Yesterday was foggy and drizzly all day on the coast - hard to decipher if there was life out there, beyond the grey atmosphere. I had no idea what to expect when I drove north to Stewarts Point Store for our first gig in their upstairs "ballroom." I never see a lot of cars there when I travel up to Gualala, and I haven't seen "the guys" on the front porch that used to hang out in the good old days. The store building from the 1860's was completely re-done when the new owners came along. I hadn't heard anything about the place for a long time. So once I made it up the side stairs up to the ballroom, I was thrilled to see a big, expansive space, complete with antiques, a lovely old bar, and a great chandelier. Way down at the end, Mike had already set up his gear on a small stage, and the owners were there to welcome us. Once Mike, Chris and I got organized we started to play for a handful of enthusiastic folks. And then it happened. People began to pack the place - not just "people," but old friends from years ago when we played music at the Gualala Hotel. It was like a homecoming - but much better. Our Thugz tribe (northern sector) was out in force. Wonderful, faithful Gary and Kathleen came from the River contingent, so everybody was represented. The big room was really responsive to sound, and we managed to project our music, even with our small, modified set-up. It was a real joy to play for such a happy bunch, and a real pleasure to work for the Johnsons, who do a fantastic job managing and promoting "upstairs" events at the store. We'll work with Terry Johnson again when we play for the great Gualala Hotel official "opening" on June 20th. I'm looking forward to it! Take care. Love, Sylvia