Did a two-and-a-half mile walk - sweaty and gross now, and resting my voice.
Made it to the winery early, met the new panelists and we had the first panel right on time. People had great questions, there was a lot of interplay with the audience, and I didn't trip up too much trying to keep things moving.
Second panel actually went a little quicker than the first, but I felt I moderated it a little better, so that the talk stayed lively. And the folks seemed to enjoy themselves -- at least they said they did afterwards.
It was after the second panel that someone let me in on the gossip. The winery owner's wife, a lovely woman I've known for about 20 years now, was recently diagnosed with gastric cancer and given only a few weeks to live. Really sad news on what had otherwise been a good day.
Then I headed back. It was a lovely drive through the Hill Country. The spring rains have left everything lush and green, and it hasn't been too hot up there this summer.
And I got to listen to some more of Colson Whitehead's The Nickel Boys, which is hard-hitting but compulsive listening.
I'm sorry, Fred, but I was never able to work in the lyrics. I was able to work in mentions of all the new rose' products on the market, from vodka and vinegar to mustard and water. (Yes, rose' water. It's like the antichrist. They're turning wine into water.)
The stumble-through went really well - no lyric flubs at all - well, maybe one tiny one. Cast was great, I had very few notes, we ran a couple of things and that was that.
Where is everyone this evening?
