DSC-Writing/Boxing Day

 I am going to try to write something most days, and I doubt if there will be too much about books. But I need the practice: it helps to pass the time: and it improves my two-finger typing.

Last evening we had a major social occasion in Joan's apartment, inviting a number of people from the building with whom we have become acquainted over the years.

There was Katie--works at the Library of Congress as an editor. She is English from a wealthy Jewish family. She married an American diplomat--Stuart--from whom she is separated. He came too, and I am not certain why he was in Washington. Both are in their 'seventies.

There was Warren--88--an ex-professor who focussed on US foreign policy during his career and wrote a major text-book on the history of American foreign policy. With him, his best friend, Carol (they are just very close friends, each with their separate apartments) who is the widow of an academic who headed a well-known school on New York State.

And Barbara--the oldest--early nineties, perhaps. Lawyer, with a very talented son who has made documentary movies and appears with a video show with the Kronos quartet.

Susan..about whom I know very little. She seems to have been an academic and also worked at the Library of Congress. Very out-going and talkative, but entertainingly so.

To complete the eight of us were Joan and me.

And today we had an e-mail from one participant who said how nice it was to be among a group of people that generated such interesting and intellectual conversation.

Joan's preparations had been extensive--lots of finger-food, and central to the drinking--mulled wine. Now we have loads of left-overs to last us several meals.