It was just another ‘Friday Night’ at our house, though Nyel was lying supine on the couch rather than seated as usual in the Morris Chair. Much to his delight, after he had caught everyone up on his progress following Wednesday’s surgery, the focus shifted and he was able to just listen – a role he’s good at and actually prefers whether or not he’s in a recovery mode.
The conversation was lively and covered subjects from book publishing to furniture design, county tax revenues to speed limits on the back road. Not once was there an awkward silence or the introduction of a filler subject like the weather. It was ‘that’ sort of group!
I think we have been holding Friday Night gatherings at our house for more than ten years now. Some of our friends come most Fridays and might be considered “regulars”; some come when they are “in town”; some come infrequently because they have other Friday evening obligations; once in a rare while, no one at all shows up.
Last night’s group included Greg Rogers, a furniture designer and the new owner of the Oysterville Store (his first Friday night visit); part-time neighbor and full-time Designer and classic car collector Bradley Huson; soon-to-be-full-time neighbors Carol and Tucker Wachsmuth who have deep Oysterville roots; recently elected County Commissioner and electronics wizard, Frank Wolfe; and a new Ocean Park/Portland acquaintance, many-times published author Maggie Stuckey. Whew! What a stellar collection of interests, knowledge, and abilities!
Not everyone knew everyone else and so the conversations were diverse and included explanatory ‘background notes’ on what the connection to us or to Oysterville might be – always enlightening, at least to me. So often my interactions with people (especially those I see frequently) are focused on the here-and-now and I don’t think to ask those behind-the-scenes questions. And I really love it when unexpected commonalities are revealed – like Bradley, based on his experiences as a city council member in Ruston, giving some information to Frank relative to sales tax collection.
As the last guest left, a few minutes after 7:00, we were left to ruminate (as we often do) about how fortunate we are to be surrounded by so many interesting people. I think it’s the very fact that we live in this small, isolated community that results in our lives being constantly enriched by such interactions. Hooray for Oysterville and all its denizens!
Peeking in the window! Imagined Jack and myself sitting with the Friday night group, engaged in lively conversation. Wish the drive from Healdsburg to Oysterville were not so long. Caught up on the past few days of The Daybook. So grateful that you decided to continue with this daily gift to your devoted readers.