Chris Bramble is a believer. Yesterday (1/25/14) was his birthday, and he threw a musical birthday party hoping to donate most of the proceedings to the fantastic Ceres Project in Sebastopol and to Food For Thought. It felt great to be a part of his vision, and I hope a good time was had by all. Of course there were hurdles - starting with all the steps you had to climb up to the Oddfellows Hall. There were lots of events around the area that pulled folks in, so our crowd wasn't huge, but it was enthusiastic - the way we like it. Chris planned a big evening, starting with lovely dancers and moving on to his band. They had come together again after a 2 year break, and they really wanted to play. Guitar, fiddle, bass and drums wove magic together, and Chris got to share his encouraging tunes. The dancers loved it. Meanwhile, the Thugz waited for their turn to play. We had to arrive by 5 to set up and check the sound, but we didn't begin playing until after 10. I did my best to stay perky -and so did the crowd. We had lots of folks stay to the end, but many headed down that long staircase, ready for the comforts of home. Since there's no beer or wine allowed at the Hall, we had the water and cookie crowd - the healthy sorts who get their rest and do their early morning yoga. If fact, we had a guy go through his yoga routine in front of the band while we played "Franklin's Tower." The Thugz did their thing and got a little edgy and "out there" - but it was fun. Of course it felt great to be together again and play as a full band. At evening's end, Chris Bramble was hoping he had a significant donation for Ceres and Food For Thought - after all the expenses for the evening were covered. The actual amount he gathered really doesn't matter, in my opinion, as much as his demonstration of intent. He sets an example for all of us, and he believes he can "get there from here" - even with many steps to climb and long hours to endure. Good music, good friends, compassionate spirits, many smiles - a good evening all around. Take care. Love, Sylvia