laramie

On Friday evening, after leaving work, I stopped by the M'Or Designs shop in Gavidae and spoke with Mark A. I told him that creating the display stand for my bookmarks has turned into more of a project than I anticipated. (After spray painting the base and upright on Thursday evening I thought it still looked too shabby, and thought of using papier mache or actual tree bark in thin sections to make it look more like a small tree). He was very understanding – and, I have to suppose, not as concerned as I about getting my bookmarks before the eye of the public. I admired the other merchandise on display, lusting terribly after some square-cut flat beads of blue goldstone and tiger's eye. I admired some antique clay oil-lamps and bookends of polished jasper. I also appreciated that there appeared to be plenty of shelf space so that my display would fit in nicely. I commiserated when he told me about having to keep the shop open late during the Holidazzle season, despite the fact that the parade-goers don't bring in any business. It's a requirement of the Gavidae landlords.

I called Carolyn when I got home and we arranged to meet at the game party at Dreampark. She was having dinner with Tom, so would arrive sometime later than myself. In the meanwhile I got into a game of Scrabble with Judy R and Dave R. Dave shot into the lead with 'circlers' on a double-word square, with the fifty-point bonus for using all his letters. Judy was very creative in thinking up words that neither Dave nor I had ever heard of. When Carolyn arrived she sat down to help Judy, and before long they brought in a ringer in the form of Bill, who's one of those people who has memorized all the two-letter words in the book. Unfortunately for them it was too late in the game for that to do much good. Dave went out before I could use my 'Z' (I had 'fazed' on the board) and won the game.

Carolyn and I took off for the Riverview cafe to catch a performance by Riverfolk. We had a little trouble with road-construction blocking 38th Street, which would have been the most direct route, but found the place in due course. I'd never been there before, and was impressed with how reader-friendly (nice nook with couches and bookshelves) and kid-friendly (a brightly painted alcove full of toys) the Riverview seemed. We got fruit juices to drink and sat on a small couch playing cards and enjoying the musical performance. I hadn't heard the group perform 'Galileo' before and pleased to hear them doing it – one of my favorites. The audience was packed with friends and family of the group. I got to hear a lot of favorite songs, and it's always more fun when you know the people in the band. Carolyn and I played Gin, Crazy-Eights and Kings-in-the-Corner, each winning about half the games.

On Saturday I spent a good part of the day running errands and catching up with housework: grocery-shopping, laundry, dishes, watering the houseplants, etc. I did stop at Powderhorn long enough to visit the ducks, and scatter some corn for their delight. It was a humid morning and I was just as glad to skip walking all the way around the lake. The day only grew hotter and more humid in the afternoon, and I resorted to air-conditioning in the house.

Carolyn came over early, before the Filk Circle, to play with her Sims and to let me know if my cat-smell eradication procedures had been effective. (She pronounced the place smell-free.) (I think the unaltered young males, Twinkletoes and Skip-the-Light-Fantastic (Skippy) have given up on claiming my territory as their own. Due to my past eradication efforts with Petzyme spray. They are certainly spending more time outside than in since the springtime.)

Carolyn has not been wanting to do any singing after her experience with the music teacher she had last semester, but agreed to attend the Filk circle because she wanted to meet Ray, and I told her that she wasn't obliged to sing along, and would be welcome simply as our audience.

Ray had said he'd attend, and I'd also heard from a friend, Rebecca, who expressed interest in the filk circle. I was inspired to go to a little extra effort and prepared some lemon-zinger chilled tea, a tray of cold-cuts and cheeses, an assortment of crackers as well as some chips and raisin-oatmeal cookies. It was a disappointment then, that neither Ray nor Rebecca ever showed up. I was especially disappointed to miss Ray, who had been more definite about attending, and since Carolyn didn't get to meet him after all.

Cassandra (who works as a Library Aid, and whose work schedule only permits her to attend about half the circles) was able to join us, though, and Carolyn did do a little singing. Mary O'Meara is one of her favorite songs, and she couldn't resist joining in on that, or suggesting a couple others that she'd learned at the knee of Martin S. Most of the regulars were there as well: Thorin and Richard T, and Rich B – so, despite those missing, we managed to have quite a good time making music - until our voices finally gave out.