I've been pretty busy shoveling snow, booking spring and summer performances and hosting the weekly open mic at the Taos Inn each Monday when I'm not out touring. Quite an adventure. Ive also had to head down to the border to Juarez Mexico to get some urgent dental surgery done. Ahhh...the romantic and glorious life of an artist. Having no insurance has meant having no dental care. Shattering my leg last year didn't help matters much. My leg is almost completely recovered and I've been able to get back to somewhat normal physical activity. I've even tried skiing...successfully! A number of my friends in Taos have turned me onto a great dentist in Juarez, Dr Oscar Ruiz Mares, and Oscar has come through for me. Thanks to dear friends Jeff, Ashleigh, Ben and Sammy Curry I've been able to stay in Las Cruces, NM and commute to the dentist in Juarez to get the work done in a way I could not have afforded otherwise...especially in the states. I park in downtown El Paso, TX and walk back and forth across the bridge to Juarez each day. The treatments are taking about 2 1/2 weeks worth of visits. That's six extractions, five root canals, several crown removals and about fifty shots of Novocaine. I'm concerned all the needles in my gums and palate are going to give me Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I'm getting excellent care and having a lovely time with Oscar and his associates. Unfortunately the infections in my teeth and gums and gotten to the point of being life threatening. How embarrassing would that have been...being killed by your own teeth? Of all the folks I've been dealing with in Juarez only Oscar speaks English...so it's been pretty fun getting my Spanish functional again. I love Mexico and even though Juarez is a dicey in spots place right now due to the drug cartels I've had no trouble. There are armed Police, Soldiers and Federales throughout the downtown border area. To put it in perspective I've lived in or frequented worse neighborhoods in Chicago, Detroit and elsewhere...especially in the 70's when American cities were pretty rough. The worst thing going on in Juarez at the moment is the disappearance of thousands of women and children in the past several years. That's a serious situation.  
  Other news...I'm in the process of getting most of my music available as digital downloads from iTunes, Amazon and a few other download sites. this will take a few more weeks but is something I've been trying to get done for a long time. There are MP3 downloads available right now from this very web site...in the Music section. Once again I thank you all for your support and for making it possible for me to manage my medical costs from shattering my left leg. I've paid and/or negotiated those bills down from $90,000 to under $20,000. It's still a challenge but it's not an impossible one...anymore. Special thanks to Arlo and the Guthries, to my brother Ells Paul and to a host of other friends who have stepped forward to help me with the reconstruction of my mouth. Maybe smarter things will come out of it now!  Peace on you all. DonCon