Shall we set up a pool to bet on her landing her son as one of the authors? When is his book due out? Let’s also hope that he’ll behave himself this year.

So, she pulled a rabbit out of her hat, or make that the Erma Bombeck of Texas — Louise Bayless Parsley. Haven’t heard of her? Well, check with the 1,000+ that attended the Monday night event. By the time this never-had-a journalism-course author had had her way with the Dallas book lovers, Mary’s absence was totally forgotten.

But let’s start at the beginning of the evening.

First on hand were too-adorable-for-words and too-good- looking-to-be-real Mandi and George P. Bush (pictured) who warmed up the crowd with the earlier day’s activities and introduced former President George W. Bush.

 As he entered the stage, the audience gave him a SO. He said that he had just left his job as a greeter at Elliot’s and had nothing to do, so his mom invited him over. Evidently former First Lady Laura Bush was out of town, so the poor guy really was looking for something to do. He then introduced Barbara and former President “Big George” Bush(pictured), who with the assistance of a cane ambled on in and the crowd leapt to their feet again. Barbara then revealed that the event had earned $900,000 for the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. This figure joins the $34M that over 700 organizations have received to help literacy in this country. Read it and weep with happiness!

(BTW, if anyone is keeping score, there were three George Bushes in the room. So to make things easier, we’ll describe them as Big George, W, and P. If you need further assistance, grab a grownup.)

Then Barbara introduced one of the thousand beneficiaries of the Foundation’s efforts — Johanna Betancourt, who eloquently told of her growing up in Columbia, a child of activists. Her family came to the U.S. in 2005 with nothing. Unable to speak English or get a job, the family started volunteering. Through this relationship, Johanna learned of a local family service group (one of the organizations supported through the BBFFL) and “My life changed.”

Today she reads to her 2 1/2-year old son, Santiago, and admitted that when he sits in his rocking chair reading a book, he “looks like a little old man.”

Quite frankly if that had been the whole program — three generations of Bushes and Johanna — everyone would have gone home thrilled.

But those were only the warm up acts. The authors were in the bull pen getting ready to razzle dazzle the crowd.

First up was the delicious Julia The House on First Street Reed (pictured), that Mississippi gal who cut her teeth with such publications as U.S. News & World Report and Newsweek Magazine. After covering former Gov. Edwin Edwards re-election, she decided to buy a house and moved to New Orleans just in time for a lady named Katrina to take over the Crescent City. With a true-blue southern accent the former Vogue writer managed to take this catastrophic event and make a sitcom out of it. Hearing Julia talk almost made you want to pack up the family and move to NO just to have her as a neighbor. For instance, her story about her friend “Bob” who weathered the entire storm. Wanna hear about it? You’ll have to get the book.

Next was Jeff  The China Diary Engel who admitted to the crowd that he and Big George had had an ongoing change of minds about his role in the Bush’s journal during his tenure in China. The former president insisted that Jeff was the author and Jeff claimed that he was simply editor. He went on to explain how presidents’ journals are fairly commonplace while they’re in office. However, it is a rare find to have a diary of a president before he took over the Oval Office. The Bush diary was not  just kept during his assignment in China and before he was president, but also at a time when the U.S.’s place in the international theater was on the front row — the fall of Vietnam, the opening of China to the rest of the world, etc. At one point with Big G sitting on the front row, you sorta felt like you were observing a conversation between Jeff and his diarist writer.

Then Bar stepped up to the mike and notified the assembled group of Mary TM’s not being able to attend the event. Her delivery was to the point and her audience didn’t quiver. There was not an “aw, shucks” heard anywhere. Perhaps a couple of raised eyebrows, but this group was too gracious to let their hosts know of any disappointment. Then the white-haired Bush matriarch explained that she had been fortunate to get a writer from Houston to sub in for MTM. “That was nice,” thought the Dallas gathering — a Houstonian writer. Hmm, wonder if she’s going to go on about how great Houston is and how the city was named the #1 Texan a couple of years ago by a Dallas paper? The audience prepared itself to be polite with this Houstonian chattering to them.

