Of Benefits & Washouts

Happy Friday, all!

Doesn't feel like Friday to me, but whatever. I always hope to do more with my weeks (days, hours, minutes), and then Friday is suddenly upon us, and I feel like I've done nothing. But, such is my cross (I choose) to bear, and I think some people are getting sick of hearing about it! ;)


The benefit held at our town hall last Saturday was a roaring success! I was quite apprehensive about "how I would act", "what would I say" to all these kind, generous people who gave of their time & food (potluck); time, possessions, and artwork (silent auction); time & energy (the band); money in a time of economic crisis; and, oh, yes, TIME in organizing the whole she-bang! But, you know what? I should have known better. Besides, I'm not that important. Really! I mean, sure, people wanted to know how Tom was, and he and I both spent nearly the entire night telling and re-telling the story of his accident and recovery, but you know the MAIN reason people were there?

To . . . have . . . a . . . good . . . time.

That was all! Simple as that! Yes, they were supporting three families who are experiencing harder than usual times, but most of all, they were there to visit and hang out with friends in a TRULY lovely way!

I hope potlucks come back into fashion now with the economy being what it is. As Tom pointed out, the dishes consisted of nearly ALL "comfort foods" . . . and who doesn't love that?! The thing I particularly enjoy about potlucks is that everyone generally brings out their best . . . an opportunity to show off a little, I think. And we ALL get to benefit from that slight hint of ego! ;)

I should have gotten a picture of the main meal & dessert tables. The food was on two or three tables placed end to end, and they were CHOCK FULL! And that doesn't even include the dessert table! There was coffee, ice water, and lemonade to drink . . . and a dear friend was clever enough to bring a 6-pack of beer that was ALL TOO SOON consumed!

Afterward, polishing off two bottles of wine that a friend had won in the silent auction, a group of us realized what a "good, old-fashioned fun" night the evening had been. Friends coming together. A local band belting out Johnny Cash. Turkey roasters full of boiling water on top of the stove in the kitchen so the dishes could be washed afterward in the no-indoor-plumbing hall. Kids coming in sopping wet from outside only to pant out, "No. Snowball fight!" to the surprised question of, "Is it raining?!" There wasn't a Gameboy in sight. No cellphones, either (no reception!). A teenage boy who we've watched grow up - smack in the middle of that awkward, pimply stage - engaged a pretty young blonde in conversation . . . first in the full light and busyness of the hall and then outside in the darkened foyer (unheated, but they hardly cared!). I wonder how the night ended for them? ;)

I was exhausted by the end of it all, my voice hoarse from trying to talk over the music from the band. But, it was a good kind of exhaustion. A contented exhaustion.


And now I see that my writing time is over. I need to get on with the day. The "of washouts" part of the story will have to wait 'til later. I will say, though, that our 4+ mile long winter driveway is now officially washed out! We were able to get vehicles on either side of the washouts on Wednesday, so we can still get out . . . if we transfer two times between three vehicles! Here we are making the last-ditch-effort to get one of the vehicles over the washout to where it needed to be . . . and this particular spot collapsed just in the span of time between Tom going to town that morning and me going out to check conditions around 2:00 PM!