Today’s monthly meeting was a long and warm one. Everyone welcomed Sherri back and asked about her whereabouts and status. It’s family gathering thing that kept her away and occupied. Though she couldn’t and didn’t finish her book she still felt she had to come to see her friends. Universal expression was shown on everyone’s face when Sherri said she missed us. It’s a warm and sweet touch that Sherri brought in today at the meeting. Thank you, Sherri.
“How is Fiona?” It’s a question that everyone was in need of an answer. Fiona, you are missed. We truly hope that the family you support and help will recover and be back to its norm.
First of all, I have to say that Ruby did a wonderful job this past month. Her persistent diligence and consistent determination and commitment truly touched everyone. Sherri shook her head appraising Ruby and complimented her by saying “If everyone works as hard as you are, there is no difficulty or obstacle to tackle the barrier of any foreign language. Impressive!” Encouragement comes from peers is especially appreciated for members stand at the same side and know each other better than anyone else.
Ruby kept on reading the Rainbow Fairies Series. She considers herself a beginner at reading. This Fairies series serve as her stepping stone for another series: Gecko & Sticky. By reading a series, according to Ruby, she is able to build her own bank of vocabulary and repetitive phrases and sentences that she found helpful and useful at daily life. Simplicity is her favorite for it’s an easy way to self-express: easy, convenient, and straightforward. Asked if she found something interesting at the names the author used for her series Ruby said she did finding it interesting that the author matched the Fairies’ names to visualize the meaning of the rainbow colors. For example, Sunny is the name for Yellow fairy and Ruby for Red fairy. Interesting discovery, one has to say.
“The Lost Wife” by Alyson Richman was Sherri’s choice of the month. The background of this romance story was due back to the World War II. A young couple just got married right before the husband and his whole family decided to escape the Europe and sail to the promising land-USA. The wife couldn’t have the heart to leave her family behind so she stayed where she was though she was pregnant with his child who later was miscarried.
Sixty years passed and they met again-at a wedding of their own grandchildren; he remarried and she got a child result of a sad rape happened at the concentration camp in which she and her family were kept during the wartime. They didn’t expect to see each other for they thought the other was killed at that difficult time. He was retired OB doctor. They were haunted by ghosts for they had lived in the same neighborhood and might have run into each other in the passing years. Assumed each was dead they thought destiny tricked them and tested their love for each other. Though they didn’t tell or share how much they reserved their love for each other, their hearts were locked with their keys lost in the war.
Sherri didn’t finish the book, yet. Everyone at the meeting couldn’t wait to hear the “happy” ending of the couple. Well, at least, I, personally, wish there be a good ending for this touching love story taken place at a harsh and difficult time of the human history. “One should feel blessed and good luck comparing small things we have faced to the big issues in real life.” Sherri shared her point of view and feeling gotten from reading this book. In the book the lost wife was an art teacher. She would risk her life to confiscate available chalks or crayons for the small children to enjoy the beauty in art. To Sherri, the beauty of art somehow would help ease intensity of pain inflicted by cruelty and misery in a person’s life.
The following was composed by Abby who hosted the meeting after 1 pm.
For this week, Lily read one of the Jewel Fairies books by Daisy Meadows. She doesn’t remember which one as there are too many to remember. After which we discussed vocabulary words gleaned from the Fairies books. Interestingly, most were either informal terms, or some sort of adjective. “Tingling” is a hard word to explain in English.
The longest topic we discussed was the names for collective groups of animals. Most animals could be referred to as a “herd” (of cattle), but there are some animals that have multiple references, or names that no one knows about. Most of us know about a “school of fish”, but how many people know that a group of whales is a “pod”? This one really had Ruby stumped for a while. I have to admit that I have never heard of or used the ones that I found on a four page list obtained from Google.
Sherry brought her “adopted” daughter, who brought her daughter for a visit. We all enjoyed the cake, the almond brittle and the cookies that Mei-Wan brought. Unfortunately, Mei-Wan had to return to the reference desk at that time, so I ate hers for her. It was all delicious. (By Abby)
Appreciation goes to Lily and Ruby; they brought a round cake to share with members. Jennifer, our pretty and attractive CSR, was invited to join the meeting for a short stay. Thank you, Jennifer.
Next Tea time will be held next Wednesday, 12-05, 2012, at 12 pm in the library.
See you all soon!
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