On this day 230 years ago, the Second Continental Congress established the nation’s first post office department. So if the USPS has to raise prices in the next year or so and the price of a stamp goes up to 40 cents for a letter, just remember that that’s a ridiculously reasonable rate of inflation. (Plus, what else could you buy for 40 cents these days?)

Ben Franklin, our first postmaster general, earned a salary of $1000/year and had a secretary and a comptroller under him who each earned $340/year.

On a side note, Boston set up the first post office in the colonies in 1639. [Abby is correct; Massachusetts had finally approved the Constitution by 1939. Just shows I shouldn’t be allowed to play with numbers when I’m sleepy…]

Well, we’re home. Vacation was just starting to get restful. Good thing we have another one coming up in September. And the cats were glad to see us roll in just before 3 a.m. Well, they might have been happier if we’d rolled in a little earlier, but that’s what happens when you’re driving home from vacation — you leave late, you drive slow, you stop to buy cat food…

I’ll post deeper thoughts on our vacation later on — after my brain has had a chance to regroup. In the meantime, I leave you with the list of new cds that now call The Burrow home:

• The FRFF sets of Eddie from Ohio, Brave Combo, and Arrogant Worms — Eddie from Ohio were Eddieless so took on the moniker From Ohio for their festival performances (I also saw them hanging out waiting to autograph stuff in the cd tent and were impressed by their Nationals caps); Brave Combo is the headbanging, Grammy-winning polka alternative (way more fun than any of us thought they would be!); and the Arrogant Worms are a hilarious Canadian trio you should see live if you ever get the chance.
• Erin McKeown‘s We Will Become like Birds — Erin wasn’t at this year’s festival because she’s busy being in demand — touring with Ani and getting ready to perform on Conan (Aug. 9!).
• Crooked Still‘s Hop High — I was impressed by Aoife O’Donovan’s voice last year, but forgot to buy this disc then.
• Signature Sounds Sampler #9 — This Connecticut-based independent label is home to many favorites — from Richard Shindell and Fred Eaglesmith to Tracy Grammer and Kris Delmhorst, as well as Erin McKeown’s early albums.
• Paul and Storm‘s Opening Band — Two of the four members of Da Vinci’s Notebook, whom we discovered at Falcon Ridge a few years ago.
• FRUiT‘s Burn — A catchy Australian band.
• Tracy Grammer‘s Flower of Avalon — Sweet and soulful arrangements of Dave Carter-penned, but unreleased tunes.