Hi all,

The reason I've been scarce is I am at the English and American dance week at Pinewoods Camp (run by the [U.S.] Country Dance and Song Society in Plymouth, Massachusetts). I have been rather idle, as I twisted my left ankle pretty hard a couple of hours after arriving here. Not so much to do at a dance week when you can't dance (hence my presence, during this evening's dance, in a phone booth with a computer). I have pulled myself together to take a sword dance class (very new stuff to me) and since it is all stamping on the right foot I am surviving. Today we learned to make the really cool sword lock. Our swords do hit the rafters in the building at times, or us beginners knock each other over (and we haven't even had any beer yet). Since I have so much time and naught to do, I volunteered to help with the run for provisions today. We had $250 contributed to buy libations which we had fun spending. It was more like a 3 stooges movie than a shopping trip. We will comsume it (all, I assume) after the dance ends.

The only person I believe squeezers might know (unless you know a lot of dance callers) here is Doug Creighton, and it has been fun to talk to him without the pressure of him having to work. (Well, he is on the teaching staff here, but you know what I mean). He already has three extra instruments given to him to take back to the shop and/or store!

Well have fun out there in cyber land, see you in a week maybe.

Ken

Hi Ken. I'm jealous -- I only got to spend 3 days at Pinewoods this year (Scottish weekend session). Next year we're going for both the weekend and the week, so 9 days total. I've never been to any sessions other than Scottish, but I was actually just talking with a couple of friends on Saturday night who have been to English & American week and say it's lots of fun too. In fact, one of them was Joanna Reiner, whom you might or might not remember as the office manager at camp for several years while Eileen was still camp general manager.

I must dispute your contention that there's nothing much to do there while not dancing, though! In fact, I've known a number of people who went there and didn't dance at all. However, since you went there to dance and you're held back by an injury, I agree that that stinks. Sorry to hear it, and I hope it heals quickly. In the meantime, enjoy the music, the ponds, the parties, and the people. And be careful on the trails!


Steven