Thanks, Lepus Rex ! I knew about the Usinger's website of course. And I get their catalogs -- but I love the store, and the Spice House across the street. (I wish Nick Topping's shop were still in the same neighborhood. And to keep this all music-related, Nick brought the Beatles to Milwaukee in 1965 as well as other artists such as Andres Segovia.) And I didn't have a non-Milwaukee source for candy raisins until you pointed it out!!! (Now, how about white soda . . .)

I probably won't be able to get to The Concertina Bar this trip, but then again, Curmudgeon won't be with me and he's the person who introduced the habitues of the CB to English-system concertinas, of which they had heard rumors, but never actually seen one. It's a wonderful place to hear German concertinas, about 30 of which are lined up behind the bar.

The House on the Rock is definitely one of the most indescribable places -- must be experienced.

But I'm just hitching a ride with the Cuz. After picking up a collection in Chicago, he'll leave me with my mother and her new apartment (an assorted elderly relatives I can spend some more rare time with) while he helps his mother out for a week in Colby (and maybe brings back some cheese right from the source -- they don't export the "good stuff").

Linn