Monday, June 26, 2006

I was raised on country sunshine
I just went to my first national conference for work. This is a big deal that happens every year and this is the first time I have gotten to go in my four years of employment with the UU's. It costs a fortune! The family went with and vacationed while I went to workshops, rubbed elbows, and took naps. Over 4300 UU's came together in St. Louis to argue and drink together. I did some of both. Actually, I did little arguing and much listening as friends spilled their guts into my big, welcoming ears, and spilled tears onto my soft, comforting shoulders. I caught up with some friends whom I had not seen since February, drank some of their homemade wine, and made plans to get together with them when they come to town next weekend. I got promising news that my district position could easily be increased to half-time so I can actually get it done, and I got to try a GREAT beer from A-B, the crusher of all things microbrew in the St. L area.
It's called Beach Bum, and guess what - we can't really get it anywhere but for free at Grant's Farm - the A-B tribute to General Grant and the Clydesdales that draws in frustrated parents and screaming children from all over the Midwest. No really, they have a great biergarten that I would love to mimic in my own frontyard and all kinds of critters running around, like Longhorn cattle and beastaloes. I got to pet a camel and I had never realized what strangely shaped heads they have and what bulbous eyes protruding from their deeply contured faces. Very cool creatures - but they smell pretty bad!

I felt very cosmopolitan as I strutted around downtown St. L in my favorite silk outfit that makes me look faboo. This was the first time I had been to a city where I was not terrifically annoyed by the people, traffic, noise, and lack of fresh air after 2 days of being pushed and jostled and cut off in traffic and lost. I actually LIKED it there. It's only 2. 5 million pushers, jostlers, and cutter-offers, and most everyone I talked to was very nice. But I am glad to be home, and the first thing I did was go weed my garden and pluck 3 homegrown zucchinis from alienlike plants that are dwarfing the roma tomatoes that reside in their shade. I can't wait to make zucchini pancakes tomorrow with mint and feta cheese, ala Joy of Cooking. I recently learned that Irma Rombauer, the original author of Joy is a UU. I think she and I would have gotten along well together.
posted by Rosie @ 6/26/2006 09:54:00 PM

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