Edmund (CET) and I had a wonderful time, as we always do. Odd that we can already say "always", but this was my fifth time and Edmund's sixth at both college and festival, and we intend to keep going as long as we can, so I guess it applies.

Favourite band? The French guys -- Genticorum -- by a long sea mile. Excellent musicianship, interesting repertoire, clever patter and piquant personalities. I learned a whole flock of new tunes from flutist Alexandre de Grosbois-Garand (as good an instructor as he is a musician), and thoroughly enjoyed the four performances I saw. Unlike many festival acts, Genticorum varied their set list and stage patter with every performance so they were as fresh and exciting the fourth time (in three days) as the first.

I also treated myself to a new instrument: an octave mandolin by Peter Cox. It cost $750 (dirt cheap by luthier standards), and I bought it within an hour of arriving at the park, without even waiting to discuss it with Edmund -- I was afraid that if I walked away even for 10 minutes I would come back and find it sold. With a Western red cedar top and cherry back and sides, it has a nice deep, thrummy sound that will sound great behind Edmund's voice -- especially when I have mastered some more mandolin-type chords.