Friday night we had some very special dinner guests, including my beloved friend “death of God” theologian Thomas J. J. Altizer. The other guests were Tom’s son John and his wife Sandy, and Professor Mikhail Epstein, a wonderfully interesting guy in his own right.

I don’t often entertain guests. This was a big occasion for me, and preparation was intense. Like the post title says, I’m no Martha Stewart. I could really use a wife – that housecleaning gardener nanny planner decorator hostess person that I hear so much about…

We didn’t have more than four of anything, and dinner was for six. So I went out and got settings for eight. On my limited budget, this basically limited me to Target, but I found a Zazen Lime glazed set that I really liked in their global collection. Then John went out and got some wine glasses.

Tom gave me a couple of DVDs – one on his whole Emory history and the “death of God” controversy, and another on depictions of Jesus in art. I’m looking forward to watching them.

Benevolent Deities Inc. answered my prayers, and provided warmth and sunshine enough to eat outdoors. The circling bats arrived at twilight and made everything magical.

I served mixed olives, chips and salsa and guacamole, and fresh papaya with lime for appetizers. The wine was Seven Deadly Sins Red Zinfandel throughout (how could I resist such a name, and it’s good), although we also had a white and some import beer on hand. The main course was ginger jerk salmon, sweet potato souffle, and asparagus with Parmesan, with a salad (spinach and tomatoes and feta and some of that broccoslaw stuff) and a couple of baguettes. For dessert, a choice of creme brulee or raspberry chocolate mouse from Alon’s. Note to self: I need a tray to carry things!

We talked politics and apocalypse and resurrection and the white whale and the coincidence of opposites, and the growing divide between dominionism and credible theology, and the growing
gap between rich and poor, and Jesus art, and all manner of other things.

It was a lovely night.

Then, last night, we were supposed to go to a party in Tom’s honor, but our babysitting arrangements fell through so I went alone. Synchronity! The party was at the home of the brother of one of my favorite undergraduate professors at UMass. A good time was had by all, and Tom told us a very amusing story about Karl Barth, Paul Tillich and Mircea Eliade.

So today – well, I’m enjoying the clean house…and the feeling of having nothing to do that I don’t want to do. It’s cold and windy, and it’s my birthday, and I’m snuggled in.