It actually probably won't be too freaky (unless you want us to get weird), BUT Par Avion is sharing the night with BLACKBALL BANDITS and HOLD FAST for the first time down in OC, and that's gonna be a heckin' howler (I don't even know what that means, but it sounds provocative). Shall we wear costumes??? See us there!

After Hurricane Harvey hit Houston horrifically hard, I impatiently waited for the water to subside to assess the aftermath, not only for my fellow Texans, but for my family. Yes, indeed, it hit close to home: THE home I shared essentially my entire life with my parents until I was married off. We are lucky that my parents were (and still are) safe during the entire ordeal, staying with my siblings, but their house, like many others', was not spared the floodwaters. Doing my best to remain calm as my parents, family, and I sorted out via phone and text the following days of how and what to do next was no simple task. "Are the streets finally safe to drive to the house?" "Have you applied for FEMA assistance yet?" "Does homeowner's insurance cover that?" "Do you have flood insurance?" "Is there electricity yet?" "How much damage was there?" "Did you get photos of that?" were all questions that had to be answered one at a time, and with 7 individual adult opinions (not including spouses) in a family, it's bound to become stressful. 
That's not to say we weren't working together. My siblings, nieces and nephews, did a beautiful job of helping remove damaged furniture, all major appliances, carpet and cabinets from the house. We were even more fortunate to have extended family and friends come, some of them bringing volunteers from their local parish to tear down walls and clear out rubbish to the front yard in heaping mounts. I put in a phone call to United who were kind enough to change my flight to an earlier date (free of charge - GASP!) so that I could be on the ground with my family and working side by side as soon as possible. Once in Houston, I, too, got down and dirty with the house. Masks, gloves, sweat, repeat. Physical and emotional support every day. There was still a lot to be done.
There IS a lot to be done. We are taking care of it slowly but surely. And we are hopeful. Hiring contractors for tasks my one-functioning-donated kidney dad can't do, replacing studs, accepting assistance from family for electrical work, and eventually the walls of sheetrock will go up. We are so grateful for the blessings of good people and good will, and honestly, the country's disaster assistance program. As remarkable as that's been, we've been of further fortune with the friends who went to our show at Molly Malone's and even more who bought our music at our bandcamp page, adding an additional $300 that will go to my parents' home. Thank you doesn't fully reflect the thankfulness I/we feel. YOU all ROCK.