By Tony and Elaine Ring
The Rings' reputation as rain-makers (Newts: remember the barbecue at Maria Sensale's home near Boston in drought-stricken 1993?) was eventually vindicated towards the end of their recent two-week stay in the environs of San Francisco and Livermore, California. Elaine and Tony were guests of Len and Shirley Lawson for the bulk of their stay, though Ed and Missy Ratcliffe and Jan Kaufman provided respite care for the Lawsons by also acting as hosts.
But what, I hear you ask, has this to do with rain? Well, the advice confidently given and happily accepted was that it does not rain in San Francisco in May. But it does, though fortunately not on the day on which Tony had to sing for his vacation. A meeting of 20 members from the Blandings Castle chapter plus three from Seattle was held at Len and Shirley's home, at which the nine completed tracks of the long-awaited Wodehouse Lyrics CD were played and very much appreciated. Hal Cazalet and Sylvia McNair both have wonderful voices, and Steven Blier's piano playing seemed at times miraculous. Tony then explained how his broadly-based Wodehouse collection had taken its present shape, and was rewarded during his visit by numerous pieces of information from Len's own formidable collection which will be used in the addendum to the McIlvaine bibliography.
The Rings were also able to have dinner with their former next-door neighbours from Great Missenden, who have settled in Livermore, and to join around a dozen chapter members at a production of Iolanthe at which Neil Midkiff was musical director. In addition they visited Monterey, Big Sur, Berkeley, Alcatraz, the Napa Valley and other spots, and walked in the rain in the Muir Woods.
The morals of this report are two-fold: first, the friendship of Wodehousians on an international basis can so easily turn into a delightful break in congenial company, but secondly, should you invite the Rings to your area at a time when it does not rain, it is advisable to retrieve your umbrellas and waterproofs before they arrive.
Many thanks to all who made the trip so enjoyable.