Trying to think of something to write in Ester's book, again like I was last night at this time I'm writing about now. I had the idea of the Barn final exam, but then I thought that would be too big and besides it should be shared with the others too. She came and sat on [not my] bed, and I read her some stories from SJiI, and then her guests arrived: Zabby, Sorelle and Kate, who is so neatly hemmed in by her hat and glasses. Not much later: Brigid and Sarah (Cohodes, yes?) We sat on the floor in the common room (brilliant statement about comfort that), in the shadow of Rebecca's bookshelf, and drank wine. I brought out grapes (good ones, intense), seaweed rice crackers, and some sesame stick mix stuff that was in the cupboard. We started "I Never" (which I'd always heard as "Never have I ever." Quite an easy-going, friendly game. Pretty tame group - I mean, I probably had to pay the forfeit more than anyone except maybe Ester. Nothing particularly noteworthy was revealed, except possibilities for things we could have done that would have been firsts for everyone (clothed showers? sex toys?) Four of them in a row were wearing a shade of red. We finished the last two-thirds of a bottle of Shiraz and a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, then half of a bottle of Cabernet. Most of them (philistines or touchy-feelies) quaffed straight from the bottle; Brigid and I had glasses. I think we had more than anyone, especially since towards the end everyone else had resorted to just saying "swig" rather than drinking, while I was polishing off my third glass. It might have been a more enjoyable mild buzz than I've had. Oh, I also drank my Outrageous ginger ale (excellent.) We listened to "Walking Wounded," which is so good that I'm listening to "Temperamental" now. Around 2, when it looked like everyone was ready to fall asleep right there on the floor, Brigid and I went to finish "Noises Off." Ben showed up fifteen minutes from the end, and we relinquished the bed to him and his zombie bride. She claimed that she didn't feel all that affected by the alcohol, but it must have helped somewhat. I walked back to campus with her and Kate, fabulous night for stars. She had a shuttle to catch in less than an hour; we good-byed (if Sammy Cahn can use it...). Poor Kate, what must she have been thinking. Someday I'll feed her artichokes as well.

you must remember this