continuing.....

After "survival" stuff settled down a bit, I tried to look for another guitar and learned quickly that it was too soon.....just made me sad.....and I found the music stores with all the guitars hanging on the walls..... cold,....and impersonal.

One of my neighbors had a guitar that I eventually borrowed. It sat in her closet for years ....didn't sound quite "right" to me and was difficult for me to play without it "thunking"...BUT it was a guitar and it did hold a note....AND I was tired. I already had "sticker shock" from looking for instruments...so I half-heartedly made arrangements to buy her guitar.

By then, here at Mudcats, Bill and Allan's "Mudcat Adventure" was over...and other Mudcatters were doing "Gatherings" every so often, in different places..including one at Barry Finn's house in New Hampshire......JUST over the state border....(sorta)....from me.

So a friend and I went. We weren't sure if we had the right house until we pulled in the driveway and heard someone singing a beautiful Sea Shanty..and other voices singing harmonies. As soon as we walked in, there was Barry...making his way through a mass of people to welcome us in....introducing us to his family....and helping us "settle in"..(AND find the food...bg). Throughout the entire time we were there...he continued making SURE we were comfortable.....and WELL fed and watered.

THANK-YOU BARRY and FAMILY......for opening your home and for all the warmth you gave us.

I recognized MaryMac immediately at Barry's, from watching the Radio Shows. She escorted me out to her car, opened the trunk and made me cry. She presented me with a load of "CARE" packages from Max,Bert and herself... tapes, CD's and even some VINYL albums!!! This is LOOONG overdue...BUT

THANK-YOU Max, Bert and MaryMac!!!!! for helping me start to rebuild my music collection.

I was able to put faces with the names of some of the other Mudcatters I knew from reading the threads. The music and singing at Barry's was incredible.....and I soaked up every note, to bring back with me, to help me get through the chaos.

Another Mudcatter I met at Barry's was Kendall...who was trying to be our "Community Curmudgeon" in the threads...(but failing). He caught me staring (drooling)at the full sound of his guitar....and offered to let me play it. Not only did he let me play it...he let me take it into another room and be "alone" with it for a bit.

It only took a couple minutes of listening to its' sound, and feeling how it "fit" ....to decide that I couldn't/wouldn't buy just ANY guitar.....and regardless of how long it took to find one in my price range... I would know the right guitar for me when I saw it, held it and played it.

THANK-YOU KENDALL........thank-you, thank-you, thank-you!!!!!!!!!! ;o))))))))

When I got home, I called the neighbor and told her I wouldn't be buying her guitar.