1st Quarter Potluck Recap

Image: White board drawing of a Sockmonkey and the words "Welcome Sockmonkey Writers!" in purple

Hello again, Sockmonkeys!

Another quarterly potluck has come and gone. Two of this session's attendees, Anna and Erin, drew a Sockmonkey and greeting on the white board to let people know who we were. It is pictured above.

Image: Two tables under a bulletin board. Assorted disposable dishes, a crock pot and prepackaged desserts are spread out along both tables.

Even with a small group, a decent amount of food is brought to share, so if you want to come but can't afford to bring anything, don't worry about that. Please attend so we can get to know you and grow our little gathering from the larger community of Sockmonkey writers. You can see the items from the first quarter potluck pictured above.

Image: Horseshoe arrangement of tables with chairs at them. Two attendees at the table on the right and one at the table on the left. An empty chair with a coat and backpack at the table closest to the camera.

Image: Horseshoe arrangement of tables from the other side of the room. Washington State and US flags in the back corner next to a tv and the decorated white board on the back wall of the room. Attendees are seated at each of the tables.

Thank you to Tina for taking the above photos to share and for helping to set up and tear down when the event was over!

Image: Smiling selfie of Jen Edwards and her travelling hot beverage set up.

Image: Closer view of three attendees with the Washington flag on the right and some windows in the background.

Image: Three attendees at their shared table with windows in the background. The attendee on the left is posing with her hands at an angle under her chin.

Many thanks, as well, to Jen for agreeing to set up and take down, as well as being the replacement contact person with the library since I ended up getting sick and being unable to attend. Thank you to her, also, for sharing these photos with me to post and for posting her recipe for the Red Pumpkin Coconut Curry Soup she brought to the potluck. 

We have a small group of semi-regular attendees and, once again, would love to meet more of you if you're able to attend a future potluck. There was a recent post about updates to the blog which included information about our Google Calendar, but you can get to the direct calendar link and that information on this page. 

Hope you're all doing well and refilling your creative well in a way that works for you.

Announcing the 1st Quarter 2026 Potluck and Write In!

 

Image: A beige background with horizontal torn paper strips mirrored at the top and bottom: light brown then dark brown. In the center is a darker beige partial sheet of lined notebook paper with ripped tabs that reads "Sockmonkey Writers 1st Quarter Potluck & Write In Saturday, March 7th, 2026 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. See blog post for details. writinginpierce.blogspot.com" in different sized dark brown fonts. The PCSockmonkey Writers Est 2009 Polly Esther and Pierson logo is in the lower right hand corner.

Hello Sockmonkeys!

How are you all doing? It's been a few months, so it's time again to get together to share snacks, to catch up and to spend some time working in a group setting on whatever project you're working on.

Since we're no longer getting a large influx of new folks because of the now defunct NaNo site, and because it often seemed difficult for some to access for one reason or another, there are no longer any food or attendance sign up Google forms. Bringing a dish to share is not required, you're welcome to just come with your own beverage to sip while you work on your projects with other Sockmonkey writers in the same room. 

****NOTE: If you do bring something homemade, please be sure to bring the recipe or an ingredients/allergen list so other attendees will know if it fits any potential dietary restrictions.****

Here are the event details:

What: Sockmonkey Writer 1st Quarter Potluck and Write In

Where: Sumner Pierce County Library, Fryar Ave., Sumner, WA

Date: Saturday, March 7th, 2026

Time 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

I know this is a bit different from our usual time frame, but so many of the rooms were already booked!

Here's hoping you're able to join us for some or all of this quarterly event, but even if you aren't, I do hope that your writing and/or other creative endeavors are going well and that you're staying healthy.

2025 Midway Pie Day and Mug Exchange Potluck is Coming Soon!

 

Image: A beige background with a two touching branches with fall leaves on them across the top, three falling leaves along the outside edge and a fall themed holiday tableau along the bottom with green and yellow leaves in the back and an orange pumpkin in the middle with mushrooms, apples and black hats with buckles on them on either side. The PCSockmonkey Writers logo with Polly Esther and Pierson is in the right hand corner on top of the hat on that side. Different fonts in brown or orange in the center read: Midway Pie Day Potluck and mug exchange. Sat. Nov 15, 2025 1 - 3 p.m. See the post on our blog to sign up and for more details: writinginpierce.blogspot.com. Hope to see you there!

Hello Sockmonkeys!

Very sorry we ended up having to cancel the 4th quarter potluck. We ended up not only without power, but also with such limited cell service I could barely get texts out to ask for help posting to let everyone know we couldn't get together. Thank you so much to Jen (@Jexx) for posting here on the blog and in as many places as possible to let people know about the change.

