2025 Winter Potluck and Blind Book Exchange Recap

Image: Polly Esther on the left with four smaller holiday Sockmonkeys next to her and Pierson the Sock dog on the right next to a plastic tote with notebooks in it. A roll of blue tickets sits on the table in front of them and a gray backpack sits on the table behind them.

Hello Sockmonkeys!

December was so busy around here and January has had some interesting schedule changes as well, so I'm just getting to this update post. Sorry about that!

Our yearly December Potluck tradition was attended by a small but lively group of writers. We had a good time chatting and catching up in between enjoying plates of the delicious food that was provided by those in attendance. There is a recipe at the end of this post for any who might like to try it!

Image: A table with a green striped Sockmonkey bucket in the upper right corner with wrapped books, including one in a paper bag, surrounding it.

As is our tradition, about halfway through the event, everyone listened for their ticket number to be called for their turn to choose one of the wrapped books based solely on the description written on it. There were a few extra, so some people were drawn a second time and went home with two books. Once everyone had their books, we all opened them and began sharing what we'd gotten with the group. This also led to some interesting discussions about the books themselves and how they found their way onto the exchange table. I do hope everyone is enjoying their selections!

Image: A page of lined steno paper with a handwritten recipe on it.

Everyone enjoyed Jen's minestrone and she very graciously agreed to share the recipe with any who wanted it. (The pasta was kept separate, so if one were gluten free or low carb, I suppose you could do the same if needed.)

Here is a typed version of the recipe, for ease of reference:

Minestrone - Jen (jexx30)

2 ribs celery, diced

1 med onion, diced

2 carrots, diced

--- Saute in olive oil 5 mins

Garlic, minced

1 diced zucchini

1 tsp paprika

1 Tbsp Italian herbs

---Add to pan and saute until fragrant

3 C(ups) chicken stock - Deglaze pan

1 can tomato sauce

1 can beans w/juice

1 bay leaf

1 parmesan rind

Whack it in a crock pot for a while

Add cooked ditalini if you like.

Thank you for bringing this to the potluck and for sharing the recipe with everyone. (I actually need to make some soon!)

Now that this is all caught up, I'll quickly let you know that our 1st Quarter Social and Potluck has been scheduled for Saturday, March 7th from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. More details to come in a separate post soon!

Announcing the 2025 Winter Potluck and Blind Book Exchange!

 

Image: A white tile background with assorted illustrations around the edge. Starting in the upper left corner: A brown gift tag with a white snowflake on it; A green curly-cue; A light beige card with a tree on it that looks like it's taped in the upper right corner; The left half of a scribble star; 3/4 of a mug of cocoa with marshmallows on top; a smaller scribbled star; The PCSockmonkey Writers logo with Polly Esther and Pierson; A larger scribbled star; Words in green "Sat Dec 6th 1 - 3 PM"; A smaller scribbled star; A present wrapped in green starry paper with a white ribbon and a brown gift tag; A smaller scribbled star. Brown capital letters in the center, from top to bottom, read: "Winter Potluck & Blind Book Exchange"

Hello Sockmonkeys!

We've reached the end of November already, so, whether you've been working on a November Novel or any other writing or editing projects (or even if you haven't), I hope you'll join us for our Winter Potluck and Blind Book Exchange.

What: Winter Potluck and Blind Book Exchange

When: Saturday, December 6th, 1 - 3 p.m.

Where: Parkland/Spanaway Pierce County Library

You are welcome to attend even if you're not able to bring food to share, so please join us. If you plan to attend, please RSVP using this Google form. If you plan to bring something to share (even if you're not sure exactly what), please sign up on this Google form - it just lists general categories of food.

Not sure what a Blind Book Exchange is? You may have seen them in libraries or bookstores as "Blind Date with a Book": The book is wrapped and there is a note or tag on the outside with a sentence or less as a hint to what the book is about. This post from just prior to our event last year has links to some of our other social media posts if you're still not sure how this works and would like some ideas. In our case it can be a new or gently used book, and you're not checking it out or buying it, but you do get to keep it when the event is over.

Also, if you have it and would like to, please wear your funny or festive holiday attire!

Masks are welcome, but not required. For the health of all, please do not attend if you or anyone in your immediate household is ill or has been recently exposed to a cold or other contagious illness.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out using the contact form on the blog or via email to the PCSockmonkeywriters (at) gmail.com email.

I hope to see you then!

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!

(Belated) 2024 Winter Potluck and Book Exchange Wrap-up

Image: Brown table with green Sockmonkey bucket in the center surrounded by smaller Sockmonkeys with Polly Esther and Pierson on the right. Behind the bucket are wrapped book exchange books.

