My Soiree

Top: The crooners (Harry Furness and my son, Blake) perform.

Jo, Karen and Shirley, during a quiet moment on my bridge.

The WordCatalyst Crew: Back Row from left, Harry Furness, JO Janoski, Dan Beams, Karen Heywood and Nan Jacobs. Front row, Shirley Allard, myself and Mrs. Bubba, the lovely and talented Weezie

Well, it's time I took my thumb out of my butt and put something up. It's been another week or so and I promised you pic's of my big soiree, so I guess it's put-up-or-shut-up time.

The occasion was the 61st anniversary of my birth and my desire to try to get together with some of those who make my life complete. I had no idea how complete my life is. I invited practically everyone I knew, not once thinking that folks might be inclined to actually accept (such has been my experience on more than one occasion), and I got the shock of my life-- nearly every single person I invited showed up. Now, let me be fair when I tell you that many of the people were relatives and relatives of relatives whom I'd not yet had the pleasure of meeting, but there were also those very special few composed of some of the writers on the staff of Word Catalyst Magazine, an intrepid bunch willing to brave airports, rental cars with crazy Pennsylvania drivers intent on photographing the St. Louis Arch from every angle known to man, motel rooms, the vaguaries of cuisine known only as 'down-home cooking', as well as countless other indignities heaped upon the traveling public in 21st Century America, for the pleasure of what exactly?

I can only imagine the look Shirley Allard got from her hubby when she said, "Jim, pack a bag we're going to Missouri" followed by Big Jim's stony New England stare and decision to comply despite his opinion that his beloved may have taken leave of her senses.

Now, the decision for Harry Furness may have taken on different tones as he sat on his couch in Delaware and suddenly realizing that if he could get on an airplane and ride for a couple of hours without his legs falling off, he'd be afforded the opportunity to get down with his unholy harps to the favor of an adoring group of on-lookers, so where's the decision? He packed a bag.

Jo Janoski, Karen Heywood, Nan Jacobs and Dan Beams also made the decision to leave their homes and join us, all with varying degrees of difficulty and tribulation.

The two-day party contained practically every form debauchery that could be expected of otherwise-sensible people of a certain age (ahem!), without violating any known societally-accepted norms of behavior and with an absence of any recognized nudity.

And I saw a spirit of love take over a group of people whose numbers, at times, exceeded fifty without a single crass word. I am so blessed to know such people, and for the remainder of my days I shall keep you all in my heart. Thank you for the most wonderful occasion a person could ever hope for. Bless you all and thank you from the bottom of my heart!