Secret Dutch Yankee Santa Swap?

Not sure we ever actually decided whether to continue/extend the practice/obsession of gifting each other at the Winter Solstice Dinner/Gabfest. Should we each bring a gift, and if so, do we stay at the "no more than $10 for crying out loud" level, or in a nod to growing insolvency everywhere, institute a "cheap, funny, and if you spend more than $5 then you've got the wrong ferkin idea" level, or should we all pool our $5/$10 and buy one big/good/sloppy/fancy/outrageous gift and we'll all duke it out for the privilege of being the sole person to bring it home? If everybody brings a gift, which level of distribution wackness should we observe this year? We've gone from just plain random picking to Yankee Swap (pick a random gift and keep it or exchange it) to Dutch Swap (draw a card after every gift, and the card tells you/us what to do). Keep in mind we'll be in public and all, which kind of rules out the Ukranian Barrel Swap, if you know what I mean. Besides, who has a barrel hanging around these days?

So, it seems to me that we're heading for the "bring a wrapped no-more-than-$10" present for a Dutch Swap like last time. I have a file of cards and can alter them and bring 'em to the dinner. If you wanna weigh in with other opinions/options, maybe we still have time to make a change. Or if you have suggestions for Dutch Swap card ideas, fire them over.

Until then, Happy Holidaze to all and their sundries, from all of us to all the others of us.

Oh yeah, RSVP to me with the number in your party before Jan 2, and I'll add 'em up and get the number to Pam A, and I look forward to seeing all everyone on Tuesday 6 January 2009 for the SANE Winterberry Gnoshfest (details to come by separate post, since this is going to the blog). We don't want the hoi and polloi who hang on our every web word coming to join us, do we?

Spoonisms - not just for reverends anymore

SANEsters,

Here's the scoop. Pam "Teaspoon" A will be hosting the upcoming meeting, and has devised a ladle project with which we can mix a few different crafts together, and stir up some interest in the culinary arts. Put that in your bowl and slurp it. All right, that's all the (clever?) wordplay I have on the subject. Here's Pam's tasty description:

I thought we'd wire wrap and bead decorate a serving spoon.  I bought ten "nothing special" serving spoons and have some wire and beads... so, I think we're all set for the meeting.  It won't be overly exciting, but could be fun and give us all a chance to visit.  Also give us time to plan future meetings.

So, to summarize:

SANE Meeting Tuesday 18 November 2008 at 7ish,

At Pam A's humble abode, and she's handle-ing all the details.

To brang: Don't gotta brang nuffin' but yay selfs. Them what gots beads and wires that they'd like to see on a spoon, or them with theys own extry spoons (or nudder thangs to bead up good), am invited to brang 'em along, but you dassn't gotta (to use the Ozarkian pluperfect subjorktive). Wire tools, mebbe. Cutters, noodle-nosed pliers, nozzle-kneed plovers, and the like, might come in handy.

Well, you kin brang along a calendar for aplannin' of the next few meetings, 'ceptin' for the Winter Solstice Feast and General Goof Off Event, which has already been predeterminated to be on Tuesday, 6 Januberry 2009.

My brane hertz.

der Löffel

No Oct Meetin'

SANEsters,

The Nays have it, so there will be NO SANE MEETING in October. Nor will SANE be meeting in October. But the good news out of all this is that Boo "Clint" Radley will be available for the meetings startin' 18 Nov, which is the date of our next meetin'! He'll no doubt be standing in a hollow tree filming us during the meeting, so bring a trinket to leave in the knothole, if you know what I mean. And I mean that in the nicest possible way.

Sincerely,
A Smoked Ham with legs

No Place for Old Meetings

SANEsters,

News of the Thursday meeting surprised Pam A., who is unable to host, busy as she is with the high holidays of Halloween - the two other traditional hosts (Molly and Richard) are unable to attend/host, so we're down at least three people and have no place to meet. This is the thanks we get for rearranging our schedule to accommodate... I can't remember who, but I know it's someone!

Are these too many hurdles to overcome? Does one "overcome" a hurdle, or merely run/leap over it? Or does "overcome" also mean "come over" as in "leap over"?

My simplistic view is that, since the next meeting is slated for 18 November (and Pam A. is chomping at the bit to host it, and even volunteered to come up with a project!), that we abandon this poor benighted Thursday meeting and wait until 18 November - but if a host and a quorum of willing attendees make themselves known, perhaps there is a better altered native.

And furthermore, what do we do on 18 November? Do we come up with a plan, or do we put ourselves in Pam A's competent hands? And I mean that in an entirely innocent and non-suggestive fashion.

Yr. Obdt. Srvt,
Cormac