Herding Cats

Once upon a time there was a group of Strong Minded Women (Lou’s description) who decided to gather in the upper left hand corner of the U.S. for what we euphamistically called the Summer Solstice.  I’m pretty sure this isn’t what the Druids had in mind.  The good news is that no volcanoes actually erupted during the weekend, but we kept a close eye on them just in case.

I shouldn’t have been surprised when GP decided to have herself a little adventure on the MAX since she had been itching to do just that for weeks.  And that would have been fine, just fine, except this was the one day for which Plans Had Been Made.  It was the day designated for visiting Powell’s and collecting CC, who was flying in that day and who also, apparently, had been yearning to ride the MAX.  She, GP, goes off while the Residence Inn residing half of the whack was breakfasting.  I think the Residence Inn has become the official CherryBomb hotel, bless their hearts.  The staff is always so patient and tolerant of our, um, whackness.  Plus which they do a fine breakfast buffet.  And a breakfast buffet is an important component in a Whack meet because it gives everyone a place and timeframe for gathering.  They close the buffet at 10 a.m. so you know everyone will show up by then.  In my case this might mean 9:59 a.m.; but, by Bob, I was there by 10.

Now, the good news about GP wandering off is that it meant there were only six of us at the hotel so we could all fit into Lou’s truck and would not need additional vehicles.  The bad news is that we do still need to collect GP and CC from their seperate adventures.  Note, however, that while both were adventuring on the MAX that day, they did not adventure together.  Oh no, that would be too organized.  But at this point all that is needed is to get the remaining whack together in the same vehicle at the same time.  Right.  Huh. 

Do you know what happens when you try to get six Cherrybombs to be at the same place at the same time and without food as an incentive?  Herding cats.  And Fate, it seemed, had decreed that it was my turn to be In Charge. All my worse control-freak tendencies broke out.  Haven’t I given everyone fair warning about what happens when I am put in charge?  Did this warning influence anyone at the Residence Inn in any way, shape or form?  Nope.  First CMS disappears, I think in the company of Lou and Edelweiss.  Then JenB goes off on her own.  Then the first three are back, but we quickly lose Edelweiss again.  And so it went.  I finally had to break out the wand and start threatening people with it before we got everyone into Lou’s truck. On a side note, JenB does a very spry quick-step with only a little encouragement.  And that’s when they dubbed me McBoss.

Meanwhile back at the ranch there is much cell phone activity with Merry and GP as we try to figure out how to get both of them in the same place at the same time so that GP can be picked up and rejoin the herd - uh, whack - which was a bit tricky since I had only the vaguest idea where they each were, GP wasn’t exactly sure where she was going and Merry, it later came out, wasn’t real clear on where she should be.  And she lives there.  That is another story altogether, and one which I am leaving to those two to tell. 

But we did finally get everyone together and made our way to Powell’s.  Well sort of.  Some of us went straight there and some of us went off to the open air market and some went off to get CC.  But eventually all the CBs were actually all together in Powell’s.  Phew!

This is some of us trying to figure out the parking meter set up at the lot near Powell’s.  Yes it did take all of us to figure it out. 

       Powell’s.  Cue the Hallalueia Chorus.

And after a hard day of bookshopping, gathering, splitting off again to find more books.  Splitting off again to use the restroom.  Getting distracted by bright and shiney books on the way back from the restroom and other assorted Powell’s related adventures, we’re all here.  I think. 

And here we have finally all made it from Powell’s to Cary’s.  Ms Merry proposed a toast to the 2008 Summer Soltice PNW Whack-a-do.  Champagne was drunk.  Pizza was et.  It was supposed to be burgers on the grill that evening, but we staged an uprising.  Also which, we were all really hungry and and had some experience now at just how long it takes us to get anything accomplished.  So pizza was ordered instead.  And it was good pizza.  And the crankies went away and all was good with the whack.

But we did finally have those burgers the next day.  This is GP and K.L. putting the grill together.  Well, it’s a picture of them reading the directions for putting the grill together.  And it’s one of those occasions when I was very happy to be in the company of other women, because women read directions so it didn’t take them very long.

In case anyone was worried that, what with the pizza and burgers, that we might not have been getting all the major food groups in there, rest your mind.  We ate quite healthy. 

Here we have Dr. T and Pam preparing to hang a picture over Ms. Merry’s mantle.  No, it’s okay; she wanted it up there.  I think.  There were a lot of other people standing around doing the armchair quarterback thing, but eventually the picture got hung.  

And was duly admired.

Then some CBs went off to find out if the water on the left coast looks different than the water on the right coast.  Other CBs hied themselves off to see Portland’s famous roses.

Their fame is well deserved. 

And after this we headed back to the Residence Inn because I had a flight out later that night.  And while I finished packing and took a quick shower, folks gathered in the hotel lounge area and looked a centerfold pictures of nekkid men, debating whether or not they had been airbrushed.  The picture, not the men.  Well, maybe that too.  For info on what happened after that, you’ll have to ask those who remained behind a little longer.

64 comments July 13th, 2008