Good idea, Bob. I've done just that.

Thanks, arnie. I should have thought of that. The fact is, I don't think like an administrator here.

Di has informed us that she is unable to come. Too bad. We'd love some more from England...or some other countries. Hey...how about you Canadians? There are places in the U.S. that are farther away than you are. Think about it!

And I shall be travelling from British Columbia all the way to Columbus without setting foot in an aeroplane! If I can do it...

Just a reminder...

Although the Wordcraft gathering for 2008 seems a long way away it is actually only just over a month away as we will be meeting on 23 May. A month before that, on 23 April, I shall be jetting to Canada and will then travel by surface to Columbus via Chicago.

Which means that if anyone wants to chat to me about the gathering (or arrange to meet me for a pint in Vancouver or its environs) they need to do it before I leave, as the posting possibilities once I'm in the depths of the Canadian Rockies might be tricky.

Anyone who's not yet committed him or herself needs to make plans PDQ, since hotel beds are likely to be at a premium that weekend!

I am really looking forward to meeting everyone again and, of course, making the acquaintance of those for whom this will be their first Wordcraft gathering.

Yay! It's almost here! I am very much looking forward to everyone visiting our fair city!

It was a year ago almost to the day (09 April) that we went to Chicago for Wordcraft 2008!

Then it was really warm and sunny here and, by the 10th snowing hard in Chicago. Now it's snowing hard here and we are getting quite a covering - which is very unusual for Partridge Green as it's in the rain shadow of the South Downs.

But it certainly brings back memories of negotiating the snowdrifts on our way to one of the several Real Ale bars we visited during that memorable stay.

Yes, it's snowing in London, too. I think it's the first snow this winter to settle. That's in April!

Looked at another way it's a year ago since Kalleh and shu were kind enough to take me off to the House on the Rock. Richard, I believe arrived a year ago to the tomorrow - it was Monday wasn't it? (Depends, I suppose on how you define "to the day".)

The House on the Rock was, for me, the best day of a visit that only had good days. I;m sure that you'll all have just as good a time this year. I wish I could be there.

Oh yes. I nearly forgot. We're covered in snow in the West Midlands too although it's melting quickly now that the sun has come out.

We had over 20 inches of snow just a few weeks ago, but today it is sunny and lovely. Simon just took a little bike trip to the toy store - in shorts!

quote:

We had over 20 inches of snow just a few weeks ago

Yes. We were treated to some footage from Columbus when the primaries were taking place in Ohio. It looked very gloomy then.

Oh to be in Ohio, now that April's there !!

We have similar weather in Chicago, and this weekend has been fabulous, with temperatures in the 60s and lots of sun. Remember last year at this time with the Wordcraft Gathering? We had 6 inches of snow and it was freezing. You never know about the midwest.

quote:

Oh to be in Ohio, now that April's there !!

It's a bit like that here in England right now. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/sprin...-showers-805389.html

For those of you coming to the Gathering, I thought I'd share the invite that I've sent out for the party we'll be having Saturday night that weekend:

hoot·en·an·ny [ ht'n ànnee ] (plural hoot·en·an·nies)

noun Definition:

1. performance by folk singers: an informal or impromptu performance by
folk singers, in which the audience often participates

2. unnamed object: an object or gadget for which the name is not known

[Early 20th century. Origin ?]


This is a fairly open invitation to any and all who like a real Hootenanny! Feel free to share this invitation with anyone you know who is fun and would enjoy a party like this!

We'll be at my house, (address given), starting at or around 6:00 pm on Saturday, May 24th.

Bring: musical instruments, snacks/side dish to share, your own alcoholic beverages, lawn chairs, friends and family (but only if you
feel like it!) Out-of-town guests do not need to bring any food or alcohol - we are just glad you'll be here!

We'll provide: pop, hot dogs, fire in the fire pit, more musical instruments, visitors from out of town (including word-lovers from the discussion board, Wordcraft - http://wordcraft.infopop.cc/ )

On top of old Smokey,
All covered with snow....

Lemme warm up them pipes--sounds like fun, and I can hardly wait to see whether we'll be asked to identify unidentified grounded objects or sing!

Wordmatic

Sounds fun, though it would be hard to fit our piano in the car, so we'll probably come without instruments. We'll look around the house, though!

BTW, I did hear from TrossL, and unfortunately she won't be able to make it. We'll all have fun, though!

Well, at least I'm now in the right continent - although a few thousand miles too far west! On 18 May I catch the train for Chicago - just a shame I have to drive around 400 miles to get the the railway station;(

Richard and Margaret are coming to Chicago tomorrow, and we will leave on Thursday for Columbus to meet up with Wordmatic and CW. As is usual for Wordcraft Chicago Gatherings, it's cold and rainy. Such is Chicago's unpredicatable springs (and falls and winters and summers).

Looks like we'll have cold and rainy in Columbus until Saturday also. It's the same weather here. I heard on the news that it was a rare Arctic cyclone! The cold, wind and rain comes around like the spoke of a bike and each time the spoke hits, it dumps on you!

WM

For up-to-date news of the weather in Columbus, Ohio please click here.

The 4 day forecast is looking pretty nice, actually. Click here for local news' take on it. I think Saturday is going to be perfect for the Zoo and an outdoor party!

Wordmatic arrived this afternoon at the airport, where I picked her up around 2:30. We got a bite to eat (actually, I ate, she just had coffee), and then hung out at my house for a bit while we waited for the Chicago travelers. We met them at a Brewhouse around 7ish, and had a fun dinner with great beer (yes, of course, I know all about cask-conditioning!).

It's great to see folks!

CW drove up to the passenger pickup area waving a sign from her car window that said "WORDS!" How could I miss? And how lovely to meet all of these Wordcrafters in person after two years of online chats! Tomorrow, a tour of Ohio State University, courtesy of Mike, CW's husband, and then of the James Thurber house, with Simon as our docent.

If I can figure it out, I will post some photos on the photo forum.

Wordmatic

Even though our GPS made a few mistakes (while the hotel was right in front of my face, I followed the wrong directions of the GPS ), we made it safely, and we're ready to roll! We already had a nice discussion of the difference between nerd, dweeb, geek, dufus, twerp, and I believe there were a few others. We also agreed that gloating is more like bragging than it is like epicaricacy. And, yes, Richard, we know about that noun/verb difference.

I am sure the waitress thought we were a bunch of geeks!