The Cold That Kills...And makes One Alive.

It was 6 below zero by 6:00pm tonight driving into my gig. Even my wonderful Prius could not keep up with it. Windchill much lower. It's the kind of cold that, on the highway, you find yourself, and everyone around you , slowing down, it's just that cold. Speeds slow to 60, 55, 50, and then someone will realise it, and everyone speeds back up.

I thought I would never be warm again, and thought how nice it would be in my cozy Pub.

Pub, never exactly the most weather-proof place ( hey, it was built in 1860 ) had lost it's heat.

Cold? Oh yes. I thought, " well, there goes tonight, it must be barely 50 in here"

And no one left. They packed the place. They wore their coats, and hats, and gloves. They warmed their poor hand on the candles, on each table. They got blankets from the hotel. My little fingers were so cold, it was so hard to play.

And they stayed. All night.

They lent me a hoodie. And a hat. I gave them ever thing I had in me, in return.

And they were so happy.

I am beyond happy, that much love, makes one weak. They thanked me, and all I could think was....

Thank you.

Music is sometimes so beyond worthwhile, it is sometimes, the only thing in the world that matters. That we could all freeze together for four hours doesn't even seem like a small price to pay for that much together. Everyone there tonight is now a good friend to everyone else who was there.

It was Minus 15 driving home. Won't see zero any time soon. I am wrapped in all my clothes, and a robe and am sitting as close to my fire as possible. And , damm the heating bills, have turned up the heat. I may never be warm again, but my heart sure is, and will be.

Thank you. A gift like tonight may not come twice in a lifetime.

Lorraine

Good Morning!

Quick post this morning....

I am so happy that so many of you want to come to my Birthday Party! It makes me feel so good, truly. I will try and make it as fun as possible, and for those of you who can't come, we will take lots of pics and tell you all!. I may take my laptop in , so you can have live pics and reports from the party.....They have wi-fi....

Uh, for those of you who are coming, this was the weather report for tonight...

" Wind chill readings 27 below to 37 below zero. "

In a word: COLD!!!!! Insane cold!!!!!!!

New Kitty is coming this week, and I am so excited. Venus needs a playmate, badly. All Poor Zoe wants is to go to sleep, and then BAM Venus jumps on her head. Zoe, is not amused by this. New Kitty, who may be called Madame Malena Mim , will even the odds a little. I hope. She'll certainly have enough energy for Venus, despite the picture here....



Then I am off to New York next weekend, to see Penn Gilette in Macbeth. ( which is actually in New Jersey, but I am meeting up with Kimberly Butler, who, it turns out is as Shakespeare Mad as I am ) I have a sitter for the weekend, who will come and be Mom to the Kitties, a sweet 14 year old girl , who loves clothes with Skulls. A Little LaMie! We will teach her up right!!!

Love, and dreaming of Warm,
Lorraine

Seven Hags and a Bath of Lead Await You....

I went and saw Boiled in Lead last night with Kitty, Kelli and Jen and had so very much fun! I hadn't seen them in a long time and it was beyond fun to get us all back together. It is their 25th Anniversary on St Pats this year. Even if you don't know them as a band, you have heard them. Dave, the fiddle player TAUGHT me to play Celtic Music a , uh, long, time ago. If you heard drums on Lorraine a' Malena or Flash Girls, that's Robin and I have done recording up at his studio in Northern Minnesota. ( oh, and check out this absoulutly wonderful vid by his band the Darbuki Kings , wonderful!!! ) . Todd has also played on Flash Girls cd's and we recorded his song " Sure of Me ". Drew introduced me to the whole Celtic/ Alt Celtic scene and his record company helped Folk Underground with our cd's.

Adam Stemple, our producer from God, was in Boiled in Lead for some years. They have a new member, Dean McGraw, who is one of the best players going. I am not sure yet what influence he will have on my art, but I did ask him to marry me last night. He's just too darn cute.

( One note: we decided it would work if he could have 5 wives, which I said was ok if I could have five wives too. You know, sobriety is a strange thing, I never got myself into these messes back in my drinking days, hee-hee. )

They have a new cd coming out " Silver " ( Kitty shot the band last night for the photos for it. ) One of the songs " Death on Hennipen " ( by John Van Orman ) the Flash Girls recorded on our very first cd.

Family. It was good to be together again. And I got to have my first " Party" at the Spooky House after the show. ( Venus was not sure she approved until she discovered the band had all brought FOOD with MEAT along to eat )

Here's a shot from Kitty we did durning the break.....



As it is only a month away, and some of you will need to be coming from far away, ( Like FRANCE and SCOTLAND and CANADA ) I should announce that my Birthday is February 15th, a Friday. And Lojo and I will be playing a concert on Friday Night, and Paul and I on Saturday Night. It is a full on weekend Birthday Party and you are ALL invited!!!!!! Anyone who wants to come will be on the Guest List , of course ( not that there will be a cover, but it is the principle of the thing )

In other news, I have been accepted as a Foster Home by the Great Lakes Bengal Rescue Assoc. and am next in line for a Foster Kitty! I have turned an un-used room , which had been kind of a catch all closet, into Foster Kitty Heaven . I am very excited and hope I will be able to help some of these wonderful cats. Pictures as they happen!

And as no post will be complete for some time without New Kitty Pictures, here you go. This is her with her brother, tag teaming a chair. I can't wait!!!!!



Love and Music,
Lorraine