August 20 Meeting in Kathy's backyard, hosted by Louisa

 Ten of the Good Time Girls Book Club met at Kathy’s inviting backyard to catch up and eat.  At 7:00, I got on the Zoom meeting from Charles Town.  I got to catch up and everyone was inquiring about my upcoming shoulder surgery.  Edna popped on Zoom from London, where it was midnight, she is visiting with her grandchildren.  100% attendance!

    We discussed “The Library Book” by Susan Orlean.  We were disappointed no one found out who started the Los Angeles library fire.  We liked how the library was helping homeless people.  Social workers worked in the library to help the homeless.  None of us thought that we would be able to burn a book just to see how it would burn.  It was very interesting that at first men were the ones who ran libraries and then changed to women.  

A library is a magical place to me.  I have loved them since I was a little girl and became a librarian as an adult.  

Libraries will always be part of our communities to keep our history and help us to shape the future.  

Thank you Kathy for allowing us to use your yard. It was great that we were all there either in person or by Zoom.

Louisa

(Click here for more pics)

July 23 Meeting in Alice's Backyard

"28 Summers" by author Elin Hilderbrand.  It was a beach read although we read it in land locked West Virginia; a whirlwind of a story that took years, with family and friends on the island of Nantucket (where the author lives by the way), with main character Mallory Blessing.  It is her love story of falling for her brother's best friend and roommate from college: a first love that lasted a life time.

Surprise technique the author used: since taking place over years, the opening of each chapter had current events from that year which made me reminisce about my own life. Also I enjoyed the cooking, recipe references, and farm stand references; the old movie that inspired Mal and Jake's "life imitating art" structure; her teaching career that soared because I think she had no husband and only one child! and her unwavering devotion to Jake, "no matter what".  

Morale of the story: All of us need to "fill up our cup" while we are healthy, strong, and still have our sense of humor - reach out to friends always and keep our contacts with family open. All you need is love.  Have fun.  Wear sunscreen and a hat at the beach. Be true to your school. ** I enjoyed this book & was super to have you all over to the house on a cool morning in the heat of summer.  

  (more pictures on FB)

https://www.facebook.com/mccarthyalice/posts/10220975665479832

Alice