Well, that line of thinking lasted a big old 15 seconds. They almost gave the keys to the city to Louise Bayless Parsley, author of Revelations in the Rearview Mirror: One Mother’s Hard-won and Hilarious Epiphanies on the Road to the Empty Nest. The woman is the 21st century Erma reincarnated. Quick example: She said that the problem with her marriage to “The Bob” (another Bob) was due to a breakdown in communication which started at the wedding when he said, “I do.”  Just as she prepared to walk off the stage, she pulled out a hat and tossed in the air as well as Mary would have done it.  Could someone tell Mayor Tom Leppert that instead of getting major corporations to move to Dallas, he needs to hop on Southwest down to Houston and cajole the Parsleys to relocate up here?

Next on the agenda was David True Blue Baldacci, who realized that he had a tough act to follow, but he mustered up the courage and endeared himself by telling about his fear of talking to another group — his five-year old daughter’s class. The tale resulted in his having a five-year old describe in uncomfortable detail a very personal story about her mother. Then the author of Absolute Power shifted the evening gears to a more serious note — the importance of literacy in this country. “We’re losing the battle against illiteracy.”  The Washington-based attorney-turned-author went on to say that ignorance and intolerance go hand in hand. It was a telling point in the evening and the whole reason for the event.

The final featured author was A.J. The Year of Living Biblically Jacobs who delivered a knock-out punch to the audience with stories about outsourcing his entire life for a month, a month of being radically honest (“The worst month of my life.”), following the 100 rules of life by George Washington (#2 on the list brought down the house), and a year of living according to biblical teachings. He admitted this last one was a bit of a challenge since, “I’m Jewish in  the same way that the Olive Garden is Italian.”  The audience was nearly falling out of their chairs at this point. They were already so sucker punched by the earlier authors, there just was no way to fend off the hilarious Jacobs.  He described his walking around NYC in biblical garb complete with walking staff and untrimmed beard for a year. A.J. advised them that there were certain parts of the Bible’s instructions that weren’t too bad. For instance, to be fruitful and multiply. With a grin, he confided that during that year he did just that and the Jacobs had twin boys. Then he admitted that he couldn’t figure out why the Bible instructed people not to wear mixed-fiber clothes. The final story was about his meeting an admitted adulterer in the park and providing him with an opportunity to follow the Bible’s teaching of stoning.

He concluded his talk with a gentle reminder that one of the most important Bible lessons that he took away from that year was the importance of giving back to the community.

Bar was back at the podium to introduce a surprise author — W. Like a dutiful son, he took to the stage and explained that his “memoirs” were still a work in progress and his publishers did not take kindly to his sharing them with the public at this point even if his mother wanted him to. So he read a brief tale of being born to college sophomore and a college dropout. Bar’s eyebrow raised. He went on to tell how he hadn’t been raised in a log cabin but rather a double wide complete with pink flamingos in the front yard. Bar was now looking around the room as if she didn’t know who the character on stage was. Certainly, no son of hers. He completed the segment with revealing that as a child his mother’s book reading to him had gotten rather slurred and her breath no longer smelled of Pepsodent but rather bourbon. . . straight from the bottle. Looking up from his notes, he looked at Bar and said, “Gotcha!” Mother Bear Bar nearly took her husband’s cane to thrash her son.

Gathering her composure after delivering a verbal slap on the wrist to W, Bar thanked the audience and invited them to a “light supper” in the lobby. Now, light in our household is half an apple, a wedge of cheese, and some saltines. But we’re talking the hospitable Bushes. It was a delicious salad of sliced steak and a jumbo shrimp and veggie but no broccoli!

As the 1000+ left the Meyerson, bookworms and book browsers felt like they had celebrated Thanksgiving just a wee bit early with Barbara Bush setting a feast for the mind, heart, and soul.

Now, go out and read a book!

Within a half hour at Arlington Hall, he put The History Channel to shame. Not only was he full of tidbits that he had gleaned from years of research, but he was obviously a man who loved what he did. For instance during the Q&A, someone asked which president was his favorite. It was the only time that he showed any hesitation. It wasn’t due to his trying to pick, but rather he was trying to find the right words to say he found each one unique. In other words — no favorites!