Here's hoping the weather cooperates more for the Midway Pie Day and Mug Exchange! 

New to the region and/or group and not sure what that means? Well, it's a fun event that was started to help celebrate reaching the middle of November novel writing and, even though the event that prompted it is no longer going on, it's a fun tradition we're trying to continue. If you'd like to see a bit more about it, feel free to click here to see other posts with photos and descriptions from past events.

You are not required to bring a mug, there are usually a few extra, but it is fun if you can. You are also not required to bring food. This is just meant to be a fun event for our community.

Date: Saturday, November 15th, 2025

Time: 1 - 3 p.m.

Place: University Place Pierce County Library Meeting Room

To give us an idea of how many to expect at the event, please at least RSVP on this Google form if you plan to attend.

To sign up to bring a dish, pie, snack or drink to share, please sign up on this Google form.

For those who are ill or otherwise unable to attend, if you'd like to attend virtually, the event will be video streamed into a dedicated channel in our Regional Discord server. Masks are welcome and encouraged but not required.

Numbers for the mug exchange are drawn about halfway through the event, so even if you arrive a little after the start of the event you'll still be able to participate.

I hope you'll be able to join us for some or all of the event.

P.S. I did also mention this in the last event post, but I'll post another reminder before the official post is up: Our Winter Potluck and Blind Book Exchange is also already on the calendar. It is set for Saturday, December 6th from 1 - 3 p.m. Location and signups can be found on our Google calendar on that date if you'd like to sign up in advance of the blog post going up.

3rd Quarter Potluck Update plus Future Event Announcements

Image: An off-white background with assorted fall leaves and plant matter scattered on it. A blurred leaf shape is in the middled with the words "Sockmonkey Writers 3rd Quarter Potluck Update" on it in white. There is a yellow rectangle in the upper right corner that reads "Plus upcoming event dates!" in black. The PCSockmonkey Writers Est 2009 logo with Polly Esther and Pierson is in the lower left-hand corner.

Hello Sockmonkeys!

It's hard to believe it's October already. How is it October?

In any case, there are more event posts and other things in the works, but first, time to do a quick update on our most recent potluck event.

Image: A white wall, with a white board on it that has Sockmonkey Quarterly Potluck Autumn 2025 written on it, behind a table of food that is close to the right corner of the room. Closer to the camera on the left side of the photo is one of the Sockmonkey writers who was in attendance wearing a purple shirt and holding Polly Esther and Pierson in her arms.

We had a small group at this gathering, probably due to both other events elsewhere in the region as well as the late notice to the group, but we had plenty of good food and drinks. The librarians at the Graham library were very helpful and we even had a surprise visit from a library patron who chatted with us from the doorway when he heard part of our conversation. Everyone seemed to have a good time and it felt like the two hours was over far too quickly.

Image: Polly Esther on the left and Pierson on the right with a Sockmonkey bucket full of mini Sockmonkeys in disarray in it between the two of them sitting on a wooden stand with the words "Thank You" in white visible beneath them.

Our mascots enjoyed themselves during their jaunt to the library, as can be seen in the above photos. While they haven't been able to see quite as many Sockmonkey writers as they would have liked, they understand that these quarterly potlucks are a new thing to the group and it may take time for Sockmonkey writers to add them to their calendars and join us.

That said, while the full details for each event will be coming out in separate posts, in order to give everyone a bit more notice about what's happening now that I could finally reserve a room for the final event, here are the dates and times for the last three events of 2025:

• Sockmonkey 4th Quarter and Preptober Potluck - Sunday, Oct 26th, 2025 2 - 4 p.m.
• Midway Pie Day Potluck and Mug Exchange - Saturday, Nov 15th, 2025 1 - 3 p.m.
• Winter Potluck and Blind Book Exchange - Saturday, Dec 6th, 2025 1 - 3 p.m.

I hope you'll mark your calendars and plan to attend at least one, if not more, of our ending events for this year.

Looking forward to see you soon!

March 2025 Potluck and Write-in

Image: Photo in the center with (L to R) Polly Esther next to the Sockmonkey Bucket full of small Sockmonkeys and Pierson on the other side on top of a wooden shelf at the South Hill Pierce County Library. The frame around the photo is white with some faded balloon in two corners. March 2025 is above the photo and Sockmonkey Writer Potluck and Write-In is under the photo.

