UPDATE AT THE MIDDLEWESTERNER

I came off my "writer's retreat" yesterday

long enough to get home and prepare for my reading at the Between the Sheets Cafe of Conkey's Bookstore in Appleton, Wisconsin; long enough to go to Appleton and read my poetry to a small and highly-appreciative audience; long enough for Mary and me to get taken to supper at the Pilgrim Cafe beforehand by Wisconsin's first Poet Laureate, Ellen Kort. There had been a message from Ellen, her invitation, on our answering machine when I came home a few minutes after Mary's mother died two weeks ago; unbeknownst to Ellen, she invited us to dinner just at the moment when I needed a reminder that the Great Wheel does indeed keep on turning, that everything is indeed connected to everything, that life goes on. Last night Ellen and Mary and I had a too-short yet wonderful visit over some lovely food. I have to express my appreciation to Sherry Elmer, who coordinates the twice-monthly poetry series at Between the Sheets, first for the invitation to read, and second for the wonderful and enthusiastic introduction she gave me; I hope I lived up to her expectations. When I say that the audience was "small and highly-appreciative," that's a secret code which means (1) that I really do like smaller and more intimate settings; and (2) that I sold at least one copy of each of my books that's in print.

I was also home long enough yesterday to receive an e-mail from the organizers of "Marshall Festival 05: A Celebration of Rural Writers and Writing" announcing the final schedule for the week-long program, and linking to a digital copy of the festival's promotional poster, which has on it a picture of each writer who will be working at the conference. It makes a fellow a little nervous, on the one hand, that his photo doesn't load until the very last line of photographs comes up; and, on the other hand, it made me wonder at the confluence of forces in the universe which put me in line directly beneath two of the luminaries of middlewestern poetry, Dave Etter and William Kloefkorn! Originally, I'd tentatively been scheduled to make or share three presentations at the festival, but constraints of time and budget left me, in the final shake, doing a "Vagabond in the Middle" presentation/reading on Wednesday afternoon, October 26th. I will make that presentation with enthusiasm, and will be on hand to partake of the rest of the festivities. And - who knows - if I can find an Internet connection that's convenient, I may blog about my experience of the Festival as it happens. During the Festival I will be staying with Dan and Mo Stores of Marshall, Minnesota, the good folks who have volunteered to house your Middlewesterner for the entire week.

As my regular readers may know, I have been taking refuge at "The Farm" in Marquette County, Wisconsin, the 120-acres of sand and pine trees which has been a summer and weekend retreat for Mary's family since about 1953. The purpose of my time there? To make some progress in drafting Peter's Story. I had three chapters already on paper when I went over to The Farm on September 12. I am happy to report that two more chapters have been completed, with a third one, Chapter 6, already well-along. When I finish Chapter 6, I'll be two thirds of the way to a complete first draft: at this point I'm envisioning a total of nine chapters for the book. And I'm far enough along that I have the content of those last three chapters already outlined.

I also had the opportunity on Monday to visit with Terry and Kathy Kohlman of Princeton, Wisconsin, who have offered me the use of the restored farmhouse and grounds at their property along the Fox River. Use? For what? Well, I am thinking of offering four weeks of Tom Montag's Writing Camps there next summer - a week of "Creative Nonfiction: Beginning to Intermediate;" a week of "Creative Nonfiction: Intermediate to Advanced;" a week of "Poetry: Beginning to Intermediate;" and a week of "Poetry: Intermediate to Advanced." I'll report more on this prospect as I firm up my plans.

Those of you who have been following the progress of my training to walk the Fox Cities Marathon will know that we're at "T MINUS ONE," with the 26.2-mile jaunt coming up this Sunday, September 25th. Daughter Jessica, who invited her father to walk the marathon with her, will be flying in Friday afternoon - YU-HOO. I think I'm ready: I walked a total of 58 miles last week with no untoward effects. No, I don't think there will be anyone at the end of the race to take a photo of father and daughter crossing the finish line, but I may record a "blow-by-blow" account of the experience in a little essay, and - if I do - I will post it here.

I expect Mary and I will walk four miles together this morning, at a somewhat more leisurely pace than my training walk, and then I will head back to "The Farm," hoping to finish Chapters 6 and 7 of Peter's Story before I need to leave for the airport on Friday to pick up Jessica.

And that's the news for Wednesday, September 21, 2005.

Comments

[Jean]

Goodness, what a full week. Lots of luck for Saturday!!! However you do, I'm sure the training has been its reward. What an example you are, devotedly honing your body and your mind equally :-), caring well for yourself, but not at the expense of caring for others.