It's late afternoon and Dave is warming up for the gig tonight at the Castle in San Francisco. I'm trying to give him some time alone, so I thought it would be nice to drop in and talk with you guys for a bit.

Today's also our second wedding anniversary, and I keep looking around and smiling at the life I've lucked into. I have good friends, family I love, a job I'd do for free, and a warm house filled with music.

I can hear him in the other room, the voice I fell in love with, and it would be enough if I just got to hear him sing for me. But from time to time, like tonight, I also get to hear him on stage, and watch with pride as he puts that voice together with 2 other wonderful guys to make a sound that's better than the sum of it's parts. I love that I get to have that noise in my life!

Somebody asked where Oak Ash an Thorn has been the past couple of years. They never really went away, they just stopped playing bigger venues for a while as they were re-working their material for the original 3-voice format.

Over the years they have numbered from 3 to 5, Dave is the new kid, he's only been with them 19 years. The current configuration is Dave Swan, Doug Olsen, and Tom Wagner. Three outstanding voices who know each other WAY too well. Watching them rehearse is scary. They speak in Martian code and disagree with a raised eyebrow, or assent with the tilt of the head. It's a little bit like watching an auction, or watching for tells at a poker game.

The guys and their wives and kids are part of our family, and singing together is only a small part of a much stronger relationship. When I started playing Irish music and singing last year, one of my teachers asked me when I had gotten interested in folk music. Without thinking I answered "When I married Oak, Ash and Thorn!"

I'm so glad to have a life and a home that's filled with great music and great people. Mudcat is beginning to feel like an extension of that family as well, and that pleases me very much. Thank you Sandy and Mick for your warm advice, RiGGy and bSeed for your dear company, PeterT, Art and 'Spaw for cracking me up, and all the rest of you who are becoming good friends.

Cheez am I in a sappy mood! Well, I'm off to get dressed for tonight. Hope to see some 'catters at the Castle... Tune in tomorrow for the highlights!

Warm regards to you all

pj