... slowly, very slowly, Spring seems to be arriving in Ireland. Mind you it is taking its time: a couple of false starts already and no guarantee that the fresh, sunny weather of the last few days is here to stay. But then - this is Ireland, weather is never guaranteed! For me it is a very interesting and busy time. I just got back from the former "East Germany" where I spent 10 days with my good old singer-songwriter-musician friend Manfred Wagenbreth. He is something of a "folk hero" in what was (until 1989) the German Democratic Republic and we know each other since long before the Wall came down. For many years we talked about playing some music together but because of our separate, busy careers (and, for some time, an Iron Curtain!) we could never quite manage to find enough time and space to get anything together musically - until now! After squeezing in a few Winter rehearsals in Germany and in Ireland we performed our first concert together in Leipzig on March 7 - a great success and immensely enjoyable: each in turn singing his own favourite compositions while the other chipped in with backing harmonies and instrumentation. Further successes followed in Olbernhau and Dresden leading to the likelihood of more musical adventures in this combination - probably in Autumn. This weekend sees the third annual "Ben Sands & Friends"concert in Newry City Hall, which I look forward to immensely - proceeds to Leukaemia Research. (Our son, Michael had a miraculous deliverance from Leukaemia, in the face of all medical wisdom nearly 30 years ago - he will join me on stage as will daughters Kellie and Ryanne and wife, Barbara, who is Chair of the local Branch of Leukaemia Research. Next week sees the getting together of The Sands Family for a major tour in Germany, armed with a new CD called "Keep On Singing" ... more about that after the weekend! Take good care - I hope there are some signs of Spring where you are too! Newry, Co. Down, Ireland