Saratoga Sampler

Sisters strike gold with parental insights

By Mary Ann Cook

THIRD PRINTING: A pair of sisters, one of whom is a Saratogan, are reveling in the third printing of their co-written book, Motherhood Is Not for Wimps. They are Catherine Burr of Saratoga and Beverly Rose Hopper of San Jose. The book, which was published in 1996 by Walrus Productions of Seattle, is that company's No. 1 bestseller.

The idea for the book came to Burr after a weekend trip to a bed and breakfast in the gold country with two recalcitrant teens, who were bemoaning the fact that there was no TV. When Burr and her husband, Tim, were commiserating over dinner, she began to take notes on a napkin.

The book was "born of sheer exasperation mixed with humor," Catherine Burr says. Her sister penned the chapters dealing with life with toddlers. The book was quoted in Sun Magazine, a periodical found at supermarkets, and on the Live with Regis and Kathie Lee show on Mother's Day 1998.

Burr has also written a self-published family history called Remember Your Heritage, now in the Mennonite Library in San Jose. Though her ancestors were Mennonites, she works part-time for and attends Sacred Heart Church.

Hopper, too, wrote an earlier book. Her first was How Does Your Garden Grow? She's a renowned rosarian, and people come from as far away as Japan to see her garden and seek advice.

Both Paperfunalia of Saratoga and Domus in Los Gatos carry Not for Wimps.. The sisters' maiden name is Wall, and both attended Saratoga High School. Burr graduated in 1975 and Hopper in 1974.

IMPRESSIONS OF JAPAN: Margarite Guy, who received a Fulbright Memorial Fund Scholarship, funded by the government of Japan, is back after her three-week sojourn there and so taken with the country that she is beginning to plot her return.

She's brimful of impressions--the people are so polite and the education system based on the European style. Students go to school from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. six days a week. At 3 p.m., the academics are over and students take on the custodial chores, including scrubbing toilets.

After cleanup, it's time for team sports and arts or music classes. High school is not mandatory. Those who don't go on to high school usually go to trade schools. They participate in a lot of activities by themselves, very self-disciplined. No deans, no counselors, no custodians. The only negative: The pressure may be too much. The six-day schedule will switch to five days early in the next century.

Problems are resolved through parent-teacher-student conferences and the emphasis throughout the culture is on education, not money.

Other highlights: a rare sighting of Mt. Fuji, riding the bullet train at 160-170 mph, harvesting rice halfway up Kyoto Mountain with a machete, and watching blind students play baseball, ping pong and--even more amazing--operate wood-cutting machines.

Cultural events included entertainment by the Kabuki Theater, Noh drama and life-size puppet shows. Guy participated in panel discussions, classroom lectures, met education officials. She teaches Spanish and ESL at Prospect High School and is a former Saratogan now living in Los Gatos.

Besides all this, "I loved the food--so much variety." And, she can't wait to get back.

HARVEST FESTIVAL: Two Saratogans will be exhibiting at the three-day Harvest Festival Nov. 26-28 at the San Jose Convention Center. The two are textile artist Kavita Singh and Laurie Coles, who specializes in soaps and lotions.

Singh designs hand-painted silk scarves that may be worn as a skirt, a sarong, a cape or a jacket. She has designed for fashion houses Yves Saint Laurent and Lanvin. Singh also designs caftans, T-shirts, fine art prints, paintings and note cards.

Coles' business is called Annie Parker, a tribute to her great-grandmother who made her own soaps. Coles' most popular bath and body products are the almond/vanilla lotion and her lavender/citrus lotion. Three chemists "batch it" for her. As a sun bunny in her 20s, she invented her own suntan oils, so this business seemed a natural evolution.

Admission to the Harvest Festival is $7.50, reduced by $1 with a donation of canned or nonperishable food to be given to Second Harvest Food Bank. Celtic jewelry, handblown glassware, hand-knit angora wear, sheepskin footstools and other crafts will be found at the fair.

Music will include boogie from the Sundogs, Dixieland from Big Mama Sue and Fast Eddie, and the one-man band of Washboard Willie. Demos offered in weaving, sculpting, etching and Santa sculpting. Mimes, a stilt walker and continuous stage shows all on hand.

POKEMON MANIA: Andrew Cornelius, 12, won a national Pokémon contest this summer in Hawaii. He qualified to compete by winning a regional in San Francisco. Most of his family went with him to celebrate the event and extended their stay to take a family holiday afterward.

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