Meeting: July 9, 2014

Christe Berth hosted our July meeting.  After visiting outside for awhile and admiring all the work Christe and Steve have done in their flowerbeds, we moved indoors for some additional social and snack time.  It was wonderful to catch up with Grace, who was able to join us this month.  Those attending included: Christe Berth, Ellen Bowes, Kathy Day-Carey, Nancy French, Julie Howard, Linda Jenkins, Judy Lee, Grace Nicholson-Maly, and Jo Smith.

It appeared that everyone enjoyed reading The Orphan Train, by Christina Baker Kline. Many had no previous knowledge of the orphan train in our country's history.  Kline was able to weave this part of our history with a contemporary story line.  Vivian and Molly befriended each other in the contemporary portion and facilitated one another in breaking down some emotional barriers.

Judy read this excerpt because it reminded her of Annie imitating her grandmother as she wiggled her fingers and revealed that she heard 'they nibble on it' now.  

"Well, you're not exactly effervescent now, are you?"  Vivian says.  "But I saw you oustide earlier when Jack dropped you off, and your face was -- Vivian lifts her knobby hands, splaying her fingers-- "all lit up.  You were talking up a storm."

Jo was especially taken by the concept of portaging.  Molly learned in her history class that the Wabanaki Indians had to decide what possessions were necessary and what could be discarded when portaging their canoes.  The project assigned to the class required students to 

"...interview someone -- a mother or father or grandparent -- about their own portages, the moments in their lives when they've had to take a journey, literal or metaphorical...  ... The questions on the assignment sheet are: What did you choose to bring with you to the next place?  What did you leave behind?  What insights did you gain about what's important?

Kathy shared her favorite quote from when Molly was listening to the tape of her interview with Vivian for her school project.

"Time constricts and flattens, you know.  It's not evenly weighted.  Certain moments linger in the mind and others disappear.  The first twenty-three years of my life are the ones that shaped me, and the fact that I've lived almost seven decades since then is irrelevant.  Those years have nothing to do with the questions you ask."

Our August book (as previously reported) is The Golem and the Jinni, by Helene Wecker.

We have also selected books for the next two months:

     September: Middlesex, by Jeffrey Eugenides
     October: The Invention of Wings, by Sue Monk Kidd


Next meeting:
     Location:  Ellen Bowes home
     Date: Wednesday, August 13, 2014 (Wednesday, due to Larryfest)
     Time: 6:30 pm