First thing's first: tonight we're playing in Needham, MA. It's a house concert and RSVP (at sharonbackyard@gmail.com) is required. There's still time and space for YOU.

Second thing's second, but actually more important: Down in the Wandering and Wondering there's a fundraiser for Grover Duffield and a song we sang with him. Rest in Peace.

And there's some wandering. And some wondering. And some general babble as well. 

Above is a link to this Wednesday's Live from the Lair. Definitely tune in. We have fantastic guests all this month, kicking off this week with Susan Rowe, and then Juels Bland and Kate Buckholdt as well.

And the BIG news this month is the weekend of shows with Mark Rooney and his taiko troupe in Takoma Park, MD celebrating his taiko anniversary, his birthday, and the general joy of big, big drums + ilyAIMY. Tickets are available, and space is limited.

Roaring and thumping. It's what we do.

Talk to anyone and they'll act surprised that it's July already. The stalwart march of time seems inevitable and for all that I've been placing mental dams out and about to block the flow of tachyons, they seem to sleet through my efforts, barriers and fingers. No little pools of time sitting next to this coffeehouse table to be dipped into. No free moments hidden away in the trunk. Time is RACING.

18 years ago we encountered the Victoria Station Cafe while taking a long-cut to Providence, RI and the owner made us some delicious lemon squares. We've been friends ever since, through three visions of Victoria, two homes and now a brand new business. It's amazing how over all these years his joy in CREATING remains as infectious (I hope) as our own.

The people that we meet as we travel, and who we bring together even while sitting still, are a marvel. I hate people. I Love people. Even in the middle of all my confliction about my species : I am AMAZED by people.

We lost yet another member of our community recently: Grover Duffield was a member of our VOM since Christmas of 2021, and though confined to a wheelchair and tied to oxygen, found new Life as an artist and singer/songwriter via the virtual open mics and songwriter circles that sprung up over the Pandemic. We found ourselves within striking distance of his home in Oklahoma during our Midwest wandering, and got to go meet him, play some songs together, meet his wife and goats and dogs and we had a Very Good Day. 

Grover died just over a week ago. While we were with him in Oklahoma we played "Fire and Rain" together (below). IF you have a couple of bucks you can send to his wife and family, you can really help them out here : https://gofund.me/a23f1fe2. Cause jeezoflip, when your partner in Life dies, we should Live in a world where for a LITTLE while at least you don't have to worry about the bills.

And so, greetings and farewell from Thompson, CT. The wildfires of Canada are being felt, but our gigs have been skirting just beneath the thresholds of unhealthy air with beautiful blue skies and strangely-hazed horizons. Dave (the owner of Victoria Station Cafe and now ALAMODE Market) made us wonderful croissants for breakfast but is busy hunting labels for the OTHER croissants he's made for others. 

Life goes on. Live it to the hilt. We'll be home tomorrow night. But this feels like home too.

- rob
ilyAIMY
wherever the car's parked
www.ilyaimy.com