May 22 report

It was our first tupper for awhile: Last week, Sal was busy prepping for FIRe, Michelle had clean up duty for a work event, and I was recovering from a tough therapy session, so we scrubbed it. The week before, Michelle was in San Antonio and Sally was busy prepping for Fire, so it was just me and Alix and Andy, and the week before that I think Alix was in Vermont and the rest of us couldn't deal.

Lovely Swimming Rama from Michelle for dinner, with rice by Alix, a salad from Jan, and Andy on clean up.

With Sally off at the FIRe Conference, and Craig staying away from tupper for now because it feels too conflict-ridden, and Kathleen on possibly permanent hiatus for similar reasons, we were a small, ragged, and somewhat forlorn crew. Young Andrew joined us with some sort of very unpleasant ailment that he'd picked up in Texas, and was feverish and distinctly pale.

Over supper, we talked about Andy's monologue at Chac, and how various persons have come up to him afterward to comment on the performance, and about Michelle's response to the new version. Finally we chatted a bit about the persistance of the old Daily network, and how many people Michelle and I still count among our friends from those days.

The conversation took a turn for the testy around Ellen Craswell's anti-witchcraft plank for the Washington Republican party, but returned to relative calm when the lucsious little deserts came out.

Here's hoping for happier tupper days ahead. I'm feeling personally I suppose as though we should toss out all the rules and rotations we've tried to put in place this year, since clearly they haven't worked. Not sure what to suggest to improve things, though.


Jan

Festival of Randomness

I am taking the shocking liberty of grabbing this awesome write-up of our evening from an e-mail of Alix's, who gave Michelle an update of what she missed:

"Last night I managed to steer conversation into the realm of Christian sex manuals--which inevitably led to the gutter and a change of subject . Of course, in our case, it was purely theoretical. We missed you terribly! Kathleen made a fabulous dinner, everyone was in rare form, and much hilarity ensued from Andrew asking us all to recount the story of our worst gift ever. There were some great entries into the contest: Kathleen receiving a powder blue velour warm up suit from Phil for her birthday; Jan's family's annual Christmas exchange of scotch and nightgowns; but Tim beat us all with the periodic boxes he receives from his addled, OCD father containing 3-year-old cat fancy magazines, pamphlets from the Sioux Falls Tourist bureau, copies of the 1922 Who's Who in Science, etc.--all, apparently, part of Tim's legacy, the majority of which sits in boxes piled floor to ceiling in his parents' basement... He promises to bring the next box unopened to Tupper Supper so we can all enjoy it together ."

Week of April 7

Just a quick reminder that this week tupper supper is at Kathleen's apartment.

I will be walking to her place from downtown, but would love a ride back to the north end, if anyone is going that way!

Kathleen, let us know what you want us to bring!

Jan

On Auctions

Last night we dined at Sally's house. I don't know if you feel this way, but for me, there is something especially nourishing to the soul about being in a house where art is everywhere: stacked against the hallway walls, propped up by bookshelves, leaping to the eye from every nook and cranny.

Sal's house is like that, and I really love being there. Thank you, Sal, for providing a beautiful, convivial environment, and also for delicious beany goodness!

We served ourselves the fabulous Alix salad with salad tongs from Sal's childhood, lit by candles in beautiful perfect Art Nouveau candlesticks, silver and engraved with swirling vines and flowers. They could have lit the tables of Rivendell.

The women wolfed down the cabbage before the men made it to the table. Sorry, men!

We all mourned the loss of Indie (see previous post), 13-year companion of Craig. Craig noticed that tupper supper is the only place he didn't always have her with him, so there was a bit of relief from the sense of always wondering where she was, and then remembering.

Somehow, our talk turned to auctions. Highlights I remember -- and please, add your own! -- include:

• The Gage Auction last weekend brought in $90,000 gross -- yay Craig! Though it was an oddly lackluster auction, for reasons impossible to determine. Auctioning experiences instead of material things, we decided, is highly problematic.
  
• We learned of Karen, a Development Manager at Michelle's agency who didn't actually do anything, but who referred a Bothell City Councilmember to the "I see dead people" counselor.
• We remembered Andrew's turn as Wilfred Owen at an RHH auction, when he furiously outbid himself.
• We counted the number of board and staff hours required to put on any sort of auction at all
• We spoke of alternatives to auctions -- suggesting that members pay the agency NOT to have an auction. Or, perhaps, a white elephant exchange -- the agency takes unwanted objects from members -- for a price.

In other news, Sally had not yet heard back about Mark's interview with FW DeKlerk, which sounded fascinating, but promises to share highlights eventually. Kathleen spent the morning watching a heron defend his nest from all challengers. Alix was suffering from post-event exhaustion and really just wanted to put a blanket over her head and go to sleep.

