Jen, who did you offend badly enough to be cursed with "living in interesting times"? You've lived through about 14 people's share of interesting times so far. So glad you could get to the Getaway which was a lot less "interesting" and a lot more relaxing.

Dani, thanks for the lovely words about "not being able to tell one from the other." The Getaway has always attracted people from all over the country, who heard about it in various ways. Now that lots of people have heard about it via the Mudcat, it's richer and there's a wider variety of music and even more layers of friendship and warmth and fun.

Allan C and the Mudcat Guitar were sitting next to me in Mick's Songs of the Struggle workshop. I wanted to sign it! - But he has a protective finish on it now, so it will forever be just the people who signed it on The Tour.

Speaking of the Struggle workshop. Oh, my. A three hankie special, and enjoyed every minute. Mick opened with Rick Fielding's "Voices of Struggle." Lorraine sang a Frankie Armstrong song about fishing trawlers being sent out by the owners too late in the season. Sondra Wallace (Andy's wife) sang "The Town I Loved So Well," with so much feeling that Sandy Paton couldn't even sing right afterwards, he was too choked up. Then Sandy set us all off again with "My Old Man." Luckily there were folks, including Nancy King (mom of Ken Schatz, ex of Boarding Party's K.C.King, wonderful woman) who sang "It's UAW/CIO that makes the army roll and go," and Joe Offer, who had some more great upbeat Union songs to balance things.

Well, that was my favorite workshop, will try to offer not quite so many details from here on.

I was wore out from tramping over the camp to figure out which building to use for the concerts, etc. and I missed the campfire for the second year in a row! This was inexcusable. Joe works magic at those things.

They're organized by Annie Storr and Joel Greer, parents who have done it for about 6 years I think. They bring the marshmallows. Joe leads the campfire sing. After his songs and stories, while they were roasting S'Mores, kids were clustered around Joe, hanging on him, coaxing more stories out of him and telling him stories in return. Last year one kid even buttonholed him in the dining room to tell him another story. Oh, Joe, I'm sorry I missed the campfire! Please please come back next year! Give me another chance!

Biggest surprise of the weekend was looking up after the first song in my concert and seeing Bert there! - He came down as a day-tripper, surprised everyone.

In the past, workshops have often been mostly sing-arounds. I was impressed by the success in the last two years of Lisa Null's vocal clinic and Max Ochs' Mississippi John Hurt and Slide Guitar sessions, and last year by Roger in Baltimore's and Barry Finn's Prison Work Songs. So this year we arranged for more folklore and opportunities to learn. The Mudcatters really contributed to that. Pam Swan's Mouth Music workshop, Barry Finn and Dan Milner's Ireland and the Irish (with help from Big Mick), Mark Gilston and Uillean's (have I misspelled it again, Shana?) International Songs were all chances to learn a lot of the history of the music and the cultures that created it, as well as have a very good time. There were others but this is a core dump and those are the ones I remember right now.

A high point of the weekend was hearing Sandy and Caroline Paton sing an Italian lullabye for me and Liam's Sister-in-Law who also has Italian origins.

Oh. The bench moving shanty. Who started that? Was it Jeri? No, Judy Cook, I think. I do know my husband was on the other end. You see, they had these high backed benches like church pews and there was a very long one that was on an uneven spot in the floor. My memory is a bit fuzzed here but it seems to me Barry Finn and Dani were the worst instigators of a little game that involved waiting till every one was immersed in a song, then shifting your weight, like on a seesaw, so the people at the far end of the bench would go bump in a most startling and unexpected way.

Well, what the hell were we singing? Can't remember but it has to have been loud and boisterous. Judy said, "I'm Gonna Do It," and she grabbed the back of the bench and started pushing the whole thing in a circle, pivoting on the rough spot in the floor. About six people were being taken for a ride. But it's hard for one person to get up any real speed, you see. So then Bill got on the other end, and there were other aiders and abetters, and for the entire length of one song they pushed this damn thing 90 degrees round, reversed direction, back again to Start and away we go again. It's the second silliest thing I've ever seen at a Getaway.

Enough.

Many, many thanks to Joe Offer, Barry Schlesinger, Big Mick and Bruce Gewirz for their help in leaving the camp in good condition on Monday morning.

Hope to hear some of these people again tonight on the Mudcat Gig.

Love to all. Gosh it was good to see you. Rita Ferrara