Am now nearly 2 weeks post-arthroscopy on my rt. knee (see my blog). One week post-injury, the swelling had gone down enough for the surgeon to manipulate my knee to ascertain I was having mechanical problems from the lateral meniscus tear; and this changed his mind--he decided I needed arthroscopic surgery after all. So I had the surgery July 29 at Swedish Covenant Hospital. Good news--no torn ligaments or tendons, just the lateral meniscus. Not-so-good news was that since the tear was in the avascular part of the meniscus (no blood vessels), it could not be stitched back together as was my left medial meniscus in 1994 and had to be trimmed smooth. The rough articular cartilage surfaces of my knee joint itself were also smoothed (to some degree) to reduce friction due to pretty advanced osteoarthritis (which is actually worse in the other knee). So it looks like I will be getting a pair of steel-and-teflon knees for Christmas. After some painful and shaky spells, now that I've been cleared to remove the compression bandage my knee is actually stabler and less painful. Even able to take some small distances sans cane. (Considering that for the first couple of days I was on crutches and then for three more on a walker, not bad, huh?). Seeing the surgeon tomorrow, and I expect to have the two sutures removed, and get permission to take a normal stand-up shower without wearing a garbage bag on my leg (and dangling it outside the tub while I sit on a shower chair)--and, hopefully, be cleared to drive....short distances at first. Norm, our bassist, will drive me to the CD release party in Madison on Thurs., as a 300-mi. roundtrip (on the day of a high-pressure show) is not the wisest choice for my return to the driver's seat.
CD release party tomorrow! Showtime at the Brink (701 E. Wash., Madison) is 7 pm, but that'll depend on how much before 6 we can get in to set up & soundcheck. Normally, an hour's more than enough time for Steve & me, but this time we have Norm on bass & occasional third vox (plus his amp), Nancy on keys (plus her amp) and Julia on fiddle (okay, that's a relatively easy soundcheck); AND we hope to record this live. Ten bucks gets you in, and sends you home with an autographed CD.
Catch us in Chicago in my 'hood, on the corner of Thorndale & B'way, outdoors from 1-3 pm on Sat. Aug. 21--a return engagement in the Edgewater Third Saturdays summer concert series. This should be a well-traveled but much more music-friendly (no noisy, stacked-three-deep, fume-spewing CTA buses idling on their route turnaround as were my accompaniment a mile south in July). Free, of course!
Just found out we'll be playing the Two Way Street Favorites stage at Fox Valley (again, w. Norm on bass) this Labor Day weekend, and the Chicago Songwriters' Collective Showcase there on the other day of the fest. Those of you in the CSC who have requested slots, I think you'll all be accommodated and I will be assigning them as soon as we know which day we're doing TWS (which requires a Main Stage mini-set the first slot of the day we're playing, which is usually the CSC's time slot--even if the CSC plays at noon that day, we'd prefer not to have to rush from one end of the park to the other, especially with my knee still feeling its oats). The Festival runs 10 am (music starts 11)-6 pm (with square dance Sun. night) both Sun. & Mon. of Labor Day Weekend (9/5-6) on Island Park in the middle of the Fox River smack dab in downtown Geneva, IL. (Metra commuter rail at west end of the park). No camping, but less than 90 min. by car from far northeast Chicago (shorter from points south & west), and plenty of reasonable lodging options in Geneva and surrounding 'burbs.
More airplay: KOPN Sunday Morning Coffeehouse has played "Let 'Em Eat Moose"--the first broadcast station to take on Ms. Palin vicariously (or at least, via me). 'Nette Radio (internet, out of Los Angeles) played "Talking to the Vines." And Radio Crystal Blue's Novus Ordo podcast, which played the Appetizers version of "Comin' Home," will feature another song, this time off the full CD, on its Aug. 15-recorded podcast (likely up by Aug. 17).