"It was imprudent of us, in the first place, to become authors. We could have become something regular, but we managed not to.
We were lucky, but we were also determined." Roy Blount Jr

"I don’t change the facts to enhance the drama. I think of it the other way round, the drama has got to fit the facts,
and it’s your job as a writer to find the shape in real life."
Hilary Mantel

Sunday, January 13, 2008

The Calm Before...

Our big event last night was a Capitol Steps performance at the Arts Center downtown. This was the 12th annual Comedy Night fundraiser for the affordable housing nonprofit. The Chap is in his second year as Chairman of their Board of Directors. After resting up for several days, he felt just well enough to make a public appearance.



For an hour and a half before the show there was a reception for sponsors and donors and board members and government officials. I was one of 4 State Reps in attendance, and a Senator was there. The Mayor and his wife (also a State Rep) were expected. The crowd got so big it grew harder to pick people out.

In addition to an awards presentation, there was a silent auction. The travel packages were incredible, the dining ones, too. My spouse had asked me to supply some autographed books, which went into the "Rejuvenation Package" pictured below.



I'm amused at the presumption that my writing can rejuvenate the winning bidder. I forgot to check how high the bids went on that one.

The performance was hilarious, a mix of new routines and familiar ones, with occasional NH Primary references tossed in.

We arrived home thoroughly wrung out from laughter and the social buzz. As a consequence, we didn't make it to church this morning. Didn't expect to, either. Slept extraordinarily late, read the paper, I shot video of the young dogs romping (not yet uploaded), we drank coffee, and listened to my R.E.M. Live cd's, recorded at Dublin's Point--where all my fave bands play.

Today in our Anglican Cycle of Prayer we are invited to pray for the whole entire extensive Anglican Communion. (And other entities.) This realisation sparked a blogpost, or to use Stephen Fry's immortal term "blessay" for blog essay, of I-know-not-how-many hundreds of words in length. It still sits in my blog drafts cache. Not sure why I haven't hit "submit". Over time I've composed articles on this or similar topics for the Living Church, Concord Monitor, Episcopal News...I was encouraged to do a piece for the New York Times but didn't.

I avoid being politically partisan on my blog, and I don't regard myself as a religious or denominational partisan either. It's an overarching topic in my life and such an important and sensitive one. Yet today I find myself holding back. Maybe I'll change my mind. Maybe I won't. Maybe I should. Maybe I shouldn't.

The project of the day isn't terribly taxing: making key lime sorbet. I'm co-habiting with a germy individual and my throat needs soothing.

This is one of those "no way do I believe a massive storm is bearing down upon us" days, aka The Calm Before....On weather maps our Lodge appears to be in the 12-inches snow band. They're preparing us for an all-day event. The Chap might (finally) feel well enough to return to his office tomorrow, but I'm not sure he'll need to! I predict a day of many cancellations.


No comments: