Bit of Ivory

Unfortunately, since I’ve been taking FOREVER for me to write this up, my Wahleecon memories will have to be broken up into smaller chunks than I originally planned. It’s not as funny as Susan’s, but it’s what you get.

Overall, Wahleecon was absolute enjoyment punctuated by moments of panic and undercut by constant worry. I spent almost 10 months planning it, and all these people had come hundreds and thousands of miles, some at great personal sacrifice and expense, to see a movie that they could just as easily have seen in their home town. I knew I was having a good time, but I was so scared that everyone else was just hating it, but were too polite to say. Anyway, here’s the event from my PoV:

Wednesday

I had to work, because if I didn’t I’d only work one day that week, and let’s face it, I needed the money. I ended up leaving work early, though, and coming home to help get the final cleaning done on the house and get the Wahleecon guidebook printed. I finally made it to the hotel about 6:00, and chatted with Chris and Kelley, who had actually arrived the day before but who I was entirely too busy (making the guidebook) to meet up with, waiting for more Wahleeconners to show. We had a nice comfortable chat, interrupted by a few of the cell phone calls that were constant over the weekend (although you will all be happy to know that even with all the unusual traffic on my phone I did *not* go over my minutes), until eventually Pam showed up. I was pretty sure it was her when we went to look for her, but I didn’t particularly want to run up and hug someone who might have absolutely no idea who I was, so I waited for her to make the first tentative “Are you Emily?” After chatting for a few more minutes, we spotted Susan and family pull into the hotel parking lot. I eagerly went to hug her, because my one regret from Nimbus was that I hadn’t gotten to say goodbye. It was only a few minutes later when Ree and her friend Marla got in, and all was happy confusion for a time. We finally got our act together enough to figure out where we were going to dinner, and we piled into the cars and headed for Tucci’s, a local Italian restaurant. Unfortunately, the location that had been open only three weeks before when I went there with Jen was closed, so we had to pile back in the cars, call a couple of people who were meeting us there, and head to the Jordan Commons location instead.

Once we got there we were met by Krista, who had already warned the restaurant that we were coming, and immediately hugs and introductions started. Eventually Kate, Jen, and Amanda showed up. Kate proceeded to flirt outrageously with Jake, the waiter, who in turn flirted outrageously with Jen (another one) once she arrived with Joie, because he recognized her as being Susy in Wait Until Dark when she was a junior in high school. The service was slow, the food not what I’ve come to expect from Tucci’s, but it was still a wonderful night– because I got to finally talk to these people who I’ve been communicating with for months, even years, on the internet. That was the best thing about Wahleecon– the interaction with all these wonderful people.

Anyway, eventually the party broke up, and I took the people I’d driven back to the hotel, then went home to try to get some sleep. I had just gone to bed when my kind-of-back-door-neighbor, Duane, called and asked if we would still be up for a while– he wanted to bring my cake over. I’d asked him to make me a Ravenclaw cake quite a while back, and he said he would. I didn’t expect him to get a new church calling and be graduating the day of the party. But he insisted on doing it still. Anyway, I got dressed again and waited for him. You guys, this cake was amazing. I almost cried when I saw it. Scroll down for pics. I’m giving he and his wife free babysitting for a couple of nights to say thank you. He wouldn’t let me pay him, either. Such a nice guy. I went to bed happy.

A closeup of the top.

A slightly wider shot, with a view of the bottom side.

A view of the left side.

A view of the right side.

Unfortunately, I was stupid, and didn’t take a pic of the top side. Sorry, Duane. Maybe one of my friends managed to snag a pic? Also unfortunately, these pictures were taken the morning after I got the cake, and some of the frosting had fallen off in some of the words. Anyway, when you looked all around the cake, it said “Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw, if you’ve a ready mind, where those of wit and learning will always find their kind. . .” which is, of course, from Sorcerer’s Stone. Which I did NOT supply to Duane, mind. He found it all on his own. See. I told you he was an amazing guy.

P.S. to Duane– I’ve got these in high-res, if you want them. I’ll burn them onto a CD and bring them to church on Sunday.