Blessings, all,

Jan

In memorium: Indiana

The House Dog's Grave

I've changed my ways a little; I cannot now
Run with you in the evenings along the shore,
Except in a kind of dream; and you,
If you dream a moment,
You see me there.

So leave awhile the paw-marks on the front door
Where I used to scratch to go out or in,
And you'd soon open; leave on the kitchen floor
The marks of my drinking-pan.

I cannot lie by your fire as I used to do
On the warm stone,
Nor at the foot of your bed; no,
All the nights through I lie alone.

But your kind thought has laid me less than six feet
Outside your window where firelight so often plays,
And where you sit to read‚
And I fear often grieving for me‚
Every night your lamplight lies on my place.

You, man and woman, live so long, it is hard
To think of you ever dying.
A little dog would get tired, living so long.
I hope that when you are lying
Under the ground like me your lives will appear
As good and joyful as mine.

No, dears, that's too much hope:
You are not so well cared for as I have been,
And never have known the passionate undivided
Fidelities that I knew.
Your minds are perhaps too active, too many-sided ...
But to me you were true.

You were never masters, but friends. I was your friend.
I loved you well, and was loved. Deep love endures
To the end and far past the end. If this is my end,
I am not lonely. I am not afraid. I am still yours.

› Robinson Jeffers

Ah ha!!!

I finally figured out how to post! I am so hopeless at this, but I hope to do better.

I wanted to thank Sal for just the greatest dinner! How lovely it was to be in your sweet home.

The Garlic sauce is our flagship foodstuff from now on. Let's put some away in the bomb shelter!

And big thanks to Jan for keeping our blog underway. Now that I have finally figured it out, I promise to contribute most happily as well.

Love to all, and special love to Craig,
Michellebot

Himes turns pro, Anderson gets buff

Last night's Tupper Supper took place at the Wilber-Himes residence, in the company of poodles and one out of sight and slightly out of its mind angry cat.

Alix prepared delicious couscous and vegetables, Jan brought her renowned salad of many colors, Michelle brought fruit, and Craig and Kathleen brought wine.

Andy announced at the start of supper that he's taking his monologue to two new venues: One, the Mt Zion Baptist Church, where he was invited to perform by the daughter of the pastor, who noted that she had seen his monologue on the same day that Obama gave his race speech, and saw an opportunity to further the dialogue in her own parish.

The second venue is CHAC, where Andy will be in May for 2 nights a week for 4 weeks. For that set of performances he will be working with a director, whose initial feedback is that Andrew must conjure up the sermonizing spirit of his grandfather and then meet that spirit with an equally vigorous sermon of his own. The CHAC production will also incorporate multimedia in the form of clips from "The Grim Reaper."

The tuppers joined in a rousing toast.

We had a chance to see how strong and healthy Sally is looking, as a result of her weights workout routine at Sound Mind and Body. Giving that woman a hug is a whole new experience now! It is AWESOME! You go, girl!!

Kathleen reported on an afternoon trip to the Magnolia heronry, where she spent time with huge gorgeous birds and caught many of them in candid poses.

Good wishes this weekend, please, to Craig for his GAGE Academy fundraiser, to Alix for success with the final RHH Literary Series for the year, to me while I escort my mom through surgery tomorrow, and to all of us tuppers, with our hopes and challenges.

Week of March 17

Hi all!

UPDATE: Tonight, those of us who are able will converge at RHH to watch Andy's monologue, and we will NOT sup together tomorrow night.

The performance starts at 7. My intention is to be there and eating by 6:30. Sal, I can pick you up at 6:10 if you want!

Here's the latest cooking schedule:

Wilber 3/26
Anderson: 4/2
Atkins: 4/9
Bultmann: 4/16
Byrd: 4/23
Himes: 4/30
Kosak: 5/7

I know of

Michelle's 45th

This was a wonderful evening to stop and reflect upon how fortunate we are to have Michelle Byrd as a part of our slap-happy coterie.

Thank you for everything, Michelle. You are a great friend.

We met at Cafe Piccolo -- alas, I was 25 minutes late for reasons too tiresome to go into, so I missed the kick-off. But when I arrived, small goody bags had already been handed out. Obviously Michelle's native American blood kicking in -- most of us expect to receive gifts on our birthdays but in the immortal tradition of the long house, Michelle celebrated by giving US stuff!

We were very lucky to have not only the full complement of tuppers, but also, Andrew Lamb and Kathleen's three grandchildren: Ashby, Sam, and Lilly.

We did the thing right, starting with appetizers and wine and proceeding dauntlessly through salads, entrees, deserts, and coffees. If there's a restaurant food category we didn't order, I don't know what it was.

More later!

You are required to stand while watching this video.

March 5 update: Nada; schedule shifts

No tupper this week.

