Five of the twenty shows I have lined up for January and February 2027 are now officially confirmed, meaning contracts signed and deposits paid. I remain extremely grateful to Jen Claveau for teaching me to be persnickety about such things. In the old days I flew fast and loose, believing a person’s enthusiastic “Absolutely!” meant absolutely. Sometimes it does. Sometimes it means “Absolutely, until I change my mind, forget our conversation, leave the country or become interested in someone from Sloan doing a solo tour.” People are not always on the up and up. Contracts are good things, boys and girls.

The other fifteen should firm up soon. Six months out, there is nothing alarming about that. In fact, having 25 percent already contracted with deposits feels luxurious. A good sign. Yesterday Langley confirmed! I’ve never played Langley. There are actually quite a few places coming up that I’ve never played before, which excites me very much. Every new town means another room, another piano, another collection of strangers, another chance to discover a motel with soundbites in my mind of Ronley Teper saying she travels with her own sheets.

I like touring Canada this way. Every time another town gets added to the map, the country becomes a little less enormous. Eventually I hope to have the whole thing down to the size of a neighbourhood.