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The Colony Cousins Genealogy Club welcomes you to our Tuesday, Aug. 12 meeting at 1 pm in the Annex. We will again have one-on-one research assistants available to help you break through roadblocks, learn online tools, or give any other genealogy support. If you want assistance, you must make a reservation for a time between 1 and 3 pm. Make a reservation by contacting Greg Griffes at mosesscrolls@gmail.com or 951-383-9988, or Lennie Martin at lenniem07@yahoo.com. According to well-known genealogist Amy Johnson Crow, the recipe for genealogy research frustration is a three-step process: 1. You sit down to work on your genealogy, but without a research plan. 2. You wander around, get distracted, follow some fun leads but end up without what you actually need. 3. Which leads you to being overwhelmed, frustrated, and wondering what on earth you're even trying to do. Amy explains that diving into research without a plan is a lot like going to the grocery store without a list. You get home, look at your bags, only to realize you have nothing to make for dinner … so you order pizza. What was your biggest problem? You didn't start with a clear question. Do you have your clear research question? If not, the assistants at our next meeting will help you develop one. It's not just "Tell me everything about Grandpa Joe." Come learn how to make genealogy research productive and even enjoyable, not something that leaves you sighing and giving up. For questions, please call me at 503-269-9987 or use the above email. | THE COLONY NEWS | AUGUST 2025 | 33 Genealogy By Lennie Martin Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet is a historical novel by Jamie Ford. The story is told in two parallel storylines, one following 12-year-old Henry Lee's experiences during the Second World War, and the other depicting Henry 44 years later as a widower with a college-aged son. The plot centers around the forced evacuation of Japanese Americans to internment camps; the book depicts the pain and trauma of separation through the friendship of the Chinese-American Henry and his Japanese-American friend Keiko. The Book Club meets on Wednesday, Aug. 13, at 10:30 am in the Meeting Room. If you want to read ahead, our September book is e Phoenix Crown by Kate Quinn. Book Club By Jeanne Bender Our great little group of ukulele strummers is very fortunate to have a special person leading us, namely Doug Desch. He has been with us since the beginning in 2019, and he continues to teach and guide us. And now we have new strummers who bring new music and ideas to the group, and that gives us new energy and fun. We continue to grow in number and ability, and we really look forward to sharing the time with new people. There is something very special about making music together. As always, we welcome anyone to visit us every Friday in the Annex at 1 pm. We have loaner instruments and coaching. For more information, call me at the above number. Colony Strummers By Judy Moore, 949-468-7375 Summer break is over, and we are accepting new students for our classes that start Tuesday, Sept. 2. Beginner's class is taught from 4:30 to 5:15 pm, followed by more advanced from 5:15 to 6 pm. Classes are held in the Auditorium and are only $5 per class, and so that you can try before you buy, the first one is FREE. Don't worry about shoes; our instructor will loan clogging shoes until you decide whether you want to buy your own. Learning to clog is a FUN class, and there are no expectations for anyone to join the performance group. Clogging is a form of American Folk Dance with taps on the shoes. It's a great way to exercise your body and brain. Studies show that dancing is a major tool in the fight against Alzheimer's and dementia. If you're interested or have questions, please call me at the above number. Clogging Class By Mary Seifert, 951-304-3503