RAMBLIN’ with Helen...

As I start my “visit” with you on Sat. evening, Feb. 25 th, the snow is falling along with the temperature, but thoughts of each of you help me to forget how much I dislike this weather! FIRST I need to explain for the way some email addresses appear in this issue. This past week, my granddaughter and her oldest son Andrew, who is six, spent from Mon. thru Thurs. with me and while here put together a beautiful new computer desk and set me up with a new computer. She asked me if I printed anything in color, and since I have only a black ink cartridge in my printer, I said “no”. Well, needless to say, typed email addresses print in blue, so when I copy them, I have a “blank space” where they appear! This very illiterate computer operator had no idea how to correct this so am patiently awaiting the next visit from my daughter, who assures me she will take care of this problem for me. Fortunately the copy sent for me to use had been printed off from my old computer, so just cut them out and pasted them in where needed…pretty clever I think, but everyone must admit they don’t look very good. I assure you they will be better in future issues.

Emma Teachout called me on Feb. 6 th and we had such a nice visit. She said she is doing about the same, but feels she isn’t making the progress she should very fast. She recently had 3 skin cancers removed from her face and said they are healing nicely. She wanted to be remembered to everyone.

My sincere THANKS to Shorty Coltey from the Champlain Valley Bluegrass Association and our members Bob and Carol Jeannin for replying to my request for information regarding Joyce Rafferty and Dusty Bevins. Prior to their replies, Joyce called to say she had fully intended to get in contact with me in late December, but just forgot to do so. Due to her not being able to attend our festival for the past two years, and Dusty saying that he doesn’t know hardly anyone from our area anymore, she had decided not to renew their memberships. I assured her I did understand her reasoning, and would certainly miss seeing their names on labels or membership lists, as they have been members since the early 80’s.

I had a nice email message from long-time member Ellis Bradford asking me to change his mailing address as he has entered the “retirement status” and moved from Pendelton, SC. To Pittsboro, NC. For those of you who know him, here is his new address: 3000 Galloway Ridge, Apt. C208, Pittsboro, NC 27312. Bradford, we all wish you the very best and may you enjoy many wonderful, healthy, fun-filled years of retirement.

When Tina sent me the additional bookings for James Reams & The Barnstormers, she said they got 27” of snow in that storm that hit NYC recently, which meant a lot of shoveling for her and James! She also said to say “hello to all the nice folks of CNYBA” and it should take me a long time to do so as there are so many of us. Tina, it didn’t take long at all – just time time to write the abouve message, and we all send best wishes for a busy year for Jim and his band.

I had an email from Shirley Stevens asking me to put the following request she had received in our newsletter: HELP – I am looking for a fellow from around Owego, NY on 17C, who used to sell Uprights out of his house. I purchased one quite a few years ago, but am unable to remember his name.” If anyone can help out with this request, please contact: LOU CICCONI, Odessa, NY 14869 or phone (607)594-3994.

We welcome one new member this month -DOUG BLACK, from Prattsburg, NY, who was given a gift membership from our member and dear friend, Lois Artlip. THANKS to Fred and Arreta Brown and Martin Lovell for their generous donations towards postage when they sent me their renewals. Speaking of renewals, I would again like to remind you that IF you don’t want to cut-up your copy to fill out the application blank to send along with your payment, IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO DO SO…If there are no changes, just send your check, and if there is a change, it can be put on a piece of paper as I have all of your information in my card file.

CONGRATULATIONS to Joyce Bialkowski, (the new editor of the Southern Tier Bluegrass Association’s newsletter) on the “super job” done on her first issue. Thru correspondence with her, I know she was apprehensive about doing it, but Joyce, your efforts were excellent. They, along with VALLEY GRASS from Canada are the only ones who send me a copy. It would be nice if the other associations and groups that receive a complimentary copy of ours, would send me one of theirs…perhaps if any of you know who would be responsible for doing this, you could ask them to do so.

THANKS to you John Peterson for your kind note that accompanied your renewal. I talked to Donna Walter a couple of weeks ago, and they are doing fine. Bob expects to have cataract surgery on his other eye real soon, (perhaps he has already done so by now). Mary Carr said she was doing good when I talked to her this week, and she sounded good too.

I wish I could call each of you to see how you are doing, however, since that is impossible, please remember that you all are in my thoughts often. IF any of you happen to have some BLANK NOTE CARDS (we all receive them in the mail) you aren’t going to use, I am getting low on them. I use them to write a note along with each renewal that I get. I have plenty of all other kinds of greeting cards, but can always useGET WELL or cards along that line to send to shut-ins, etc. I’m sure I miss sending one to many, BUT if I don’t know, I can’t send! PLEASE just give me a call or email if you know of someone who needs to be remembered.

At our February meeting, President Campbell spoke about the instrumentsthat one of our members (and I forgot the name, but will get it from Ed and have in the April newsletter) had given him to repair and make available to young people interested in learning to play one. These can be had for a year, and if progress is made they are for keeps, and if not, are to be returned to Ed for someone else to use. If our association and our music are to survive, this most certainly is a good start in that direction! If you know of someone interested in learning, please contact Ed.

Elsewhere in this newsletter, you will see a request from Bob Hayden for a 5 string Banjo – he contacted Ed, but a banjo was not one of the instruments Ed has, so IF you can help Bob out, please contact him.

I didn’t have the usual amount of news to write about this month, but seem to have rambled on about long enough. The answer to last month’s brain teaser was an Anchor.

You will notice that there are details of a couple of events that are on the same day as our meeting, but it was decided at the February business meeting, that everyone’s efforts to help preserve our music are needed. I hope to see you in Cato on Sun., March 12 th, and at the VFW in Baldwinsville on Sun., March 26 th for our All-Star Jamboree which sure sounds like a winner. PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW and PLAN TO ATTEND BOTH.

Until our next visit, may I extend to you all this Irish blessing: May you never forget what is worth remembering, or remember what is best forgotten…HAPPY ST. PAT’S DAY

Helen
(Helen Weldon)

CNYBA
PO Box 491
Baldwinsville, NY 13027
www.cnyba.com
Copyright 2002
All Rights Reserved.

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