Here is just a smattering of the factoids that he shared with the group:

• The Lincolns were the first presidential family not to bring their servants to the White House.
• The family quarters had one water closet for the entire group to share.
• Lincoln was considered more a celebrity than a statesman when elected and much of his financial backing came from Chicago. He captured a “romantic following” due to his humble beginning. (Hmm, does this description sound like a present WH resident?)
• One of the members of the Lincoln staff was a chap named Elmer Ellsworth. He was muchly beloved by the entire Lincoln household. So much so that he moved into the White House. Dr. Seale’s description of his untimely death and the loss to the Lincolns made the group feel as if they had just lost a dear friend, too.
• Poor Mary Lincoln “lived in a state of petty controversy.” That one brought a chuckle from the audience.
• The presidential salary in the 1860′s was a whopping $25,000. So, when Mary went on a spending spree for “things,” she had the bills hidden from the president. When he finally found out about the unpaid bills, like any husband, he hit the ceiling.
• However, one of the things that Mary bought was the legendary Lincoln bed. Only one of the Lincolns ever slept in the bed — in February 1862, Lincoln son Willie died in it.
• Because of Mary’s Confederate relatives, many felt that the White House was rife with southern spies.
• When asked about his concern of being shot from neighboring buildings as he walked the grounds of the White House, Lincoln responded, “Ah, one gets used to it.”

Just as the group was settling back for more and more, the talk was over. Alas, Dr. Seale’s stories, like the Lincoln administration, ended too soon.

But never fear, the good folks at LP&AHC are already coming up with plans for the future. For instance, President/CEO John Williams reported that

• a new websites should be up and running within the month,
• discussions are underway with Turtle Creek area associations to improve the creek’s well being, and
• “Canine Conservancy” has been established to allow pooches to support the LP&AHC efforts. For $30 members get a Lee Park leash, invitations to parties (they may bring a human), etc.

One guest who lingered afterwards to talk with Dr. Seale was local White House authoress/historian Jennifer Pickens (pictured), who is doing gang buster business with her Christmas at the White House. While Jennifer was having Dr. Seale’s autograph his latest book, The White House — The History of An American Idea, husband Bryan admitted that he was very proud of his wife’s ability in researching and putting the book together, as well as getting every living first lady to contribute to the it.

Next time you see Jennifer, ask for her business card. Instead she’ll give you a card with a White House gingerbread recipe. Now that girl’s cooking!

According to the Thanks-Giving Foundation, “By rededicating America to the great tradition of gratitude instituted by George Washington and restored during the darkest hours of the Civil War by Abraham Lincoln, President Gerald R. Ford brought healing and unity to our Nation out of the pain and divisiveness of the 60′s and early 70′s.

“President Ford’s commitment to national gratitude, in close collaboration with Thanks-Giving Square, was evidenced by his annual emphasis on the Presidential Proclamation of Thanksgiving and his declaration of the Chapel at Thanks-Giving Square as a ‘Major National Shrine.’

“Following his presidency, he served with enthusiasm, grace and dignity as the first Honorary President of the National Thanksgiving Commission at Thanks-Giving Square.”

Host committee for the event include:

Centennial Circle– The Peter P. Stewart Family

Circle of Gratitude– The Thomas W. and Lillian Kangerga Sowell Charitable Trust

Platinum– The Sam Wyly Family and the Charles Wyly Family

Gold– Ebby Halliday Acers, Louise Gartner, and Carol and Don Glendenning

Silver– Harriet Miers/Locke Lord Bissell & Lidell LLP and Susan and Alan Steelman

Past recipients have included Dr. Ken Cooper, Norman Brinker, Dee and Charles Wyly, Ebby Halliday Acers, Harriet Miers, Ambassador Anne Legendre Armstrong, and Louise Gartner.

It all benefits The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy and The Barbara Bush Texas Fund for Family Literacy. Their goal is a whopping $900,000 in one night!

ADMISSION: One of our favorite memories from a past read-athon was when the former President (Barbara’s husband George) sat on the side dangling his legs over the side of the stage risers. Perhaps this year the other former President Bush will join him in dangling.

Hate to tell you, but this one is a sell-out faster than a start at Texas Motor Speedway.  If you can’t get a ticket, don’t blame us. Also, be one of the smart ones and check the books out between now and then.

Committee Chairs Amanda and George P. Bush are joined by co-chairs Emy Lou and Jerry Baldridge, Julie and Louis Beecher, Paulett and Michael Eberhart, Sally and Forrest Hoglund, Caroline Rose Hunt, Joan and Elvis Mason, Margaret McDermott, Dee Ann and Marshall Payne, Jan and Trevor Rees-Jones, Mary and Bob Wright, and Dee and Charles Wyly.

