I'm still all played out after Groningen; that Letty throws one mother of a party. It is now apparently in the public domain that she has passed the baton to me, and the European Mudgathering for 2004 will be in, for want of a couple of miles across the river, Hull9.

Yes, Americans, your chance to personally berate the drivelmeisters of PTH threads galore. Meet jOhn from Hull's hamster. Theorize on the exact whearabouts of Twillingsgate. Polish the wheel of Oakley's icebreaker as he milks his beloved Friesians. Taste the legendary phall (?) curry from Mustafa's takeaway, delivered by jOhn 9it's a big rip-off).

Or if you prefer simpler pleasures, attend the mother of all sessions, where Oakley's splendid Cara have kindly agreed to do a couple of sets, attend sessions in the Sloop (with added frisson of a PEL raid) and the Sun in Beverley, enjoy the now-traditional cultural tour, this time being Hull, with a few other sideshows and musical happenings.

So you have a year to finally do that trip to the UK you have promised yourself. Just worry about the airfare, as your accommodation will be sorted out via the Mudcat Hotel, which works so well for many of us who have availed of it.

It will be the first weekend in May 2004, starting on the Friday night, Saturday daytime and night, Sunday afternoon and night, departing Monday (which is a public holiday in the UK). No excuses, now. Just scrape ten bucks a week together, and get yourself over here.