Bruce & MMario, the candied ginger was MUCH enjoyed! Sandy LaPrelle says it's great for sore throats if you add hot water. Of course, ANYTHING in hot water was welcome this weekend, given how cold it was.

MTed, lines from your song (the one Mick sang in the concert) echoed in my mind all the way home. A fine song.

Every year I think "Suppose this year it's a flop?" This year I was especially paranoid because so many people were coming huge distances to check out the Getaway for the first time.

Well I walked in the door Friday night, there were Alaska Mike, Big Mick, and I think MMario and Dick Rodgers, just standing and talking, and my heart gave a leap of joy. Really, it did, I had to net it & put it back where it belongs.

Anyway I felt a great surge of happiness at seeing those people again and realizing how far they had come to be here (except Dick, who lives here and ALWAYS comes to the Getaway), and how much it meant to see them, and how magical this event and this bunch of people are. And then Joe Offer -- and also someone else later, Mick maybe? -- said to me, "I feel like I'm home." Yes.

Of all the late night music, the thing that stands out in my mind was not a huge jam or any such thing. It was Pauline Lerner and Susan A-R playing fiddle tunes together in the dining room Friday night. Sweet lovely music, played just for their own enjoyment. Kind of the essence of the Getaway atmosphere for me.

Other memories: Saul Broudy's harmonica playing in the Sunday concert. Ed Trickett's version of the Golden Vanity in the Saturday ballads, with a fine chorus that filled the room. Dani, Janie and Allan C singing a rousing gospel song in the Sunday concert. (My brain is so fried that I can't remember the name of the song they sang! Somebody help me?) Big Mick singing MTed's song in the Sunday concert. Karen Kobela's voice in the Saturday concert. Going back to my room & sleeping through the first half of the Saturday concert. :-)

The look on Kendall's face while Jacqui sang "Love Me Tender" for him. The dazed look on his face while friend after friend sang their love and good wishes for him and Jacqui. Spending time chatting with Jacqui. Likewise with KT and Ebbie. Barry Schlesinger's hilarious "French Canadian" song in the Frozen North workshop. Barry, what's the name of that song? It's wicked. I love it!

Micca's wonderful, funny song about how his grandfather survived WWI.

There were a lot of non-Mudcatters whose presence was special to me this year because we don't get to see them every year. Like Dick and Corinne, who live in Oregon City when they're not on sabbatical in Galway, Ireland. They have been commuting to the Getaway about every second year, since they moved to Oregon i-dont-know-howmany-years ago. (They pleaded jet lag as their excuse for not leading any workshops this year.) I think Dick is the man who taught Bill "The Key of R." I forgive him though.

And Dick Greenhaus' son Charlie who came just for a day, with his fiancee' Jeannette. Years ago Charlie was a Getaway regular and I have so many memories and images of our conversations of yesteryear. At one time Charlie was a professional juggler, and he did a show for us one night at Camp Letts, juggling fire batons. Incredible.

The Getaway is just magical. I don't know why or how it happens that way. We work hard, but we don't bring the magic. You do.

Hugs to EVERYBODY, including anybody I maybe forgot to hug at least once this weekend unlikely as that seems....

Rita