Still in recovery from the marathon studio sessions, but likewise overjoyed at the results. Only have the rough mixes so far, but very few warts (most of them mine. What? I’m not perfect? Again?) and I’m currently veering off of persnickety and leaning toward philosophical.

A word to those wishing to record their music using professionals in a professional setting. You can’t do better than Steve Peters for a producer. And if you’re anywhere in the Midwest, Nick Sibley Music is a recording studio unlike any you’ve seen, and Nick is the Prince of Engineers.

Working with the two of them is a pure joy. They’re quick, funny, helpful and they have these amazing ears, that can catch the tiniest mistake and often fix it on the fly. Each is a wizard at ProTools, the bane of most audio pros. The problem? The program will do Anything and Everything — if you can find it and figure out what it’s called. Steve and Nick, however, seem to have tamed the demon.

Another word about the modest Mr. Peters. He has this knack of drawing things out of the musician that not even the musician knows are there. i’d have sworn I couldn’t sing “Pretty Bird,” and was pretty sure I didn’t even like it. But wait till you hear it. Two weeks in the studio, with Steve, Nick, the band, the dinosaur, the swing, the melodeon and an analog reverb plate the size of a mattress, and I have an album with which I could not be more pleased (except for that one note I almost hit). I am blessed beyond measure.