Post Party Thoughts

It was a wild three days -- our house was full of folks; Justin and Claui's house overflowed. . .

John and I were thrown out of our quiet comfortable routine but, we decided, that's a good and necessary thing.

A lot of work -- and there was a lot of help. Justin's friends could run this thing without us.

As of Wednesday, I was still laundering sheets and tablecloths and dealing with leftovers and there are still the party supplies to be inventoried and put away.

I keep returning in my mind to the moment during the party when I was sitting and talking with old Tampa friends -- Elizabeth, who was in junior high and high school with John and me, as well as Robert, a student of mine at Berkeley Prep back in '68, and Tommy, a student from the early 70's at Independent Day School. It's remarkable how warm and meaningful these connections are.

We aren't quite sure but this may have been the 38th or 39th Easter Party at Wool Branch Farm. There were children of children who used to hunt eggs -- even a grandchild of a one time egg hunter.

So many people talked about how many years they'd been coming to the party and how much it meant to them. But I think my friend Ida who traveled from Maryland explained the charm of the Easter Party the best:

No matter how far away we get nor how crazy the world becomes, we can always count on this. And it looks like the next generation will be carrying on long after we have all left the scene. This year was really special in light of so much

going on in the world and we did so enjoy ourselves. Peace!