It has been a very weird week, here, Mom. We had a smashing success of a party all afternoon and evening yesterdfay, an open house to finally warm the new digs with all the neighbors in and all the friends we've made in various circles since we started here in Hillsborough, Nawth Carolina. The place was jamming with laughter and good craic, some fine music, good food and wine,merriment on every hand. A grand night had by all.

Yesterday morning I went down to nearby Graham, NC and opened for a big band playing for the annual Veterans Day gathering--free hot dogs, especially for Vietnam Vets, and a rollicking beach band. As the opening act we played for about forty minutes to good reception as the crowd filled in, before I had to run home and ready up for the housewarming party.

At the same time I am wrassling with a bizarre medical issue--a small tumor found in the bladder which was excised and sent off to pathology, who tell it was a high-grade malignant carcinoma. So now the cannibals want to slice out major pieces of my internal anatomy and I am scrambling for a second opinion. I guess it's what you might call living in interesting times.

I shall advise as the mellerdrammer unfolds!

A
First Vowel