Conference Wrap-Up

Thanks to Carla who took this picture at the wac conference. Every cottage had a view like this. The Potomac River ran just a short way from the cottage deck. Yesterday morning, I took the trash out just priot to leaving Algonkian Park, and on my way back, I had to stop and drink in the scene before me, much like the one above. It was Sunday, and as I stood there surveying as far as my eyes could take me, I realized I was having my own private church service right there. I'd have watched longer, but I was shivering. 

On Saturday, the weather turned pretty nasty. We were treated to rain, sleet and snow as well as very cold temps. It was in the low 30's and there I was with nothing but a lightweight jacket. I did have a long-sleeved sweater on under it, but the cold worked it's way to my bones pretty quickly. Inside our sessions cabin, we had a nice old-fashioned wood stove that was now gas and worked by flipping a switch. I don't know if the warmth it gave was real or just psychological, but whichever it was, we all enjoyed it. The area we were in didn't receive measurable amounts of snow like farther north of us did.

Our final session was given by a former member of our group who lives in Paris, France. Alexis Niki has written and produced a webseries called "My Bitchy, Witchy Paris Vacation" She discussed the writing and producing of this relatively new medium vis Skype. We had a projector that put the computer picture on the wall, so we had a good view and heard her well, too. Technology is wonderful, isn't it? It was fascinating to learn about a new writing medium.

A discussion of our group policies and a read-around completed the conference. When I flew home Sunday, I reflected on the fact that writersandcritters and these conferences we've had have been a real blessing in my writing and also to me personally. I count as close friends these wonderful women who are intelligent, witty, knowledgeable, outright funny at times, and ever so talented. Besides all that, they are unselfish as they are willing to share their own writing talents with the other writers in the group. No one person is there to take and give nothing back. We all help one another.

And so our "Fourth and Final Conference" has come and and gone. Somehow, the Fifth and Final Conference got initiated before we all left for our homes around the world. In another 18 months, we'll gather again. Meanwhile, I have a whole folder of information received at this one to go through this week. I came home with one more thing, too---an inspiration to write!