RAPS Group Reports Book Group THE RAPS BOOK GROUP met on December 18 at the home of Joan Shireman and discussed The Atomic Weight of Love, a novel by Elizabeth J. Church. Set in Los Alamos in the 1940s and the subsequent decades, it is the story of a woman who subverts her career aspirations to those of her husband. Her husband, working on the atomic bomb project, cannot share any of his work with her. She, while trapped in the customs of her era, nevertheless creates a rich, independent life for herself. Our discussion was thoughtful, with many of us finding parallels between the heroine’s life and our mothers’ lives. We were interested in exploring how expectations and opportunities had expanded by the time we ourselves were developing careers. Our next meeting is on Tuesday, January 15, at 1:30 pm, at Nancy Chapman’s home. We will discuss Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates. It is an acclaimed book, winner of many awards, and offers a framework for understanding the racial history of America and its current tensions. Nancy’s home is at 4214 NE Hazelfern Place, Portland. Call Nancy at 503-234-0162 or email her at chapmannj@ comcast.net to let her know whether you will be able to be there. In February we will read Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys, a story of refugees fleeing the advancing Soviet army in 1945, and of the sinking of the MV Wilhelm Gustloff in the Baltic Sea, a major maritime tragedy that is not well known. The book group meets at 1:30 pm on the third Tuesday of every month. New members are always welcome. —Joan Shireman Bridge Group THE RAPS BRIDGE GROUPmembers are very friendly and are always looking for new players. We meet in the afternoon on the first Tuesday of each month. We begin play at 12:15 pm. We try to finish up by 4 pm. In the current academic year we are meeting in 258 Smith Memorial Student Union, on the second floor. Please mark your calendars for the following winter meetings: January 8 (note second Tuesday due to the holiday), February 5, and March 5, all in 258 SMSU. I will send out the reminder email notice about one week prior to each date we play. If you wish to join us, please contact Steve Brennan, 503-646-6297. My email address is the.steve.brennan@gmail.com. —Steve Brennan Hiking Group THE RAPS HIKING GROUP met on Monday, December 17, at the home of Larry and Diane Sawyer to share a potluck lunch and plan for the 2019 hikes. Our first hike of 2019 will explore part of the Tualatin River Greenway on January 22. We will meet at 9:30 am at the parking lot of Tualatin Public Library at 18878 SW Martinazzi Ave., Tualatin. The hike is an out-and-back, mostly along the Tualatin River Greenway, that will be roughly 3.5 miles in length along wide, paved trails and sidewalks. We will begin the hike with a visit to the library’s display of a mastodon skeleton and other artifacts discovered in nearby wetlands. Next we will hike on trails that follow the Tualatin River and feature interpretive signs that present information ranging from geological timelines to local participation in the development of plank roads, some of the first transportation projects in the Pacific Northwest. Upon our return, hikers can enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. For more information regarding the full Tualatin River Greenway trail please see the Oregon Hikers.org website: https://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guide/Tualatin_River_ Greenway_Loop_Hike If you plan to hike in January, please contact Larry Sawyer at 503-771-1616 or larry_sawyer@comcast.net. For more details about this hike or future hiking plans in 2019, please consult the RAPS hikers’ website: https://www.pdx.edu/raps/RAPSHikers —Larry Sawyer 5 —Photograph by Larry Sawyer RAPS members enjoy the annual Holiday Brunch at Nordia House on a sunny December day.
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