[Jayne Osborn]

Bill (Carpenter),

Sorry I didn't get to say goodbye to you. Our first hug at the banquet was a special moment!

Other hot spots for me were:

Aaron Poochigian's speech at the Alan Sullivan tribute - absolutely awesome.
John Beaton's speech at the Alan Sullivan tribute - ditto.
John B and me at the picnic - nothing but laughter
Having Quincy and Aaron all to myself for an hour one morning for a nice chat

And meeting ALL these amazing people (did I really??? Yes, I DID!): Kate Benedict, Alicia Stallings, Rhina Espaillat, Anna Evans, Rick Mullin, Nemo, Michael Cantor, Julie Kane, Susan d. S, Jan D. Hodge, Chris Childers, Walter Ancarrow, Catherine Tufariello, Maryann Corbett, Dana Gioia, Nick Friedman, Edmund Conti, Jeff Holt, Sam Gwynne, Mike Juster, David Landrum, Barbara Loots, Alex Pepple, Burt Myers, Frank Osen, Jane Satterfield, Ned Balbo, Wendy Sloan, Tim Steele, Melissa Balmain, Claudia Gary and Rob Wright.

I talked to/spent some time with all of them. Some old friends were there whom I haven't named specifiCally. (Failing that, if I met you and haven't named you, I'm really sorry.)

OK, where's the negative bit? Just one, the "Evolve the Conversation" panel. (Oh dear.)

But, otherwise - 100% - A trip across the pond that was well worth making! One regret? Not signing up for the villanelle workshop; it was great, by all accounts.

Jayne

[Susan d.S.]

Want to add that it was indeed a wonderful week for all of the reasons mentioned--unforgettable!--and as a p.s., that we are going to drink coffee (in proper Dutch fashion) at Ernst the cellist's on Saturday. He lives about 4 miles away.

[Claudia Gary]

Dear Susan d-s and others,

It was a pleasure to see you all at WCU! I didn't have the time or stamina for much partying, especially with the late preparations for my early-morning panel (poetry and music) and other things, but I enjoyed seeing and hearing you all, as well as meeting some folks for the first time (including Cally, Kate B-B, Jayne, Susan.....many others).
Alicia's master class was extremely helpful.
Thank you (you know who you are) for the great photos, and even for the so-so ones!
And Susan, please say hello to Ernst Reijseger for me. His Saturday performance was amazing, and he was so generous to work with some of us on Thursday and Friday, preparing for Friday's "jam session"! I managed to hear and enjoy some of the results (his performances with Al Basile and Leslie Monsour's wonderful music, as well as with me for my own song) before going back to the dorm to rest up for the John Mella /Light Quarterly tribute Saturday morning....
Hoping to see some of you before next June, and others at WCU in 2013.
All Best,
Claudia

[Jennifer Reeser]

Dave and Cally were undoubtedly the stars of the West Chester conference this year. That Intercourse bonnet was outstanding. She could cover VOGUE's "Amish Issue."

I did not get to see, do or meet much, cloaked and cloistered as I was in my "oracle's" office, but it was wonderful to touch at last certain persons I have read long, long -- Kate, Nemo, Orwn, and others whom I am just beginning to know. And to see Tim again, to take his proffered arm after the banquet.

Jennifer

[Cally Conan-Davies]

I do admit giving Cantor a good spanking with my Intercourse bonnet was a special moment...

But the best times, as always, were the unanticipated ones (not that I ever anticipated spanking Cantor with an Amish bonnet!)... and a number of them happened in car rides to or from the hotel, or off-campus eating places, and in gutters— Chris C's rendering of the onion in Wilbur's 'Lying'—I will never ever forget it; weaving a magic with Jennifer Reeser and Annie Finch in the back seat of a car driven by a prince; the private breakfast with Andrew Mandelbaum and his beautiful Chrissy accompanied by the gamelan fall of my Amish balls; more Jennifer intimacies than I could dare describe...

and always and always and above all—kissing Alex, again, and again, and again...

Are all the initiates ready to do it again?

Cally