Aphelion Editorial 095

Well, it was one great party.Where do I begin?

Bill Wolfe was the first to arrive. He and I sat and talked for an hour or so as we waited for the others. Turns out that he and I share some geography, so to speak, my childhood was spent in a lot of the same area he lives in now. One thing Bill found out from this party is that Krupnick is real, not just something I made up for my stories.

Kate showed up looking elegantly beautiful, and bearing books as gifts. Soft-spoken, kind, and possessing a rapier-like wit that can slice steel at a hundred yards. I was hanging on her every word whenever she spoke. I hated that we didn't get to spend more time with Kate, but she had to leave before dark.

Rob and Larissa showed up bearing Cornbread! Which I promptly hid from everyone, LOL! Larissa made it for me, not for the party. Sorry. Rob also brought a gift from his mom that nearly moved me to tears. Three Tom Swift Jr. hardbacks, as a starting place for me to rebuild that long-lost collection I learned to read from. I never had the heart to try replacing them once the burglar took them. Now I can do it. Thank you! Thank you so much!

Jaimie pulled up during the tour of Casa Vila, but he'd been here before was quite impressed by the changes. I had added some decorations since his last visit. After showing off the house, we all went back in the living room and started partying. If you think the stories these folks write are good, you should try to imagine how mind-blowing it was sitting here listening to them talk! The time flew by, and then we has to adjourn to the back yard to cook dinner. Naturally, I burned the steaks on one side, but the chicken came out OK, as did the beef kabobs. It took far less time to cook everything than I thought. And I want to thank everyone for helping out in the kitchen and out back. I assume everyone got enough- although I know I ruined those steaks. Also naturally, during the clean-up I discovered that I'd forgotten the sliced mushrooms for the kabobs. Well, the corn on the cob was really good. LOL! Cleaning up took very little time, then we were back in the living room for more talking and music. It seemed like only a few moments later that Kate had to leave, or else chance getting lost in the dark on the way back to her B&B. Shortly thereafter Larissa needed to get some sleep, and I realized that we hadn't even opened the Krupnick I'd hurriedly made for the party. Note to self: Next year, use smaller glasses!

An hour or two after drinking way too much Krupnick, I began to feel the effects of having been awake and puttering about the house since 5 AM. Bill also had to take off for the long drive back to Knoxville. So I curled up in my sleeping bag and slept like a man stoutly anesthetized. Which I was, LOL! I woke up the next morning as Jaimie was leaving. Rob, Larissa, and I went out to downtown Athens for breakfast. It had started raining by then, and it's been raining almost steadily since then. As if the sky were sad the party ended so quickly.

An hour or two later, two of my neighbors came by to apologies for missing the party. They stayed for a couple of hours and I've been invited to a party at their place later this week, and again later on this month.

Somehow, I'm beginning to get the idea that I really need to have a social life again. LOL!

This has been one of the best parties I've ever given. I loved every minute of it and I can't wait to do it again. Thank you all for coming and showing me such a good time. Bill Wolfe sent the best 4 photos he took, and Rob has set up a party photo and Aphelion Cover Art gallery page at: this link. There were at least three cameras going that I saw, so there ought to be more photos to post, later. Jacki Powers should be thanked for the food- his donations bought all of it, and half the beer. And as synchronicity, his last donation showed up in the mail Saturday morning. It was too bad he didn't get to come. And Lee was missed, too. Kate, I found your donation in the freezer Sunday morning as I was putting things away. Talk about cold, hard cash! LOL! You shouldn't have, dear. You probably spent more on your plane tickets and the B&B than I did for the party. But thank you, and more hugs go out to you.

Dan

I now return you to your regularly scheduled reading...

THE END

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