Festivities began with the weekly writing chat (details here. Kellnerin and aethucyn showed up at 1 to write in our parlor. After some relatively minimal fretting about connections (and thanks be to aphrael for letting me poach on his server for irc), it went pretty well, I thought.

Way too much food, in the usual way.

Some interesting music, mostly with blixco behind iGrrrl's guitar. Though she sang a few things, and I tried one (with my uncalloused fingers), and found the guitar was tuned rather differently from mine (maybe a 4th lower?). Or maybe my vocal memory is fading or something.

Must work on those callouses.

Haven't had ginger beer in forever; it was good. Half a bottle of Powers' Gold Label went to fuel the music.

I recorded lots of banter and a little music on my iPod; I'll be listening and seeing what, if anything, can be done with all of it. Stay tuned to a server near you.

The dogs did pretty well. We were expecting Rocky (75-pound viszla) to be overwhelmed and try to hide, but he worked the crowd all evening, and except for trying to help himself to the unguarded food on the table (after we adjourned to the patio, which is behind a hedge from the street, for music-making), was a good dog. We thought Rusti would be fine; she's a people-dog, and she was fine until the kiddies arrived. Not sure what was up with that, but she wanted a piece of them, all evening. So she got a couple time-outs, and spent most of the time being held on toxicfur's (or my) lap, hand firmly on the collar, quivering. Dunno what's up with that.

Dramatis personae, if memory serves: toxicfur and myself; Kellnerin, Aethucyn, jimgon, blixco & DrL, and rizzo with Lady Jane. Edited to add: iGrrrl and the two iKiids.

There might be some rizzo-photographed music vids.

Last night after everyone left we found a case of ginger beer, a case of root beer, a salad, and some sunglasses.

Bottom line: A++++ would host this crowd again.