Dick,

You deserve a ton of the credit (and the thanks) from what I've seen in the short year I've hung out here. Max, of course THANKS FOR BEING HERE(and I do intend to get a check off to support the Mudcat as soon I get solvent and moved into new digs. Joe Offer, without your postings & all the lyrics & links & tunes, well, it wouldn't be the ol' Mudcat. It would be something far diminished from the fantastic resource it has grown to be. Dale Rose has helped me out with private letters and information all year long. Dale, where are ya? You've been quiet lately--Shula too.

For me, it's been a grand place for a guy who was used to being on stage to keep his hands in this folkworld we all seem to care so much about. Posting my vasssccsssilations here, even when I go off half-cocked (which is better than not going off), allows me to get my thoughts and ruminations together with a pretty huge audience. What better way to test the waters for stuff that might (but probably won't) become a book I don't feel like writing even though Cathy & Marcy keep tellin' me I've got to do SOMETHING.

Gonna cut this shorter! I could go on for hours though. But a strange guy just rode up comin' from the outback. Better go get that paddy melon stew into the microwave for him. One word of warning. NEVER PUT AN EMU EGG INTO THAT SAME DEVICE WITHOUT BREAKING IT OPEN WITH THE SLEDGE!!! For sure, I'll vouch for that one!

MERRY CHRISTMAS ALL & TO ALL ---THANKS!

Art