Thanks to a series of calendar complications, the next Hobbs Story Swap (still virtual) will be on Tuesday, February 15, at the usual time of 1:00-2:30 pm EST. Please mark your calendars!

The theme will be “MISSING” (well, the theme won’t be missing, but…). Its origin: one of our members mentioned that the family’s beloved dog had recently died and was sorely missed. That’s one important kind of missing that can draw forth rich memories – and there are so many others, connected with many moods. Missing a target. Missing my car keys. Missing a bus, or a boat, or a plane. Missing a baseball. Missing a meeting. Missing a distant loved one. Missing the point. Or just plain Gone Missing.

If none of these brings a story to your mind, you could let the theme itself go missing and tell a 5-minute story about something else. A dog in your life, or some other significant animal, domestic or wild? Personal/family story, traditional tale, myth, legend, historical event – all kinds of stories are welcome.

We won’t be fussy. We’d love to see you at the Hobbs Story Swap, to tell or just to listen, to warm up the bleak midwinter. (Are you missing summer?). If you’d like to have the Zoom link for the gathering, please contact Jo Radner (jradner@american.edu).

Listeners and tellers are all welcome. We will meet on Zoom this month. Please notify Jo Radner if you would like to receive the Zoom link (jradner@american.edu).