More of My People

Nikki Hardin's (publisher of skirt! Magazine) Morning Muse from last Friday included a link to a poster site called "Advice to Sink In Slowly" . I downloaded one of the posters (right) because it reminded me of why I need other people—not only “feedback” (as the poster says) from my writing critique buddies, but also just the human connection.

Like the human connection we made with our supper club, which met at our house Friday night. It was our last meeting while Hannah and Matthew are still in town (they’re moving next month) which made it even more special… and my daughter, Beth, joined us., since she's living at home this summer, doing an internship with an architectural firm.

We missed Ethan, who had a conflict… and, well, we ate his leftover steak tonight. Sorry, Ethan.

And I cropped Matthew out of the only picture I got of him because his mouth was full, and I think he would prefer I don’t publish a picture of him with his mouth full on my blog. Right, Matthew?

Okay, so there are no pictures of me at dinner club, which is probably a good thing because I ate way too much and probably looked as full as I felt all night.

First, it was the yummy Big Fire pinot gris that Hannah and Matthew brought…. Especially this one—check out the cool label.

And the excerpt from a poem by Rupert Brooke on the bottom of the label was perfect… although we couldn't see the "white fire of moonlight" here in midtown with the tall houses and trees. My friend, Herman, saw it, from a canoe on his lake down in Hernando, Mississippi last night!

We didn't have moonlight but boy did we have food. First, really large ribeyes on the grill. I feel sleepy just typing the words.

Caitlyn brought garlic mashed potatoes with lots of real butter,

and Hannah made homemade baby biscuits (not their real name but I don’t remember) and Claire made homemade Crème Brûlée and by nine o'clock we were all approaching serious food comas! (But it was worth it!)

And there was the interesting incident of the flying steak knife... which landed point down in our kitchen floor on its way to the sink and just stood straight up.

(okay... it was funnier last night, as things usually are after a few glasses of wine!)

I was warmed just by having my house full of people I love, and as I often do, I thought about Rodney Atkins' song, "These Are My People."

I thought about it again as I got up this morning and drove to Oxford for my monthly writers critique group meeting and was reminded again why we need people… and this time, specifically feedback. Two of us in the group are writing and revising chapters of the books we’re writing, and others are working on shorter pieces. I’m always amazed at the tenderness with which my fellow writers’ suggestions are offered with this group. I think everyone agrees that we’re cheering for each other to hit it over the fence! We really missed our fearless leader, Doug, who started the Yoknapatawpha Writers Group last summer and has never missed a meeting until today! Oh, and also Tom... sorry you couldn't make it, guys!

And we always end the day up on the balcony of City Grocery with a round of drinks and relaxed conversation as we watch the sun begin its descent and the locals stroll around the square greeting friends in the warm, down-home way that happens in small towns all over the South.

Ya’ll come back now, you hear?

We’ll be back in July!