Aha. I found this thread just after posting my cryptic response to your cryptic response to my earlier cryptic PM.

Thanks, Pat, for the fine review. I'm hoping to make the next offering a bit less ragged, but as your note implies, I love playing with these folks and they seem to be not too repelled by the task of backing me--and even doing the lion's share of the production and providing the recording venue. Unfortunately I can't do a Noe Valley Grape Jam vintage 2009 since Joe and Courtney have moved from their beautiful Noe Street apartment to a house in the Haight/Ashbury. Perhaps another form of performance enhancer would be more appropriate for that location, but I have enough trouble remembering my verses and chords and breaks without going all fuzzy. What's that country song about the Cherokee fiddler who busked in a railroad station "for the whiskey, 'cause good whiskey never lets you lose your place"?

So what's going on in the world of hammered dulcimers these days? Although we've never managed to meet, I did see and hear an example of your craftsmanship--Pam's dulcimer with the cat's paw sound hole--a beautiful instrument (of course that was several years ago--Dave and I can never manage to connect for curry and the dulcimer has moved out of his house, anyway).

Give my best to Karen and the kids and Paw and Cletus.   I hope you're managing to keep your heart and G.I. tract behaving these days.

Charles