ACK! It's been over two weeks since I posted. Most has been traveling, but I've been home for several days, albeit totally emersed in pressing, packing for orders and upcoming shows. I have too many thing to post, so that it's turned into an emense Hydra that grows another head every day...so instead of abandoning the blog entirely in panic, I'm going to break it down into manageable (I hope) parts. Tonigt it's the story of Lost and Found.
At the music camp, I'd managed to lose my keys within hours of arrival. Considering my Key Handicap, it was no surprise (I'm much too old to change my behavior, so this is just going to be a way of Life for me), but still upsetting. Additional stress factors were 1)the poor guy blocked in by my car, 2)we were way up in the middle-of-mountains nowhere, 3)my mosquito repellent was still in the car. Bummer. After a couple of days, the loss was announced at dinner, so everyone could be on the lookout for them. The week progressed with no sign of the illusive keys. The departure day, I gave up and called my Roadside Assistance. Once they could figure out where I was, NO locksmith would go there (the spineless bastards). I'd have to be towed HOURS to a dealership and get the car re-keyed. I think sometimes one just has to give up all hope before the clouds part, cause this is what happened. I found the keys behind a tree stump behind my tent site, and there was Great Joy throughout the camp. The camp editor took my picture fondling the keys for the next newsletter, and I'll be forever known by all as the Ditz Who Lost Her Keys. Fortunately, I could cancel the tow truck guy, because he was still tring to find me on a map.
But the Curse continued....
While at the Grapevine show in Dallas, I washed my clothes at Mary Kay's house. I still had four more days traveling in California before returning home, including several business meetings. Well, I got back to California, but all but what I was wearing was still in Mary Kay's dryer :-( ...well, at least it was clean... I had to do some emergency shopping for business-type no-fun clothes. YUCK!! I'll be really glad to get my normal clothes back, cause I'm really getting tired of wearing the same stuff.
Well, I'm I'm not so Blog-challenged tonight. Soon I'll post the story of the yarn shopping frenzy (and pic!!) instigated by Paula and Teresa.
Linda

I've put on quite a few miles this week. We were driving back from Kansas and feeling a bit down because we were missing all July 4th activities, but we passed trhough Bozeman, Montana right as dusk and saw a fabulous fireworks show. Montana doesn't have the rigid verboten laws, and the town was alight with fireworks. We dropped into the valley and drove for at least 20 minutes with fireworks exploding in every direction. A wonderful experience. I guess Montanans believe that adults can play with matches, and if you blow yourself up it's your own fault. Ah, out comes the Libertarian.

Anyway, got back home and immediately repacked and headed for California for Music Camp. Spent an awesome (Yup, it really was AWESOME) week in the Coast Mountains completely emersed in music. I'm socially challenged outside of my little comfort zone, so it was difficult being dropped in with 129 strangers, but it was certainly worth the effort. My banjo picking has improved (Hey Steve, I got the book because of you and the shrew...and thanks for the HTML code. I'll be trying it in a minute), and I have a slight grasp of the mandolin. If any of you have any interest in folk/bluegrass/blues, you should take a look at California Coast Music Camp...and if you're in the Bay area and even remotely thinking about the guitar, check out classes by Carol Maccomb Carol McComb at Gryphon Strings in Palo Alto. It is a unique opportunity to become one with your guitar, and Carol is one of the few gems that sparkle in the urban sprawl of Silicon Valley.

I'm now down in Fresno spending a few days with my mother and the boys. No WiFi at the retirement house, so I'm at Starbucks. I'll be leaving Thursday morning for the Grapevine show. MaryKay, Paula, Theresa and I are yarn shopping, then off to the show. Hope to see some of you there.

Linda