Well, you all, seemed like mudcat was down when I tried to check it, so I wrote a standard mailing to send around, as I went through all my unread email from the last couple of weeks.

For the record, here's what I've been sending out. It's a bit redundant as not evenyone who'd emailed me had access to the regular updates from George Ward, to whom I am very grateful. Thanks for the support throughout, it's been very nice to read through the printouts George has been bringing to my hospital bed. But they kicked me out, so time to move on.

July 6, 2005.

Dear friends,

Pardon the boilerplate message - I had anticipated that George Ward's updates on Mudat Cafe, from the horse's mouth so to speak, would be keeping interested parties up to date - but I get home, fire up my computer, and Mudcat is down. So I'm afraid here's my longer version, which I fear I am only up to writing once.

I was hospitalized after chest pains at the Old Songs Festival, spent ten days in Ellis Hospital in Schenectady (two blocks from home which made it relatively easy for Lisa), and came away with a quadruple by-pass. Fortunately I had got insurance earlier this year, so things could be a lot worse - I discovered that our simplified bookkeeping practice of making me owner of the John & Tony record company which puts out our recordings makes me, as a small business owner, eligible for the HealthyNY state insurance mandate. But, I digress; what's new?

I was discharged yesterday, and will now be working on developing more of an exercise program than I had before, and a healthier diet. I feel good. I dodged a little bullet, and need to learn from it.

It seems an awful lot of people know the regimen, and I have a number of friends who've gone through this who have taken the the time to explain things to me on a more personal note than you get from surgeons. For a start, I can't drive for a while. Or lift things.

I'm afraid you won't be seeing me at the folk festivals and dance camps I was scheduled for this summer, but I do hope to get back out there soon. Hey, I can do some serious planning of the solo recording I have been working on (I use the term loosely) since 1977.

Thanks for all your messages of support, cards emails and phone messages. They help. We have a good support group here helping me out and I appreciate all their efforts too.

Best regards to all,
John Roberts