The First Hundred Years: Clearwater Yacht Club, 1911-2011

Chapter 5

The Women of CYC

The CYC Gulls—A Circle of Women

Once upon a time, a long time ago (when I was very young), the female members of my family gathered regularly for what they called “sewing circle.” The event moved from house to house and always involved a luncheon provided by the hostess. The participants ranged in age from young adults to very elderly matriarchs. While babies (and sometimes matriarchs) slept, the women worked on their projects. While they sewed, they talked. They talked of children and grandchildren, husbands and brothers, friends and neighbors. They shared ideas about books, music, art, food, and politics. They shared their sorrows and their joys, their hopes and disappointments, their fears and their loves. When I returned to the sewing circle as a young adult, I realized this gathering was something my family had in common with women all over

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