What can I say, they lost my luggage on the way home but we made the connection (by me telling William to keep both me (in front) and Tim (behind) in sight and TEARING up to the gate screaming DON'T LEAVE FOR CHARLOTTESVILLE! since I could see them getting ready to start the props... they let us on the plane by my steadfast repetition of "the plane is still on the ground. Put us on it please" no matter what they offered, other flights, good hotels... so no surprises about the suitcase. Whew.

Am home, what shall I look forward to next? Can't imagine anything to rival this gathering, although I *was* three hours late (nobody TOLD me the freeways don't work around Portland)... which I still regret immensely... wow, where to start? I was very impressed with my Tim singing Bold Orion (almost spelled it O'Rion) and the ABCs... I was sorry I didn't get to sing more or the songs I'd been thinking about singing and that I missed the opportunity to get an education about WHAT I sing (like the ones I can't sing along to any more - what key IS it I sing them in?) and so on... I was really looking forward to picking the collective Mudcat brain!

Guess I ought to start a new para about now, take the written equivalent of a deep breath...

Oh, and mousethief, I too have the body of a god, Venus - the Willendorf Venus, that is!
And thank you so much for this great gathering, wish I'd actually made it for dinner et alia, but would really appreciate something to remember it by since I forgot my camera for the whole trip, idiot that I am.

BTW, I love the term "mrrzettes" - will have to start using that!

It was great to meet everybody that I did get to meet, I gather I missed some... I have particularly strong memories of whatever than monestary pattersong was, need some hints to find in trad as no lyrics stuck, of Thomas the Rhymer's version of Willie of Winsbury (a Willie song in which he neither dies nor kills! rara avis indeed) and of ChanteyMatt's version of Beer, Beer, Beer, including a beer version of Do Re Mi which I'd never heard before... and the time spent with Amergin (not to mention his music) was precious indeed.

Sigh of bliss...

And now, back to work. Yikes. Syllabus and first lecture, here I come.
After I check into what's been happening on the Forum...