Hello Sockmonkeys!

I only just realized, as I was uploading photos from my phone for a post about our most recent potluck, that this never got posted. Unfortunately, I was having technical difficulties getting the blogging platform to orient my photos correctly, which was frustrating, and the post sat in drafts just waiting for its polish and release. That time is now.

Image: Two Sockmonkey writers at the book table trying to select their 2nd book.

We had a small but fun group at our final event of 2024, but we ended up having more books donated than there were people in attendance, so, everyone got to pick an extra book. Everyone enjoyed looking at the clues and trying to figure out what kind of book it might be. I wonder if anyone has read one or both of the books they picked?

Image: Two attendees decked out in their silly winter holiday wear. The one on the left in a shark themed sweater and leggings with snowmen, snowflakes and other winter designs, who is holding Polly Esther and Pierson. The one on the right is wearing a brown reindeer/Rudolph onesie.

One thing that often makes this seasonal potluck so fun is the wearing of silly winter holiday clothing. The variety changes each year; some clothing items have been more subdued but still quite funny. Above is a photo of the two attendees who had fun dressing up for the event.

Image: Six of our attendees at the end of the event standing next to one another, each holding up one or both of the books they chose at the event. Polly Esther and Pierson are also being held by the attendee standing second from the left.

There was a lot of good food and much fun conversation at this potluck and book exchange - including discussions about several books. It was so good to see these writers again and get updates on writing and life, even for only a few hours. 

Plans are in the works for the next Winter Potluck and Book Exchange, although I don't have specifics yet, because I am not allowed to reserve a meeting room this early. I am hoping to hold it on Saturday, December 6th, 2025, but more specifics and the exact date will be posted as soon as I'm able to make that reservation. I hope that announcing it earlier makes it easier for more Sockmonkeys to attend - especially since it isn't about the end of the November Novel challenge anymore, it's just about getting together in community, sharing some food, some company and exchanging books with other Sockmonkey writers.

I hope you're all doing well!

2024 RebelWriMo Winter Potluck and Blind Book Exchange

 

2024 Green Red and Gold Winter Potluck Social Media Graphic

Well, after my posts about week 4, it's now time to give you all the details about our Winter Potluck and Blind Book Exchange (formerly the TGIO).

Many Sockmonkeys are already familiar with this end of November writing madness gathering, but, in case you aren't or just need a refresher, here are the details for this year:

What: 2024 Winter Potluck & Blind Book Exchange

Where: Parkland/Spanaway Pierce County Library

Date: Sunday, December 1st, 2024

Time: 2 - 4 p.m.

We usually make this a potluck because it's fun to eat while we chat about our November writing and what we hope to do next or just to catch up with other Sockmonkey writers. You are welcome to come even if you aren't able to bring a dish to share - please just sign up on this form to let us know you're coming. And if you're bringing something for the potluck, please RSVP here (or just leave a comment on it saying you'll pick something up on your way to the event if you're not sure what you might bring).

In case you're not sure what a Blind Book Exchange is, basically, you bring a new or gently used book that you've wrapped and to which you've attached a short, non-spoiler type blurb or hint about the book for other Sockmonkey writers to use as they decide which book to choose. This is a fun way to get something to read to refill the creative well after spending so much time writing (or editing, etc.) and everyone enjoys seeing the books that other Sockmonkey writers get. (A favorite blurb from last year, which was very short, was "DIY Gone Wrong". The book inside? Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.) The whole thing is a variation on the way libraries and book stores often do this and call it a "Blind Date with a Book".

If you'd like to see some examples of past Book Exchanges, here are links to posts with photos of them on our Regional Instagram:

December 2019

 December 2022 

 December 2023 

Also, just for fun, (and only if you already have it) please wear your favorite funny or ugly holiday attire (shirt, sweater, etc.).

Please do not attend if you or anyone in your immediate household is ill or has recently been exposed to illness, in order to keep from spreading it to other Sockmonkey writers.

The event will be broadcast on a video channel in our Discord for those who are ill or otherwise cannot attend, so they can see and hear what's happening and can participate via text chat if they'd like to do so.

I hope to see you there - virtually or in person!

Image: A dark green background with the neck and shoulders of four different red holiday sweaters, one in each corner, framing a small gingerbread cookie above a Red and Green gingerbread man holiday sweater on the left next to large words in alternating yellow and red that read: 2024 Winter Potluck & Blind Book Exchange". A yellow oval next to the word Winter and above the word Potluck contains small white text that reads: Sunday, December 1st. A rounded red rectangle under the word Exchange has white text that reads: Wear your ugly or funny holiday attire! White text in the center at the bottom reads: See the Google Calendar or the blog for more details and to sign up!