When I haven't posted in this long, you know I've been having adventures . . .

Arizona update: I won an Ipod Nano in the raffle. Gave it to Kit when I got home, which made her very happy.

Perfect evening achieved: The last night in Arizona, I went out to dinner with about 14 other people, vendors and buyers. We went some place in Scottsdale, whose name I mysteriously don't remember. Perhaps too much wine? Or some mystical enchantment? We ate outside on a patio, the only party at the restaurant to do so. Apparently, the Arizona folks prefer to eat in air-conditioned comfort, but to me, this was like what you always imagine eating outside on a summer evening will be like, but never is: bug-free, perfect temperature (warm, but not enough to make one sweat unattractively), charming companions, preferably with some sort of European accents, good food and wine, stars visible under a canopy of leaves.

So . . . at one point I looked up at the stars and realized, this is the most perfect evening of my life! Not because it was in any way significant, but simply because all the conditions were ideal:
fourteen people assembled at a long table, several from Canada, one from Argentina by way of Romania (thus, accent requirements were fulfilled), excellent food and wine, lots of interesting conversation, lots of open-hearted laughter (as opposed to cynical, snide laughter, which makes me most uneasy). At the end of the evening we all embraced, exchanged cards, etc. And we will probably not have any personal contact again, except coincidentally. But for one evening, perfection!

To be continued . . .