I don't like picking out any one of the concert performances. I enjoyed them all, but I will say that I am very proud of Charmion. She has been working very hard on the mandolin.

All the Getaways have been great in different ways. This one was particularly rewarding for the times when I was able to share something with old or new friends. In no particular order, a very non-exhaustive list would include:
- getting yet another great song from Karen K, this time a bluesy version of Matty Groves with Lord Arlen's wife getting done in with a pistol, rather than a sword. Karen is the soul of kindness and agreed to send me a recording
- hearing Barry Finn sing one of my two new favourite sea shanties, London Julie and talking to him about how he came to hear it. I first heard it sung by a young fellow in a pub session in Goderich, Ontario this August and immediately knew I had to learn it. He told me he got it from a Johnson Girls CD. When I bought the CD I found that the Johnson Girls got their version from Barry. (My other new favourite shanty is Won't You Help Me to Raise 'em, which Barry also sang, together with Theresa, Jeri and Ken)
- listening to the CDs I bought from Dick Greenhaus on the way back, and thinking "I have to learn that song, and that one, and that one, ..."
- getting some positive feedback from people whose opinion I respect
- chatting with Lonesome EJ, who suggested I should learn to play the guitar (well, it could happen!)
- hearing some great violent and bloody songs at the workshop that Charmion and Sue Mathieu and I led. I wish we could have got heard from everybody. There were just too many people, and its the nature of a good story song that it often requires more than 3 or 4 verses. I hadn't met Sue before and I loved her powerful voice and her repertoire. I hope we get a chance to sing together again.
- singing a song, not expecting accompaniment, and actually having Ron Davies and David Scheim and Leadfingers joining. It don't get better than that.

By the way, MMario, you led a great workshop. Everyone who was there enjoyed it.

Edmund