July Parties!

Okay, I admit it. Facebook is sucking up too much of my personal time. I haven't written a thought-provoking blog post in a while, nor have I worked on my book or written any essays. Here it is 4:30 in the afternoon and my day is almost gone and no time to write. So, I'll post a few pictures from recent celebrations and promise to write something in the next day or two!

Saturday night we drove down to Oxford, Mississippi, for Tom Franklin's birthday party. (That's Tom, right... photo by Doug McLain.) Tom and his wife, Beth Ann Fennelly, are both writers who also teach at Ole Miss. Read about my trip to the Neshoba County Fair to hear Tom read last summer. They are so generous and hospitable to the community around them. Listen to Beth Ann read from her poetry here. That's Beth Anne, below, right. (Photo by Doug McLain.)

My husband and I went down to Tom's party (which he invites everyone to on Facebook!)
along with our daughter, Beth,
and her friend, Kiel, who was visiting Memphis from Atlanta and had never been to Mississippi. I think he was favorably impressed, in spite of the tacky billboard along Highway 6 that says:


"Mississippi: Our Children Can't Read.. We are all losers."


Anyway, the evening was wonderful, including barbeque, a water slide (for those weighing 115 pounds or less... barely missed it, darn!) keg, wine, cake, and lots of great folks to visit with.

Including Tom and Beth Anne's precious daughter, Claire, and her friend Cecile Roberts, daughter of Lyn Roberts, manager of Square Books. Photos of the girls by Doug McLain.











Bill enjoyed catching up with fraternity brother, Richard Howorth, outside on the patio.











Writing group buddies Doug, Herman, Michelle and Patti were all there, as well as Elizabeth Kaiser from Barry Hannah's Thursday Pub Crawl and Scrawls.









All in all a great summer night in Mississippi!


It was fun to visit with Debbie and Neil White, too.(in photo below, with Michelle and me)



















Then on Tuesday night I hosted a going-away-girlfriend-party for my Goddaughter, Julie Stanek, who is moving to New Jersey at the end of July. July and I have shared lots of great times during the years she's been in Memphis. She an artist, and hosted the Mixed Bag Ladies gatherings a while back, where I met some more of her artist friends.

So, we had a private room at Grove Grill where we had fun with

water-tattoos and worked on a memory book for Julie.

I'm going to miss her sooooo much, but wish her happiness!









Running out of time to write, so enjoy the pictures. Here's Nancy and Julie.



Jenny and Julie with the drawing Jenny did of Julie for her memory book.



Jenny and Sue working on memory book during dinner.



Julie and Janan.

More parties coming up, with a wedding on Sunday and folks here from out of town. Stay tuned!