(See, it was going to be Alix's turn to cook but then everyone at Hugo House was sick and she had a thing where Lyall interviewed a recalcitrant songwriter, which made a good story but you couldn't make a meal off it, no way. It turned out everybody else had a thing, too, so we canceled for the week.)

Next week: Michelle birthday festivities at Cafe Piccolo with guest munchkin stars Ashby, Sam, and Lily.

For the record, I think this is how things look now:

Wilber 3/19
Anderson: 3/26
Atkins: 4/2
Bultmann: 4/9
Byrd: 4/16
Himes: 4/23
Kosak: 4/30

Mushroom heaven

Supper this week was small -- we were short both Michelle and Sally, to our dismay! We congregated at Craig's house, which just keeps getting more beautiful, and a little darker.

Kathleen had brought her nearly completed Counting Coots book, and we took turns turning pages and voting on cover and title page shots. While there are no bad images in that book, the most beloved seem to be the black and whites. I personally cannot wait to take possession of my own copy. SO exciting. Darling things.

Craig made wonderful panini appetizers with Emmenthaler cheese that had been aged in a cave for three years. "Don't worry, I expect to have leftovers," he reassured us. He was disappointed -- sorry Craig!

Main course was an absolutely killingly delicious mushroom stew served over brown rice. Jan brought her usual "eat a rainbow" salad but unusually refrained from pointing out all the colors.

Indie was in great form.

Montisi memories

Tupper rumbled to a start on the balcony at Alix and Andy's, which afforded the finest view of a full lunar eclipse, the likes of which we'll not see again until 2010.

Plus we had the unveiling of Craig's lovely birthday gift to Alix, a painting of our beloved Montisi as looked back on from the hill opposite. Those rich Italian colors beckoned from the canvas. Craig is assembling a book of his paintings from the last couple years, which he will publish through Blurb, I think. We all want one.

Andrew made a luscious stir fry and noted he has two upcoming monologue performances, one in a private home, on at Hugo House, in March.

Kathleen is making a counting book of coots that sounds completely adorable. Coots make everything better. She left a little early so she could get enough sleep to take Josh to the airport for a morning flight, which she wanted to do and was happy to do, so don't give her any shit about it, goddamnit! She'd already smashed a bottle of wine on the front steps and had had just about enough.

Jan brought salad and Sally brought darling little Clementines that she found at Costco. They were so sweet and fine! And the wine came from a Costco 4-pack, as well (They have a superb sommelier.) It's obviously been way too long since Jan was at Costco.

Jan and Sal looked over the pictures from Amber's wedding in a photo book like the one Craig and Kathleen are making. The Coronado hotel sprawled down the beach like a sleepy old show-tunes star, elegant and lost in time. Some kind of special kick or sweetness of the past.

Oscar keened a bit, and Andrew, Sal, and Jan plumbed the nature and quality of said keening. No conclusions were reached.

Michelle, working late, was much missed.

2008 schedule reset

Hi friends,

Just trying to get us back to agreement on where we are. Here was the old 2008 schedule:

[Holidays, Kathleen birthday at Donn and Diane's]

Anderson: 1/9 (note guest Tim Harris)
Atkins: 1/16
Bultmann 1/23
Byrd 1/30 (guest Stacy and nice VIW fellow from Alaska)
Himes 2/6 (Postponed to Thurs for YA birthday at Picollo)
Kosak 2/13 (Moved to Sea Thai)
Wilber 2/20

Factoring in our various venue changes and schedule shifts, and picking up where we are now, here’s what we get:

Himes 2/20
Kosak 2/27
Wilber 3/5
Anderson: 3/12
Atkins: 3/19
Bultmann 3/26
Byrd 4/2

I feel like we're all still experiencing more stress and and confusion than we should be. Is that true, or is it all fine? Is the blog helping, or just a pain in the ass? Should we go back to e-mail broadcasts only?

Anyone who has ideas about how we can better decide, track, and share information about changes to the cooking schedule, eating venue, or addition of guests, please offer them up!

Thank you!

Jan

Tupper Supper tonight!

Hi all,
I'm bringing a chick-pea vegetable soup to Alix and Andy's tonight--so, whoever would like to bring salad, bread, etc., can plan accordingly. I'll send you e-mail as well.
K.

2008 Supper Schedule

Hey all:

So, Craig and Alix fed the monumental gathering last with minestrone soup and fantastico paninis! Then we had the Donn and Diane birthday treat for Kathleen -- revisiting Montisi!

The time has come again to reckon our next dates. Here's a starter!

Anderson: 1/9 (note guest Tim Harris, invited by Andy)
Atkins: 1/16
Bultmann 1/23
Byrd 1/30
Kosak 2/6
Himes 2/13
Wilber 2/27

Please make corrections in comments as necessary!

Jan