The Blanco Women’s Club met, mingled, and had the pleasure of hosting five guests as well as welcoming its newest member, Deb Yorgensen, during the January meeting at the Blanco Library.

The Club’s Literature Department presented a wonderful program, with surprise guest speaker, Sandra Paine, a former Women’s Club President. Librarian Jan Redmon introduced Sandra Paine to the group with great pleasure, giving a quick overview of her many accomplishments, calling her a “Go to Person” and “one of the driving forces behind the current library.”

“The library today owes a huge debt of gratitude to Sandra,” said Redmon as she mentioned the many things Sandra did for the Library, including spending over 20 hours a week as a volunteer.

Paine brought the group to a standing ovation with her uproarious review of a book written by Peg Bracken, “On Getting Old for the First Time”. The review was an encore performance of a talk Paine had given at the Library during one of the Library’s “Brown Bag Lunch” times this prior summer.

Rich in material, enough to make all the club members laugh out loud, Paine enjoyed introducing quotes like “Children get Ritalin; old people just get confused” from Bracken’s book.

Other one liners from the book that brought joy to the group were: “Why doesn’t hair get thicker instead of our waistlines?”; “If you wear short sleeves, don’t shake the salt”; “We are living in the ‘Comfort Zone’ and no longer believe in dress sizes or resolutions”; and “Terms to know for old age” such as ‘declining’ (we can decline to do things now. If people insist, say ‘yes’ then don’t do it....everyone knows that old people forget things.)

The meeting began delightfully with President Bonnie Holmes asking each lady to answer roll call with their favorite Texas wildflower saying “If you’ve ever had the opportunity to experience the magnificent wildflowers that cover the Texas landscape in the spring, you know what a sight that it is to behold.”

Secretary Kathee Copeland read the minutes of the prior meeting, and Communications Chair Lori Stetler highly recommended members check out the musical “I Do, I Do”, appearing February 13th-March 1st at the Steve W. Shepherd Theatre in Fredericksburg, saying that the show “gives the audience an entertaining flavor of the “highs and lows of marriage”. Dean Mayne discussed how the Texas Legislature is “about to gear up, with talk of legislature regarding cell phones in cars.” Linda Lyons reminded the members to set out water and seeds for wildlife during this prolonged drought, recommending spreading peanut butter on bark of trees for wildlife nourishment. She also told the group that the club’s Gardening Group will begin a special and on-going beautification project at the Old Blanco Courthouse, using bedding plants and barrels. Carolyn Boydston announced TxDOT/Blanco updates and upcoming changes that will appear soon around the town for traffic flow. Art Chair Nell Krueger enlightened everyone about spectacular events at the Benini Art Encounters, located near Johnson City, while MaryElla Vause held up an article from the BCN describing an on-going art class for Homeschool Children at Uptown Blanco Art Center, taught by club member Suzette Connell. Gwen Risinger complemented Jan Redmon on the “super displays in the Blanco Library of local artists”. (The displays will rotate monthly and highlight the broad spectrum of artworks available right here in our town.) Risinger encouraged the community to visit the library to see the displays and to “come in and sign up for one of the many excellent classes being offered.”

The meeting ended with a lovely assortment of drinks and citrus themed refreshments provided and served by hostesses Vicki Simmons, Gwen Risinger, Barbara Hinze, and Carolyn Boydston.