When Jules emailed that her book club on Lopez Island in the San Juan Islands, WA, wanted me to call in to its discussion, I warned her I might have more questions for them than they for me. Turned out to be about right.

This is a group of neighbors who live on Whiskey Hill (don'tcha just love it?) and call themselves the Fisherman Bay Book Club. Lopez, aka The Friendly Isle, is 15 miles long, 8 miles wide and has 2,200 year-round residents. The gals in the club originally hail from such far-flung and varied places as Key West and not-so-varied - except foreign language-wise, Scotland. (If you've been there, you know what I'm talkin' about.) Well, at least her husband hails from Scotland. That's why this particular group member moved to Lopez - it reminded hubby of home. (You don't suppose Tim lived on a bus in a previous life? That would explain a lot.)

Lopez is about a 40 minute ferry ride to the mainland, but this Whiskey Hill Gang (sorry, but I really love that name - can you tell?) say they try not to go in the summer, when the ferries are crowded with tourists. Of course, that's the time of year you wouldn't want to be gone, anyway, I would think.

Tim and I had been to the San Juans years ago, taking the ferry to Orcas Island from Anacortes one summer. All I really remember is how gorgeous it was. The gals confirmed it's cold and wet in the winter (notice how they're bundled up), but, still beautiful. (Trust them on this. Or don't and check out the Island's webcam.) Although, in talking to them, they didn't seem to mind the weather all that much. Perhaps it's because these Islanders are quite savvy about how to make it through the long winter - Martini Monday at the local restaurant just down the hill - yep, that'd be Whiskey Hill. (Now, if they had a hill named, "Martini Hill," I might just move there, myself.)

I, for one, had a fabulous time with this most unusually-situated club, my most Northwestern, yet. (Come on Canadians. You're falling behind! And, Alaska? For shame.) I assume the feeling was mutual, as I'm "doing" a member's sister's book club in CA next week. (Although I suppose it's possible she hates her sister and only recommended QUEEN OF THE ROAD to torment her. With a mind like mine, it's a good thing I'm an only child.)