Back home...

I finished out the conference by attending the "AAA" meeting, "Ask Aidan Anything" to which he immediately told us that wasn't true, as he couldn't be asked to be married, for he already was. Aidan has a great sense of humor, I loved him. I'll talk more about him soon.

During that same time, other people attended a talk on a new Chesterton High School. I'll also tell you more about that soon.

Other people attended a wildly popular session on heraldry, given by Peter Floriani, to high acclaim. Peter has studied these things, and knows a great deal about the symbolism of heraldic shields and such.

There was a fourth session but my memory has just failed me as to what it was.

After that, there was an interesting talk on Chesterton and Marriage, and the speaker, Steve, sat at my table for dinner and was a very interesting person to talk to, despite the fact that he's a lawyer. ;-)

After that, we had Mass in the Chapel, and then the banquet.

The table I sat at, well, I would have loved for it to have about 12 more chairs, as I wanted to sit with everyone I'd met over the weekend. As it was, I sat with Peter Floriani--a PhD computer scientist, David Deavel, some sort of doctoral candidate at Fordam University who writes articles on Harry Potter with his wife, Steve the lawyer, Judy, who has a sacred art gallery in Minneapolis, and Lily, a native of South America living in River Falls, Wisconsin, who also homeschools her children and helps her husband run a family business. An eclectic group, as only Chesterton could gather.

The food was great, but then began the entertainment. First, they had a sort of band, made up of Chestertonians on the guitar, mouth harp, banjo, violin and mandolin. Most of them weren't any good. I suspect the whole thing was done just so that we could be amazed at the talents of the young violinist. She was the daughter of one of the Chestertonians (the banjo player of all things, you would think his daughter would play the dulcimer or something) and although she looked to be about 9 or 10, she could play better than any of them, and didn't appear to need the sheets music as much as the older ones, who squinted dramatically during the performance, I suppose to evoke our sympathy; which it did not. ;-)

There was a very fine reading of a new poem about cheese by Rob, a very talented, and--pay attention young female Chestertonians--handsome writer of amazingly good and funny poetry.

There were more musical things, but then....my cell phone announced that Cinderella had to leave the ball. My children were ready to see their mother again, and be tucked into bed. So, sadly, I had to leave during the middle of it all, without saying goodbye to anyone. Hugs to everyone!

More soon.