Hello again and many greetings from Ireland, as October hunches its shoulders against the autumn chill. Just got back from ten days in Germany - some really memorable gigs and as always the great support and company of many German friends, old and new. Not sure who the oldest was but I suspect wee Leah from Tuebingen was the youngest, at just 6 months old. As always, some friends came a LONG way to see me - notably Anja, Sandra, Barney, Anne, Stefan, Katja, Gueno and Jutta, Werner and Didi, Ute, Hartmut and Rosemary, Monika, Heinz and Christian, Karin and Matthias, Andrea and Ilker, Angeline and Elmar ..... I realise more than ever just how important those folks - and too many more to mention -are to me as I ramble around Europe on my musical adventures. Thanks to Martina for putting it all together. Before the German trip I spent a lovely week at Lago D'Orta, Italy, where my daughter Kellie was married to Colm Regan on September 14. What a wonderful country is Italy and this picturesque lakeside village with its medieval buildings and narrow streets was a delightful place to spend a few relaxing days. I wrote a song for Kellie and had great difficulty singing it - emotional situations, daughter's weddings! Maybe put the song up on MySpace, if I am able to record it without tears! Back now for a few days in Ireland before rejoining The Sands Family for next weekend in Denmark - always good fun there - then back again for a festival in Donegal the following weekend. So, enough to keep me out of trouble for the foreseeable future. All the very best Ben www.bensands.com