Ahoy, SINSULL; So ye're gonna be a Mainer, eh? Well, keep a supply o' them rum-balls about, and I reckon we'll get on well enough, Lass. As to trashing ye're new digs, it's been my experience that the cats can usually be relied upon to accomplish that mission well enough! Hope tae see ye at the hoot, Deah.

Sorry to hear about the cooked pipes there, Cpt; hope the Medics can work some kind of wonders for ye. Do you still play the bagpipes? Now There's a good way to make a "joyfull noise" (and plenty of it) without having to sing a lick!

Here Rush Limbaugh goes deaf and you lose the voice... is that weird or what? Anyway, I hopes ye don't stay away just 'cause the pipes are down for a bit; I'd be tickled just t' have ye on board & lookin' funny! Charlie no doubt has a special banjo solo jest for ye's! Perhaps you could pick up some sign-language... but then you probably have the more common gestural expressions down pat already; I think I can visualize one of 'em now... {8^}0~ Take care, y'ol' coot.

Charlie; I've been working on a banjo rendition of "Shanghai Passage"; prob'ly won't be ready by then, but it's a lot of fun! I've tuned the Vega down from "C" to A# (where a lot of the 1850 - Minstrel era banjos were tuned) and it seems to work a lot better using the standard "C" chord patterns... at least in my vocal range. We'd likely have to noodle around a bit in order to figure out which whistle key (if any) i could successfully accompany you in, but it might be fun to experiment.

Looks like you had a bully-good trip to Aussie-land; hope to get the nutshell report thursday!

Merry Christmas - or whatever you're celibrating this time of year - all hands! Hope ye all has somethin' special tae celebrate, Mates!

Shalom ; - Uncle Jaque