Los Gatos Weekly-Times Main Street Mary Ann Cook Here's a crafty technique for seeing the world CRUISIN': Nancy Papa likes to work with her hands; she's an avid craftsman and teacher. And she also likes to travel and sail. She's crafty enough to have figured out a way to combine these loves. For the past three years she's been teaching crafts to passengers on cruise ships. She and crafts colleague Maureen Brown take about two cruises a year. They aren't paid, but they do enjoy free cruises. The only rub is they're responsible for travel costs to their embarkation sites, which are often in far-flung places--Beijing and Bangkok, for two examples--and awkward to find. The two teachers have to bring all their own supplies, so the crafts are necessarily lightweight, such as paper and fabric. They have to be versatile and flexible; they never know how big the classes will be or what level of skill they'll be teaching. The classes average 25 to 30 people, but they've had anywhere from 12 to 80. They teach for the Princess Line on the days the ship is at sea, and won out over a field of 500 for the job. Before retirement, Brown worked with handicapped children, and Papa taught through adult education so together they cover the gamut. "We assume no skill [from our pupils]," Papa says. Projects include using ship menus to make a box. "They usually have a lovely watercolor on the menu." Making cards, envelopes, stitchery, ethnic dolls. "We try to relate the article to the areas where the ship is heading," Papa adds. In Australia, folding books that looked like the Sydney Opera House were one project. In the Far East the folding books were shaped to look like a pagoda. A seasick friend who held the job earlier (and briefly) recommended that Papa apply in her wake. Former cruisers send her cards asking for news of her next tour so they can join her. Husband Joe tends the home fires while she's away. Since he traveled the world over as vice-president of a computer company, she considers this a fair turnabout. Back on dry land, Nancy Papa extends her crafts and skills to the community by mending books in the library. DISCOVER DISCOVERY: The Discovery House on Main Street could use volunteers. Even those who can only spare four hours a month would be appreciated. More hours would be even more appreciated. Staffing the cash register, pricing and inventorying are all jobs that need filling. Shop leaders do the training. The Discovery Shop offers used clothing, household items and even furniture for sale. All proceeds go directly to the American Cancer Society. It's the perfect place to call when doing a major cleaning. Call the shop at 354-5917. If the item isn't too bulky they'll even do the pickup. UPDATE: Laura Smith was a nurse during WW I whose story made the national news around Armistice Day because of a story her granddaughter, a newspaper reporter, had written about her reminiscences. Smith lived at the Meadows for a number of years until her death late last year. Highlights of her story were recounted in this column, thanks to the eagle eye of avid reader Frances Boden. Now we've learned that the reporter has been nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for that very story. The daughter of Laura Smith and mother of the newspaper reporter, Mary Lou Kissel, lives in Saratoga. Laura Smith was a powerhouse in her eight years at the Meadows, too, having set up the ceramics program there. ON NATIONAL BROCHURE: Didja know that Saratogan Marjorie Foote was a poster girl for the American Association of University Women? Neither did we till we spotted a brochure at a recent meeting. "I love that picture," says Foote. "It doesn't look a thing like me." Here's how it happened that she was plucked out for prominence in the promotional brochure. After several photos she had sent to the national organization were summarily rejected, Foote finally capitulated and hied herself to professional photographer Arthur Mintz. AAUW had threatened to send a professional from Los Angeles, and Foote didn't want them to spend money on something not directly tied to education. She and her husband, Jack, had endowed an international AAUW scholarship for women from other nations seeking advanced degrees here. The scholarship will be awarded for the first time this year. Marjorie Foote is a biochemist who did biomedical research. Her husband, recently deceased, was Dean of Institutional Studies at San Jose State University. VILLA TO VILLA: Frances Mayes, author of Under the Tuscan Sun, spoke at Montalvo about the trials and delights of restoring a neglected Italian villa. Mayes is an enchanting speaker, listeners can attest. Those who can vouch most strongly for her are the bedazzled dozen who dined with Mayes and her husband, Ed Kleinschmidt, and Marilyn and Frank Dorsa at their Tuscan-style home in the Los Gatos hills. This galaxy included Mary Lou and Jack Taylor, Marcia and Earl Adams, Trish and Steve Brock, Pat and Jim Compton, Sandra and Ray Farris, Gery and Floyd Yearout. "I kept expecting Robin Leach to show up," quipped Earl Adams about the enchanted evening. [ Back to Contents Page | Los Gatos Weekly-Times Home Page | Archives ] This article appeared in the Los Gatos Weekly-Times, February 10, 1999. ©1999 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.