starting at 6:00 pm. Tickets will cost $30.00 for a bo0k, a beer and a beef on a bun. Couples will pay $40.00 for a second beer and beef on a bun or $60.00 if they want to purchase a 2nd book. Proceeds will go to the Project Warmth charity which provides warm clothing for homeless people or folks who are down on their luck. If you plan on attending, please e-mail me at ronnwood@telusplanet.net so we’ll know how many books to have on hand and the Ranchmans will know the size of the crowd they’ll be serving.  The “official” launch will be held in Manyberries at the Southern Ranchmens Inn in The Just One More Saloon on a Saturday later in June. Watch this space for details on that.

Not likely. I doubt she’s ever heard of our tiny perfect hamlet. But now that I have your attention, just wanted you to know that my new book will be out in May and the title is All Roads Lead to Manyberries, published by Frontenac House of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The buzz from the publisher is this sequel to And God Created Manyberries will be an even bigger seller and quite possibly a collector’s item because of something that remains top secret. The book can be ordered in advance from Frontenac House at $21.95 plus $10.00 (all Canadian $$) shipping and handling from Frontenac House.  Check out Frontenac House on the internet. Watch for the book in stores everywhere in Canada in May.

Have been very busy over the last month as editor David Scollard and I are down to final edits for All Roads Lead to Manyberries. No precise date yet on when the book will be on the shelves but printing should be done by late April. We are in negotiations right now with a third party that, if successful, will create very very major media buzz. We’ve all sworn to say nothing until we’ve reached an agreement .

Members of the Manyberries Official Officers Cocktail Hour, relentless in their ambition to maintain the reputation of our metropolis as a beacon for the world in terms of urban sprawl, utter lack of sophistication, disinterest in anything beyond the picket fences that enclose our backyards and keep the dogs, cows, chickens and horses from wandering are urging me to register in Ottawa as the official lobbyist for the greater Manyberries metropolitan region.

 While I agree with their argument that it is my civic duty to go forth and promote the interests of our sprawling hamlet and its citizens, I worry that there are so many committees, sub-committees, alternatives and subalterns that will require my attention that even with the vastly shallow personal talents pool from which I can draw, if I will be up to the job.

 For instance, the Manyberries Outhouse Museum Development Committee has stated that while our MP is doing an outstanding job, as all Members do, of spreading whatever needs to be spread in Ottawa, who could possibly  focus 24/7 on our need for federal funding.

 The Committee to Make Dead Horse Canyon Appear to be Worth Visiting by Tourists will be equally demanding of time and resources.

If I do take it on, it will be altruistic because it comes with no remuneration, salary, per diem, thanks, gratitude, expenses, or even drycleaning for the suits I brought back from Ottawa the last time I was there.

  The rewards will be  strictly personal: to join the annual Hill Times Newspaper List of The Top 100 Most Influential Lobbyists in Ottawa. I might even be associated with some of those near the top of that list if I can trust them to handle some of the smaller challenges facing the Outhouse Museum Development file.

Wood’s Version of French Onion Soup

Step by Step

1 tbsp brown sugar

4 gloves of garlic minced

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp olive oil

3 large onions sliced

Sauté the onions in the garlic and oil at low heat for a long time (60 minutes)

Add the garlic & brown sugar and continue cooking and stirring (10 minutes)

4 tbsp cognac or brandy

4 tbsp red wine

Ground pepper (as much as you want, I use quite a bit)

Add cognac & wine to onions continue to simmer for 10 more minutes and then add

1.2 litres of vegetable, chicken or beef stock

1 tsp fresh or dried thyme or herbs de province (I prefer herbs de province)

Continue to simmer until some of the liquid is reduced

There are two ways to go from here:

Thick slices of mozzarella or gruyere

If you have traditional onion soup bowls, put your soup in and top with a thick baguette topped with a thick slice of the mozzarella or gruyere and under the broiler.

Finely shredded parmesan or reggiano parmesan 1 tbsp per serving

When you take the bowls from the oven sprinkle the parm or reggiano over the top.

OR, IF YOU DON’T HAVE TRAD. ONION SOUP BOWLS AND/OR WANT A LARGE SERVING IN REGULAR SOUP BOWLS

Put the slices of baguette topped with cheese under the broiler on an oiled flat pan and transfer with a spatula to the soup bowls

I don’t use salt and find the shredded parm gives it that little extra tang.

SOME OBSERVATIONS:
Most women I know like garlic more than most men I know. I used 8 cloves and nobody complained.

This recipe is a bit sweeter because of the brown sugar and wine.

If you like the broth dark, use beef stock and you can substitute molasses for the brown sugar.

The regulars at the Just One More in Manyberries are thinking about buying one of those new airport scanners that can see through clothing as an entertainment feature for the saloon. Hazel said she wouldn’t mind at all walking through one because it would be flaunty and fun and she would even do a pirouette to show the security guys what they’re missing. Big Tim Little said if Pamela Anderson walked through they’d probably taser her down on suspicion she was smuggling torpedos. Then he said if Meg Ryan walked through one after she got her lips plumped security would think they’d netted a platypus. I said if we could merge the two of them we’d have an image of a torpedo-armed platypus that we could sell to one of the tabloids. Hazel said she didn’t think very many of those Hollywood women would walk through one because it would be evident how much work they’ve had done in terms added upholstery.

I am looking forward to 2010 and the publication of All Roads Lead to Manyberries. It is not certain as to publication date or when books will be in stores but April looks like a good bet. Editor and Publisher (Frontenac House) David Scollard and I are in the final throes of selecting from the abundance of potential chapters, narrowing and winnowing what amounts to two books down to one. But right now, 24 hours before the Eve of the New Year, I want to extend best wishes for a wonderful 2010 to any visitors to this site and of course to the all the people who bought and made AND GOD CREATED MANYBERRIES a best-seller. The title of the new one is ALL ROADS LEAD TO MANYBERRIES and I hope that readers enjoy it as much as they tell me they enjoyed AGCM. Have a healthy, peaceful, prosperous and loving 365 days of 2010.