It's been well over a year since we put the van on blocks and relearned how to wake up in the same place every morning. In that time, some things have changed, some things are remarkably the same.
Nancy had a baby. That's what knocked us off the gasoline habit. We'd barely been in town a month when Emily Dianne McCallion Krieger was born. She's had a tough time, but she's doing well. Just had a birthday.
Danny and Nancy got hitched. Bought a house.
Nancy is playing in a couple of different configurations of local players, too. Sometimes it's a trio with Danny and Kevin. Sometimes a duo with Danny. Sometimes with a bunch of other locals.
Danny's gigging around town with a bunch of musical conglomerations, some regular (most notably The Fluffingtons and the Wednesday Night Thang over at Nonie, a great Cajun restaurant), some not.
Marx is freelancing, too. Among the musical things he's doing is that Wednesday night gig with Danny over at Nonie.
Me, I'm working on a CD project with an old friend, Dennis Davidson, from my Sierra Vista days. I've also returned to some freelance writing, mostly magazine feature writing, the occasional music review and automotive editing.
Kevin is back at Kitt Peak National Observatory, his employer before we hit the road in 1996, working on a big deal telescope they're building. He's also playing some side jobs, have accordion will squeeze.
We've all been getting together about once a month to play at The Boondocks or Plush, local beer palaces with live music. We've also run out of town for a few gigs (we did a couple things in New Mexico, always a favorite destination, and El Paso.)
During the year we started, and then stopped, and then resumed work on a new CD. Nancy's been writing the whole time; that's one of those things that's stayed the same. It's done, except for a bit of mixing. Did it over at Randy McReynold's studio. Nine tracks of new Nancy songs, one oldie (a new version of "This Is My Round") and one of Danny's ("Piggyback Rider" which he wrote with a friend about 10 years ago).
We'll be making it available in a couple months. If you're on the mailing list, you'll be among the first to know.
We'll be taking a pile of them with us to Italy in late May for a short return tour.
I'm sure there'll be some new Notes from the Road then.