All posts by MJS
Monday lunch book group: oodles of great reads!
We had such a great meeting and such great books to talk about. Norah O was totally captivated with Isola. Two others in our group have already read it, and heartily agree with her assessment. After reading The Things We Never Say, Jeanne C was so entranced that she went on to read Olive Kitteridge and the other novels by Strout featuring Olive Kitteridge. Two others in our group had read and loved The Things We Never Say, so will now have these other books to look forward to. Jeanne also let us know about the mini series (which is available on Crave) and a lot of us will be watching it.
Marian W brought a fascinating book of a century of obituaries of famous women. It’s the kind of book you could get lost in. Very interesting. Natalie P has begun to read in order the Tim Sullivan novels, which she assesses as very well-written mysteries. Leslie L has been doing the same thing with Donna Leon novels.
Rena R told us about Arundhati Roy’s newest book, Mother Mary Comes to Me, which she says, is like a memoir of the author’s, but framed through the filter of her relationship with her mother. Rena loved the book.
Marsha S shared two spanking new books, Exit Party, by St John Mandel (pub date Sept 15th) which is set in a futuristic dystopia that sounds all too familiar, and Malcolm Gladwell’s newest book The American Way of Killing (pub date Sept 30) which she says is Gladwell’s classic informative storytelling and a must-read.


Speaker for Sept 25 general meeting: Jill Berridge
Jill Berridge is an experienced healthcare leader, consultant, educator, and physiotherapist with more than 30 years of experience in interproffessional healthcare settings across Canada and internationally. Recognized for her commitment to collaboration, innovation, and improving healthcare delivery, she has spent the past 12 years at McMaster University as Program Director of Health Services in the Department of Family Medicine, where she has advanced clinical services and operational excellence. In recognition of her leadership, dedication, and contributions to both the university and community, she received McMaster University’s President’s Award for Outstanding Service in 2022. She also serves on committees with the College of Family Physicians of Canada and contributes to several local healthcare and community organizations. She will address the current state of primary care and challenges facing family physicians in Ontario.
October Speaker: Moving With Compassion’s Rola Berger

Rola Berger is a Senior Move Specialist with Move With Compassion, a company that helps seniors and their families through one of the most challenging parts of a transition: decluttering and letting go. For many seniors, decluttering isn’t simply deciding what to keep and what to throw away. It can mean sorting through a lifetime of memories, photographs, and treasures that have deep meaning. Rola, a mother of six, understands that life can get busy and clutter quickly accumulates. She brings a compassionate, practical approach to helping people create spaces that feel lighter, more manageable and more enjoyable. In her presentation “Decluttering Made Easy: Five Simple Steps” Rola will share practical tips and encouragement to get you motivated, make decisions more easily, and create a home you enjoy. Please join her on October 23 to learn how to make life simpler and moving easier.
Sept 2026 Newsletter
Thursday night book club is more than just books!


CFUW Brantford On The Move (again) — Best Western!

We see the most wonderful things on our walks

Sometimes a heron will aim right for your camera!

Would you eat this fungus? It is actually edible (Chicken of the Woods), and another walker (not from our group) snipped a bit of it off to take home and eat, I wonder how she dealt with the POISON IVY that surely had rubbed all over it!
Monday’s book group

Will that be perch, or pickerel? (and definitely pie for dessert!)
Perch and pickerel were the most popular choices at the Erie Beach Hotel in Port Dover this past July. The Cove Room continues its decades-long tradition of bringing celery bread and a variety of salads to the table — and for offering tempting desserts to top off the day.
A lovely way to end the 2025-26 Dining Out season.