Committee members are Kelly and Todd Abernathy, G. Bradley Alford, Cynthia and Louis Beecherl, Angela and Tim Berry, Sandra and Michael Brown, Linda and Bob Buford, Mary and Bill Ceverha, Rita and Bill Clements, Janet and Phil Cobb, Penny and David Cook, Janie and Paul Cooke, Millie and Ken Cooper, Jeanne and Berry Cox, Margaret Crow, Lee Cullum, Nancy and Jeremy Halbreich, Nancy Hamon, Nancy Ann and Ray Hunt, Carol and Butch Johnson, Gene and Jerry Jones, Merrie Ann and Frank King, Teresa and Luther King, Gail and Bill Madden, Kathy and Ross Mason, Betsy and Scott Matheson, Tracy and Jeff Matthews, Barbara and Fred Meyer, Elise and Burk Murchison, Gena and Chuck Norris, Alice and Erle Nye, Susan and Gene Palma, Jeanne Phillips, Jan and Bob Pickens, Deedie and Rusty Rose, Charles Simmons, Virginia and Ken Sloan, Fran and Tom Slone, Marianne and Roger Staubach, Catherine Taylor, Carolyn and Jere Thompson, Debbie and John Tolleson, Patty and Marty Weiland, Donnell and Phillip Wiggins, and Cheryl and Sam Wyly.

Don’t you just bet they’ll make their goal and then some?

But to sweeten the event, Allie Beth clinched the deal with a surprise in the escort for the lady of the hour: none other than former President George W. Bush.  

Oh, but you read all that in our previous post. Let’s get down to the pre-conversation action: While the masses checked in at the reservation table, Candy and Jeff Peterson of Richardson stood away from the crowd while their beautiful, blonde five-year old daughter, Marit, looked angelic. You would have thought they were waiting to see NorthPark’s Santa. While many youngsters at that age either would be throwing temper tantrums or acting very precocious in such a public, grown-up environment, this one was perfect. In fact, everything about this trio was perfect. Little did anyone guess that this threesome had been through two separate battles for life. Marit had been diagnosed with the killer shark of skin cancer, melanoma, when she was 18 months old. A couple of years later, while Marit was being treated at M.D. Anderson, Candy learned that she herself had breast cancer. In the meantime, Jeff and the rest of the family took up the banner for fighting cancer by creating The Marit Peterson Fund for Melanoma Research at Anderson, which has raised nearly half a million dollars. Today, Marit is not only happily in remission (high-five M.D. Anderson’s Dr. Jeff Lee), but she was waiting with her folks (pictured)for a private meeting with the former First Lady before the luncheon began.

Once in the room the action included M.D. Anderson President/Dr. John Mendelsohn, who was looking  like Christmas had come early, reporting that this year’s luncheon had raised a record-breaking $918,000 thank to the likes of Andrews Distributing Co. (ah, sweet Lana and Barry Andrews), AT&T, and a slew of other sponsors.  . . .Unsung hero/husband Pierce Allman humbly stayed on the sidelines to let the day’s glories shower on Allie Beth. . . . Luncheon founder Lyda Hill took a bow for having created the unique luncheon 20 years ago. In her mind, she thought it would be a one-time event to raise funds for the work done at M.D Anderson. Now, 20 lunches later, there’s no end in sight. . . .With yellow roses in the centerpieces and throughout the room, one guest declared, “There isn’t a yellow rose left in Texas.” . . . Jenna Hager looked fresh despite a 4 a.m. call to work at Cowboys Stadium as a reporter for NBC’s Today show. . . .Former Bush White House associates Harriet Miers (ex-White House counsel), Ken Blassingame (he helped Laura redo the White House’s Green Room), Charity Wallace (Laura’s chief of staff), Mike Meese (W’s chief of staff nowadays), and others seemed to be having a class reunion. We’d name all the Secret Service members, but then they’d have to kill us and you. . . .M.D. Anderson’s Sarah Watson seamlessly coordinated the event with local fundraisers and Secret Service. She even managed to find a table for the photographers to have lunch. Oh, she’s a sly one and knows how to keep the stealth media powerhouses happy. . . .Yoga doyenne Louise Applebome discussed with tablemates the pros and cons of power yoga vs. traditional yoga. . . . A contingent of Allie Beth’s former TCU classmates were in awe of what their college chum had pulled off. . . .Gene Jones headed out ASAP to make final checks on her rumored black-tie party of the decade Saturday night at Cowboys Stadium. Did you hear that invitations were large see-thru bricks hand-delivered? Instructions advised guests that no cameras would be allowed and invitations could not be transferred. What have Gene and dotter Charlotte Anderson and that mischievous Steve Kemble been up to? After Friday’s lunch, it’s going to be interesting to see how Gene and Jerry beat the Bushes in the surprise department.

