I've been trying on that color myself since I heard of his invitation. If only he weren't such a swell fellow I'd be trying on much deeper shades of it.

Try being both envious AND missing having him around for a whole week. I keep trying to convince Tim that I can live in his condo while he goes to workshops. I went so far as to offer to cook myself mac and cheese every night while he goes off and eats gourmet meals.

So far, it hasn't worked. Sigh.

For my part, I keep thinking it can't be true, that it must be some kind of a trick -- that someone is pretending to be Walter Jon Williams in order to get me to send them money.

I'm taking comfort in the bit of the invitation that says even non-gourmet-cooks are welcome. I'm not a bad cook, but I'm not even remotely capable of making the kind of meals they eat there. I'm happy to stir things, chop wood, carry water, etc., though...

Well, you’ve got some time to pick one thing and get good at it. :)

Hopefully Maureen will make her bread pudding for you. She made Jambalaya and bread pudding for us at Clarion, and it was most yummy.

And Tim, no secret family recipes?

Heh. My "secret family recipes" are pretty much limited to things like banana pudding and divinity fudge, and I suspect they got the recipes for those off the sides of sugar bags originally...