We had a small but enjoyable group at our 1st Quarterly Potluck and Write-In. And even with a small group, we had plenty of food to eat. Here are a few photos from the event:

Image: Photo of table with 4 bags of chips, some cups and two bottles of pop at the back. In front of that are plates and napkins, dips, a meat and cheese tray, a veggie tray and two pots of red beans. Assorted bags are on the floor next to the table.

Image: One Sockmonkey Writer busily working in notebooks and on her laptop at one table. An open laptop on another table.

Image: One Sockmonkey Writer turned crafter and their ride at another table.

I hope that more Sockmonkeys will join us at future Potluck and Write-in events.

Happy writing, editing or creating!

Our 1st Quarterly Potluck and Writer Get Together of 2025!

 

Image: Dark blue sky background with a few yellow stars in the middle and lighter blue clouds at the bottom. PC Sockmonkey Writer Quarterly Potluck! is at the top. Text at the bottom in black reads: Sign up form links and more info can be found on our blog. Image in the center looks like a torn out sheet of lined paper with the PCSockmonkey Writers logo in the bottom center and the words "Whether you're writing, editing, plotting or letting a story sit for a bit, please join us so we can connect." above it in black. Upper left corner of the paper a yellow box with the words We're trying something new and this is our first in 2025! Right corner of the paper has a red paper clip. Lower left corner has an open book and lower right corner has a two tone ballpoint pen.

 

 

 Hello Sockmonkeys!

 

Sorry, I know it's been a while since my last update, but here goes.

 

I mentioned at both of our potluck events last Fall that I was hoping to start quarterly get-togethers, like the ones in the fall, in the new year to give us more chances to visit in person. It's taken me a bit longer than I hoped to get this first one set up, but the library room is reserved and I hope you'll stop in and say hello if your schedule allows.

 

Whether you're able to bring food or a drink to share, please RSVP on this Google form to let us know you plan to attend and use this potluck form to let us know the general food item(s) you're thinking of bringing if you're able to do so.

 

You're welcome to join us whether you're able to attend the entire time or not, so I hope you'll join us!

 

Event Details:

 

What: 1st Quarter Sockmonkey Writer Potluck and Get Together

Where: South Hill Pierce County Library Large Meeting Room

When: Saturday, March 29th, 2025

Time: 2 - 4 p.m. 

If you have any questions, feel free to put them in the RSVP form or send an email to PCSockmonkeywriters(at)gmail.com and I'll try to get back to you as soon as possible.

 

Midway Pie Day and Mug Exchange this Sunday!

 

Social Media Graphic for this Year's Midway Pie Day

Hello again, Sockmonkeys!

I know, lots to keep track of and catch up on this month. Maybe you were wondering if, since we're no longer affiliated with HQ, we'd be doing the bigger potluck events or not. The answer is a definite YES! They're too fun not to continue, so in honor of passing the midway point of our November RebelWriMo, we are having our Midway Pie Day and Mug Exchange this Sunday, November 17th from 12 - 2 p.m.

New to the region or the group and don't know what a Midway Pie Day and Mug Exchange is? Basically, it's a write-in, but with food (and often multiple pies) and where people bring a wrapped new or clean, gently used mug to exchange for a random mug from all the others brought. See this post on the 2023 Midway Pie Day and Mug Exchange 2023 for photos of last year's event.

This is always a fun time and we all get some writing in while eating and being able to chat with other writers from the Tacoma/Pierce County area.

Again, it will be this Sunday, November 17th from 12 - 2 p.m. Please see the event on the Google calendar for more details. Also, please note that I will do my best to stream the event into a video channel in our Regional Discord for those who are ill or otherwise cannot attend in person.

Please RSVP to let me know if you'll be able to make it by clicking through and filling out this form (if you haven't already done so).

And then, if you will be attending, please click through to this form and fill out what sort of food you're willing to bring to the Pie Day potluck.

I do hope you'll be able to join us!

P.S. Yes, there is also a Winter Potluck and Blind Book Exchange on the calendar. It is scheduled for December 1st. You can check the calendar for more details and the links to RSVP and sign up now or wait until the post with them in it is written and published on the blog.

Image: White background with blurred apples on the left next to a lattice crust topped apple pie on the right. A vertical orange rounded corner rectangle is on the left with the text "Midway Pie Day Is This Weekend! in white above a white line with the words "Join us for a Writing Potluck!" in brown above a horizontal darker rectangle with the words "Mug Exchange, Too!" in white in it. Below that in white is Sun Nov 17 12 - 2 p.m. and at the bottom of the rectangle in brown text are the words "See the Pie Day Post on the Blog for more info & to RSVP". The PCSockmonkeyWriters Logo with Polly Esther and Pierson is in the lower right corner on top of the pie.