MountainMornings

Women of a certain age have experienced “Consciousness Raising Groups,” where as young feministas we learned to ask for what we want and be assertive, without too much aggression. We refused to take typing tests, carried around Our Bodies Ourselves like it was the bible, and some of us burned our bras. This is why the TV series Mad Men does not appeal to us, we were Mad Women! Then we married and had children and joined “Play Groups” with our babies, where we’d discuss our lives and continue learning from each other. If one of us was sick, we’d stop by with soup (chicken was my specialty). We nursed each others babies if need be. When my toddler went on a hunger strike, I remember thinking, really, I can cut up peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and she might eat that? We supported and nourished each other.

And now I have “Book Club” in the Blue Ridge. I moved here almost 7 years ago, when my youngest, the Rocker, took off for college.  A wonderful neighbor, Kay, asked me if I’d like to join her Book Club. I love reading and missed my old book clubbers. In my Shore town, we all knew each other from our children’s school, so our time was spent about halfway on literature and half on gossip. I was a little down, thinking I’ll never have friends again like the ones who knew me “when.” But the smart Southern women of Ivy Farms Book Club have stood the test of time: through moving – when we left Ivy Farms and built our ‘not so big’ house on the hill a 25 minute drive away – and through illness, divorce and even the death of a spouse. Some are sending their children off to college, and some are moving their parents into assisted living close-by, but we are are all still in it together. We are rock solid, we are here for each other. Or as Oprah just put it, “I see you, I hear you, And what you say matters to me.”

The book we discussed last night was Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson. It was a resounding success. It’s so nice to read about love at a certain age, and the possibility of change, of redemption. Oh and we hit a few hot topics, like the powerful Strauss-Kahn who thought he was above our rule of law. Thanks to our hostess, Virginia, who served us an Indian feast to honor Mrs Ali. And goodbye Oprah, thanks for the memories.