Red Hatters for July 2023

...I hope the fourth went well for you and that you are enjoying the real summer weather.

On July 9th. four of our members drove to North Oxford Ma to visit the house of Clara Barton.

The Clara Barton Birthplace Museum
Teaches the timeless lessons of compassion and service through Clara Barton’s life story.

Throughout her long life she sought to improve people’s lives by, in her own words,

“offering a hand up, not a handout.” Clara Barton has inspired countless teachers, medical
professionals and social workers.

Almost two centuries after her birth, the incredible stories of this great humanitarian continue

to draw students and families to her childhood home to learn about her boundless mercy and commitment.

Our tour guide was excellent. He was knowledgeable; well informed about Ms. Barton's achievements as a nurse on the battlefield; and her being the founder of the American Red Cross. She wrote many letters home for the soldiers of the Civil War to there concerned families back home, while carrying her desk to the front lines.

There were many original pieces to be seen on the tour.

And even a favorite doll

Also hanging under a cover was a commemoration given to her brother signed by Abraham Lincoln.

Our recent introduction to Clara Barton was when we saw, our favorite actress Sheryl Faye, portray Clara Barton in her one woman show of Historical Women. Sheryl portrayed Ms. Barton in such a way that when we read about the museum we just had to visit.

Lunch today was at the 99 restaurant in Auburn Ma. As most 99's are good so was this one. Food and service always top notch.

A nice day to look back on the accomplishments of a very famous woman in history

July 16th and our original plans were canceled due to weather conditions; but never give up on us.

Seven of us decide it was time for brunch,( you know ...not to late for breakfast and not to early for lunch).

Well Bickford's on Montvale Ave is open from 8am to 8 pm so off we went.

Really big apples pancake for some, potato pancakes, scrambled eggs, chicken something and two scallop dinners. That covered the time span and it was great.

We never give up...neither rain nor snow can keep us from something, on any day.

It was early enough when we all got home to enjoy the Red Sox game.

July 18th. and it had been a while since we just went to a movie. Today it was to the Liberty Tree mall to see " The Miracle Club". Kathy Bates, Maggie Smith and Laura Linney were the stars of this pleasant, done to earth show.

There's something a little old-fashioned about "The Miracle Club." Set in 1967 Ireland, "The Miracle Club"
stars three powerhouse Oscar-winning and/or nominated actresses (none of whom are Irish). The movie

features period clothing and cars, and the women's trip to Lourdes. Three women who have faults with each other expecting a miracle; and found out at the end they received one. Not the one that they expected, but they found that their friendship is indeed a miracle in itself. A heartwarming message, where each character gets a satisfying arc.

Nice clean entertainment for our senior minds that we could relate to.

We were back to the 99 restaurant, but in Stoneham this time. Great selection of food and pleasant wait service, with take home boxes.

July 25th and our annual Pot Luck lunch brought us to Derry NH; to the home of one of our members.

The weather was lovely as we sat on the screened porch looking out at the calm and beautiful lake.

We each brought a variety of food for a warm summers day.

and then some more. We never seem to duplicate dishes even when we do not discuss before hand what our selection would be.

Oh, I was there too.

It was a wonderful day just to relax, talk about future outings, and just being happy that we are Red Hatters.

July 27 and three of us took off to see the much acclaimed movie "Oppenheimer" in Woburn.

Only one of the many reviews : "It’s

billed as a biopic of theoretical physicist J Robert Oppenheimer, dubbed
the “father of the atomic bomb”. But “biopic” seems too small a word to
contain the ambition and scope of Christopher Nolan’s formidable if occasionally unwieldy latest. Oppenheimer
is a dense and intricate period piece, playing out in a tangle of
timelines. It weaves together courtroom drama, romantic liaisons,
laboratory epiphanies and lecture hall personality cults. But perhaps
more than all of this, Oppenheimer is the ultimate monster movie. Cillian Murphy’s
Oppenheimer is an atomic-age Frankenstein, a man captivated by the
boundless possibilities of science, realizing too late that his creation
has a limitless capacity for destruction. Ultimately, however, the
monster in this story is not Oppenheimer’s invention but the appetite
for annihilation that it unleashes in mankind."

It was all of the above, the movie lasted for three hours, that seemed to pass quickly.

To get back to current reality we had lunch at The Brick Yard in Woburn; followed by ice cream at Soc's.

Good movie, good food, great dessert.. Perfect Red Hat day. Another month has flown by but keep reading : we are back again next month with more Red Hat fun filled days.