The next came in the form of a surprise when Living Legend/former First Lady Laura Bush entered the ballroom escorted by none other than her live-in former president/always husband George W. The crowd immediately sprang to their feet applauding.

The third test was the singing of the national anthem. No one had to tell this very civilized crowd what to do. It was a sea of people standing with right hands over their hearts.

The final test came when the former president introduced his wife. Just his taking the podium created another flood of standing applause. Because W is known for being very considerate of timelines, he knew that the show could not be delayed by this outpouring. With a firm voice, he said, “Sit.” Just like a room full of Barneys and Miss Beazleys, they all sat. And, boy, were they rewarded!

GWB admitted that he was glad to “get out of the house. It sure beats taking naps on the couch and playing shuffleboard.”

Without a teleprompter in sight, he continued to say that when he and Laura returned to Dallas, they were especially touched by all the welcome home signs in area yards, “but we did get a little sign envy when we saw all the Allie Beth Allman signs in yards.” Then he introduced the “love of my life.”

Now for some highlights from the conversation between Laura and her interviewer/friend Cokie Roberts, who just happens to be an author and leading expert on First Ladies:

The backdrop for the stage was a rendition of the White House’s Green Room, which Laura refurbished in the summer of 2007.

• Cokie directed one of her first comments to Bush daughter Jenna Hager, who was in the audience, on her new job reporting for NBC’s Today Show. “Congratulations on starting a career in a dying business,” she said.
• Laura caught the guests up on her in-laws “George” and “Bar”, who had taped a congratulatory message played earlier. Yes, Papa/former president George H.W. Bush did another parachute jump on his 85^th birthday, much to Bar’s chagrin.
• Earlier this year, Bush Matriarch Bar had her heart valve replaced with a pig valve. “Bar’s been craving corn ever since then,” said Laura. Laughter from the crowd. “I stole that joke from President Bush.”
• One of Laura’s projects has been helping the women of Afghanistan in battling breast cancer. She graciously gave M.D. Anderson the credit for vigorously and successfully working in a society in which “80 percent of the women diagnosed die from breast cancer, and they seem to develop it earlier than most women.”
• Sen. Ted Kennedy’s recent death was especially poignant, since Laura was in his office when 9/11 occurred. She attributed Kennedy’s ability to handle the numerous tragedies in his life to knowing how to deal with the immediate situation: “He kept a continuous stream of small talk.”
• The National Book Festival that Laura launched on the National Mall in Washington just days before 9/11 now has an attendance of more than 100,000 people.
• It startled many when the “Prim Mrs. Bush” arrived in the White House briefing room (a first for a First Lady) and called for the overthrow of the Burmese government.
• In 1968, when Laura was a co-ed at SMU and dresses and loafers were the rule of the day, she and a girlfriend heard that the hippies hung out at Lee Park. So the gals put on jeans and moseyed on over to the park to discover nary a hippy anywhere. Instead, passerbys thought that the future First Lady and her pal were hippies.
• Laura’s memoir is scheduled to come out next May.
• Yes, the Bushes are going to the Cowboys game against the Giants Sunday.  
• With Gene Jones just a table or two away, Laura laughed that Cowboys Stadium is huge. “It makes our stadium [the Ballpark at Arlington] look like Little League.”

Prior to the luncheon, Laura met individually with members of the press and privately with children like Marit Peterson, who was diagnosed with melanoma when she was 18 months old. But more about that in a later post.

Must take a break. The keyboard is worn out from finger-pounding. More about the action among the guests and the total amount of $$ raised in the next post. Whew!