Toronto was a homecoming for me. The city revealed itself with alternating backdrops of sunshine and rain and over both days I got my share of hugs from a whole lot of friends I've missed since leaving Toronto in January. Wanda and Brigette, Vincent, Michelle, and Tallie, Denise, Jane and Jackie, Judy, and of course, Emm Gryner, whose name I've discovered, I've been misspelling for two years. Ever since my husband, Michael, started managing her. And to think that I'm positively attentive when it comes to spelling... The only thing that lets me off the hook on this one is that Em, er, Emm, has been spelling my name Jana, with two n's, for the same amount of time. (I'll give you your 'm' if you take back an 'n', okay Emm?)

There were logistical problems in Toronto, rain makes that a reality, but once again the crew pulled off efficiency miracles and everything ran pretty much on schedule, as usual.

On Emm Gryner's set the first day, rain literally catapulted the crowd. People were sopping wet by the second song. Still they stayed, which should mean something to a young woman who is just now penning a deal with Mercury Records International. Though it did rain on day two in Toronto, it spared Emm's set by an hour, thereby gracing her with afternoon sunshine and a packed audience, many of whom arrived early and sat cross-legged waiting for Emm's set to begin.

Today, Montreal has bestowed us with sunshine. It's a summer day alright, but you can feel Autumn sneaking into the breeze, chilling you down quickly as soon as you step out of the sun. Fall is on its way and our tour is drawing to an end.

In the press conference this afternoon, Sarah said that she was already looking forward to next year's Lilith Fair as well as feeling separation anxiety about leaving this one. In some ways we feel sorry that the tour is drawing to an end, we've had a part in recording the history of Lilith Fair since day one. We've become used to seeing each others faces, new friendships are being formed, some people have even felt the lure of love. So then one day you pull the plug and the machine stops rolling across the country and the production teams tear everything down and then Lilith sleeps, for a while.

My predictions for Lilith Fair I believe are quite safe. I predict that Lilith Fair will live on as a woman's festival showcasing women's music. I predict that people will want to pay to be on next year's line-up. I predict that Sarah's festival has changed the face of music festivals, especially successful ones, forever.

From now on I think people are going to evaluate more than just the 'take' when they discuss the success of a touring show. Maybe they'll be considering what the 'give' is too. I don't have all the relevant numbers yet, but I know that the total amount given by Lilith Fair to charity is already very impressive.

As I write this, Sarah and Indigo Girls and Jewel and practically everyone else on today's bill are on stage singing Sarah's new finale, Joni Mitchell's "Yellow Taxi". "Don't it always seem to go, you don't know what you've got til it's gone..."