Bread Loaf Day -2

I say “minus two” because the real conference doesn’t start until Wednesday and today is only Monday. Today we pow-wowed with the new members of social staff and practiced mixing drinks…a wet/dry run if you will. There were plenty of willing volunteers.

Before that we had an “informative” class on the Vermont liquor laws, which if I had to sum up in one word I would call…”insane.” But whatever. It’s a product of our litigous (Is that the right word, spelled right? Help me out here, Cliff.) society. Basically if a person drinks too much he and anyone he harms can sue anyone in the chain of alcohol delivery for crazy amounts and in all likelihood will win. But the person who actually opens his mouth and pours it down his own greedy gullet is not accountable. Hello? Personal responsibility? I think I must be a closet Libertarian who is still not comfortable using the term, but has begun to suspect…

An amazing surprise today! My sister and her boyfriend came by Bread Loaf. Talk about two worlds colliding! I hadn’t even known they were in the area (they were camping nearby) but my other sister got a call from her and passed on my location and they showed up right here! It was marvelous to have her here even if it was only for about an hour (I had to go to work–wah). I didn’t have much to offer them, but they did take me up on a quick hot shower (campers like those, you know)…such an amazing addition to my day. It has made me smile at random moments all day.

Tomorrow faculty, fellows and scholars begin to arrive. I can’t wait to see several writer friends who’ll be coming. I’ll be workshopping with Ursula Hegi, too, and I’m really looking forward to that. Oh, and I just found out today (sneaking a peek) that Emily Raboteau will be the scholar in my group. I am so utterly psyched!

I will do my best to post something every day of the conference.