I thought I'd start a general thread on this for people to dip in as they return home (Bobert, I know you started a "personal" thread on the Getaway, leading to a more focused discussion on the madness necessary to enjoy the event...).

Got home just 2 hours ago; and I knew before I left Ramblewood that it would feel very different posting in Mudcat now that I have linked faces to so many of the names. But there was so much more to the Getaway for me.

Meeting Alaska Mike has to be at the top of my impressions. The guy writes some wonderful songs, some of which I will certainly steal and seed the local folk scene with; and he delivers them with such style and great voice! But best of all, he's a smashing bloke with whose approach and attitude I immediately fell in love. What a heart. More than an acquaintance, much more I hope...

And Big Mick too; and Jeri, and SINSULL, and Tinker, and Kendall, and KT, and Joe Offer, and Bobert, Nancy King, Ken and Dan Schatz, Ed Trickett, Gorgeous Gary, BillD... oh, bugger it, if I start this way I'm bound to forget someone and it would be unfair. Meeting any one of you alone would have been worth the trip. And it was lovely too seeing again AllanC, Micca and JacquiM(ex-C) of course!

Flashbacks, in no order:

Alaska Mike singing "I am a rock" at a workshop on Sunday
Elizabeth LaPrelle's voice at the singaround late Friday night
The wedding reception.
Kendall's rendering of a song from his early "country schmaltz" years Sunday morning, to Jacqui, Alaska Mike, KT and myself.
Kendall's generosity not only in lending his Appollo 12-string but also with comments.
Jacqui's happy face. Now there's a proud lady, and rightly so.
KT getting up to sing at the Saturday concert
Tinker singing "Bob" at 3am Saturday in cabins 11-14
Joe Offer's songs (and general behaviour!) during that same session
KT crying at "By and by". Twice. And singing at the back of the Dining Hall.
The "Harmony Sluts" bobbing up and down and damn near taking over the Saturday concert (but we loved it Mike, didn't we?)
Those few minutes talking with Big Mick in front of our cabin Sunday morning.
And a few minutes later, Ed Trickett coming to shake my hand and offer praise.
Nancy King's and Bobert's helpfulness and easy manner
(apologies Bobert for causing that snoring sound to emanate from the passenger seat at the last leg of the trip!)
Everyone's open and smiling faces.

Above all, in the middle of the song-swapping and harmonising and in between the little chats you get to glimpse at the people behind the names.

And Mike, Mick, Cathy, Nancy, Robert, Kendall, Charlie, Mary, Dan, Ken, Jeri, Tinker, Ed, Dani, Leo and so many others - I liked what I saw.

THANK YOU all

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