bjarvis | Back from Harper's Ferry XIII

The square dance weekend was tremendous fun. Being largely in hostess mode, I danced only two tips the entire weekend. While this may seem unfortunate, it wasn't really: I'm much more relaxed in the role of facilitator/enabler behind the curtain than an active participant in front.

To my reckoning, the weekend was as close to a complete success as possible. I don't have precise figures yet but our treasurer estimates attendance at above 140 dancers. All casual inquiries & conversations were 100% complimentary towards our callers Tom Miller, Billy Harrison and Sandie Bryant. The hotel food services and general staffing were improved over prior years although the new management still needs to work a little on upgrading the hot water service although it also has improved.

The basket raffle and 50/50 raffle seemed to go well although I don't have the financials for those yet. Oddly enough, a prize basket and a fly-in registration prize went unclaimed... we'll probably raffle those off at ACDC next February. I won a registration for Chesapeake Squares' "Pass The Ocean, Hon!" although I have to confess that I don't recall putting a ticket into that basket. Since I'm already pre-registered for it, I'll probably give that registration back to DC Lambda Squares for a future raffle.

We shared a hotel room with Brian & Mark from Cleveland; they were perfect roomies, tolerating our required late nights and early mornings with good grace while we dismantled and re-assembled the sound systems each day.

There were rumors circulating in the past couple of weeks that Hilltop House wouldn't be available for our 2008 hoedown because of extensive renovations. Not so! We do indeed have a contract with Hilltop House and they have confirmed they are looking forward to our return next November. We have an LJ hat trick of callers for next year: Anne Uebelacker (