BS: Washington DC trip -

Subject: Washington DC trip -
From: Steve in Idaho
Date: 13 Mar 02 - 11:29 AM

Hello All

I made it home in good shape. The reason this reply is so slow is I ended up in the VA hospital with a batch of Kidney Stones. I'm still a slow mover but feeling much better today.

My trip to DC was much more than I expected. The Chantey Sing was a blast! Not knowing anyone in the room made me wonder if any Catter's were there until carolC walked in. I recognized her immediately and once the connection was made we had a riotous good time! Wotcha took a few pics of several of us and I met about 15 or so catters there. I've only heard Dave The Ancient Mariner do a couple of Chantey's on PalTalk so had never heard the full import of how they sounded with a full chorus of people singing them. Pretty darn cool.

We sang, well I listened mostly, until about 11 and then BillD and Ferrara had us over to their home. How gracious! We played music until 3:30 AM! And don't let CarolC ever tell you that she doesn't know how to play that sqeezebox - she is very good! Ferrara let me play her Gurien and I fell in love with it. I wish I was a rich man as I'd have brought it home with me. I did offer her $80 for it but she thought the trip would be too hard on it and opted to not sell. I'd have given her $100 but didn't have enough cash to cover that amount.

Then it was back to work the next day. Saturday after I finished up it was onto the Metro for a trip back to Wheaton to link up with BillD and over to their house. From there we went to the concert. WOW!! That was just superb! I now have an autographed copy of the Irish in america CD and certainly recomend it highly! Listened to it a couple of times on the way home.

I can only say Thanks a hundred times over to BillD and Ferrara. Wizened souls that opened their hearts and home to me for a brief moment in time. Thanks to the Folkies that made me welcome in the various environments I passed through on my way. My musical background is quite enriched by the meetings, greetings, songs, and good cheer. And I've a million stories to tell to my friends here about my many adventures in the wild and wooley East!

And as to the Metro "entertainment" questions. I had been told many times over that the Metro is clean, safe, and inexpensive. I wasn't on it more than two minutes when a fight broke out in front of me! After some brave hearted citizens got that one broke up another started right behind it. So we spent quite a bit of time getting the rioters off the Metro so we could continue on our journey. Took me a bit to get my courage screwed up again to get back on but BillD assured me that in all of his years he had never even heard of such a thing happening. So it obviously was "Staged" just for me! But the blood looked so real!

Well I must sign off for now. I'm really tired and sore - my Mom says I had triplets - and I feel like it. Thanks again folks - and I know I have left someone out - but know that your faces and songs are in my heart.

Steve

Subject: RE: BS: Washington DC trip -
From: Bill D
Date: 13 Mar 02 - 12:02 PM

oh, my!...having had ONE kidney stone I empathize!..I am glad they waited till the trip was over if you had to go thru that!

Anyway, we enjoyed having you, Norton..(gee, I can say 'Steve' now!)...and I hope some quirk of fate lets us do it again some time!

Now, to working out how to do 'Paltalk' so we can hear you!

Subject: RE: BS: Washington DC trip -
From: CarolC
Date: 13 Mar 02 - 12:44 PM

Sorry to hear about your kidney stones, Steve. But glad you made it home safely.

Here's what I had to say about Tuesday evening on the other thread (give it a minute to load to the appropriate post)...

Click

Subject: RE: BS: Washington DC trip -
From: catspaw49
Date: 13 Mar 02 - 03:13 PM

Great to hear about the trip Steve!!! Nothing quite like 'Catters huh?

Sorry about the other......a really painful experience! Hope you really are feeling much better now!

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Washington DC trip -
From: Steve in Idaho
Date: 13 Mar 02 - 04:52 PM

Carol said it best - "Mudcat people are just like family." And that was my experience.

I'm doing better but still really sore.

I read your post at BillDs on Saturday Carol - too funny.

And you are on my list for a meeting also Spaw -

Steve

Subject: RE: BS: Washington DC trip -
From: Wotcha
Date: 13 Mar 02 - 09:22 PM

Steve:
Hard luck on the kidney stones ... glad to hear you are on the mend. Great to see you at the chantey sing.
Pictures will be developed eventually ... and posted soon ... gotta keep the suspense up.
Cheers,
Brian