January 21 Meeting on ZOOM with Edna

 Well, January Bookclub started off with a bang as I delivered fried chicken dinners with apple pie.  After my second time in a year of having to do a Zoom meeting, I thought a nice home-cooked meal from Old Country Diner would be just right.  

It was a beautiful day for a drive as Glenn & I drove around Berkeley & Jefferson Counties. We also delivered our Christmas gifts:  a pen, magnet & bag from the Australian Open Tennis in Melbourne.    Luckily for me, I received a nice bag of fudge from Ruthi and a nice bottle of wine from Alice so I could have kept driving all day for wine & chocolates!!  Lol!!!

At 7:15 pm, we began our Book club meeting after I spent 15 minutes trying to get the Zoom, on my computer, started.  Carol was finally able to take over as host so that everyone could come on board.  

Since we had just finished the first book of a trilogy about Alexander Hamilton, I picked the second book "Love & War" by Melissa de la Cruz and encouraged people to read the last book, "All for One" as well.  We spent most of our time talking about Covid-19 and a little bit of time discussing the book!!  Haha.  Really though, most of us thought the middle book was boring but got better if you finished the series.   It was more interesting to me to hear about the early years of the Country than the personal history of the Hamilton’s.  

It was great to be able to see and talk to everyone.  We had eight members that were able to Zoom.  We missed Pam,  who is helping her daughter make arrangements for her grandson's funeral;  Drika, who is still coping with losing Bob;  Alice, who is caring for her aged mother;  and Pat, who is caring for her sick brother.  We are all thinking of and praying for all of you and your families!! This is what makes our group of ladies so special!!  

Hopefully, in the not too distant future, we will be able to all be together again!!  I look forward to it!!  

The February meeting will be hosted by Sylvia.  Everyone stay healthy and safe!!

Love, Edna

November 19 Meeting at WMP

Our November meeting was held at War Memorial Park and diehards:  Carol, Sylvia, Pam and myself attended.  Yes it was a bit cool 50° but we dressed for it and brought our hot tea and food to keep us comfortable.  Grace dropped off our discussion questions and profusely apologized for not hosting which was totally unnecessary.  Everyone needs to do what they are comfortable with, Covid changed everything, nobody is at fault except perhaps the Chinese.   Anyway we had a good discussion about the book "Alex and Eliza, A Love Story " by Melissa de la Cruz.  We all liked it,  it made history more interesting, more personal.  Pam mentioned that a TV series "TURN: Washington's Spies" covers the same time frame as this book.  

We missed all of you who could not join us.  As the weather get colder we may have to revert back to ZOOM, Skype, FB Message or whatever.  We also mentioned that we could have an impromptu meeting at the park if we get a break in the weather. Ya never know....

A new book club year has begun.  I think we should continue.  Everyone pick their month and then send me their book selection.  We can keep on reading and have meetings when it works, one way or another.

Have a healthy and Happy Thanksgiving,    KAthy

I see, we're all BLONDS, that explains it!

October 15 Meeting hosted by Carol at WMP

 The October meeting was held at War Memorial Park in the afternoon. I served pizza (after Doug found where it was being held captive) and individual baggies of grapes, chips and pumpkin desserts. Food was served with gloves in keeping with the Covid theme. It was nice being outside. Everyone appeared to like the book "The Whole Town is Talking" by Fannie Flagg. It was a little weird but funny with the dead people talking in the cemetery to each other. Following the families through the decades was interesting. Not sure about the dead people turning into animals though. Everyone was treated to a goodie bag with their favorite candy as a treat.

Carol

September 17 Meeting in Kathy's backyard, hosted by Sharon

      An enthusiastic contingent of our book club - Sylvia, Dricka, Carol, Kathy and me – enjoyed the cool evening in Kathy's backyard to reflect on the latest Covid events as well as the book, The Chilbury Ladies' Choir by Jennifer Ryan. The “ladies” of the club enjoyed the book and were impressed by the resilience of the British women in carrying on while the men of the town were off fighting World War II. We agreed that they all changed during that time, developing strengths, courage and independence they didn't know they had. Some of us thought Mrs. Tilling changed a lot from a meek housewife to a strong force in the community as bombs fell on the town. Both Carol and Edna (via email) were reminded of their mother's stories about her wartime experiences in England. Drawing from her own experience as a choir member and feeling how music can affect the emotions, the author focused on the ladies' choir as the “soul” of the story. We all enjoyed the opportunity to get together in a “normal” setting for a little while.

Sharon

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