Sorry to have missed this one, Amigos; the old circulatory issues in the right foot have been acting up lately again - not as bad, but doing the same sort of thing it was doing just before it "blew out" (not a pretty sight) last year, and had me hobbling around with a cane, with both mind and body running at about the 97-year-old level. It has been such a hassle at work that they finally "canned" me in June, and I currently seem to be essentially unemployable.

I even had to beg off of a Parade in York on Saturday with the 3rd Maine Fife-&-drum Corps as the old foot just ain't up to marching, and I fugured that there would be plenty of hoofing around the streets of Portsmouth involved in the Festival. Have seriously considered just letting the darned leg rot off and whittling up a wooden peg - should go well with the shanty theme, eh?.

"Aunt Martha", the two "Hooligans" (Yorkshire Terrier & Toy Poodle crossbreeds) and I instead took the RV touring around the White Mts. of NH, camping out Sat. night in Shelburne.

Any clues as to when / where there might be another Portland-area "Shanty Hoot"? Ain't we abouts due fer one, Mates?