Alice Day came early this week

[catsittingstill]

Peter Alway stayed with me a couple of weeks ago on his way to see the Monitor in...uh, Virginia? He was meaning to go to Contata after that, and after that, well, it depended.  If the last shuttle was going to fly when scheduled, he would be travelling south again to see the launch, and since he was in the area, attending the Atlanta Housefilk.  If not, he would go home again after seeing the Constitution (the ship).  So when we were chatting about the next couple of weeks one phrase kept popping up a lot:

If The Last Spaceship Leaves On Time
Idea by Peter Alway
Lyrics and Melody by Catherine Faber 2011  mp3 is here and a capella mp3 is here.
           D                                    G              D
There are friends I see too seldom, there's so much I want to do
         C                                        D
See the sights and make strange music there, and better yet, with you
         D                              B#m            G
So I'll meet you in two weeks, in that exotic foreign clime
        D              B#m   Am  D
If the last spaceship leaves on time.

           D                            G 
   If the ship's engines blaze without holds or delays--
             C           G           D
   Why that boat could amaze in its prime!--
            D                      C      G
   Fortune smiles on strays and audacity pays
           D              B#m   Am  D
   If the last spaceship leaves on time!

In the rocket's mighty roar I hear adventure's siren call,
From its earliest beginnings I have learned about it all
It's my last big chance to see it, giving up would be a crime--
If the last spaceship leaves on time.

So I'm hazarding adventure, though its nature does depend,
On the luck that follows travelers, not always as a friend,
But I'll dare the deal of fortune, even put it all in rhyme--
If the last spaceship leaves on time.

Alas, now it's looking like the last spaceship won't be leaving on time, so Peter has bailed and gone home, having had a good time to the point of exhaustion anyway.  He said it was almost a relief to hear the shuttle would probably be delayed, so I think it was probably just as well.  But it sure would have been fun to see him at the housefilk tomorrow .  (At which this song will make its live performance debut.  But you saw it here first.)