Sunday, January 31, 2010

Dinner and a fun gig . . . .

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We had dinner before the gig with our friends Cheryl and Bill and Terry and Ellyn.  Fish and chips and cold beer.  I had to leave dinner early as I had to get to the gig and set up.  ■  The gig was fun.  A good crowd lots of fun.  We had one of the teachers at the music store I work at sit in with us on harp.  He’s a good player!  ■  Tomorrow (actually today since it’s so late) Holly is making a chicken pot pie.  Mmmm . . . can’t wait.  ■

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Saturday – and the time does fly . . . . .

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The time has flown by today.  Updated various websites, drove out to Round Lake, Illinois to deliver posters for an upcoming gig – 35 minutes each way – not too bad – created our set list for tonight (that’s it on the left), and worked on some drawings.  Still have stuff to get done before I leave for the gig.  ■  Tomorrow should be a quiet day.  ■  Time to load up for the gig.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

She seems to be alright now . . . . .

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Mollie seems to be alright now.  She was up and pacing most of last night.  It kept me awake and I finally got up with her.  We spent a good part of an hour together and then she seemed to calm down.  Today she seem mostly like her old self – just a bit slower.  ■  Gig coming up this weekend at Jimmy D’s.  It should be fun.  Got to get to bed. 

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Mollie

Mollie – she’s such a sweet dog.  She’s my favorite.  Always waiting up for me to come home from gigs.  Gentle, and such a sweetie.  ■  took her to the vet yesterday.  She’s had a lump on her right-side.  We had thought it was a fatty-lump as it doesn’t bother her at all.  The doc withdrew fluid from it and it’s not a fatty-lump.  The only way for him to tell what it is is to have an operation with a big cut – and at her age she might not live threw it.  ■   Today she’s been very close to me.  Walking around, but not knowing where she really wants to go.  She’ll lie down by my desk – and she never does that – and stay with me.  She didn’t eat her “snack” at 5:00 pm.  She always looks forward to that.  ■  Right now, as I write this, she’s in our bedroom “digging” for a place to sleep.  She’s my baby.  I can’t lose her.

Monday, January 25, 2010

A new guitar!

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There’s Holly with her new guitar.  It’s a 3/4 size classical.  I few lessons and she’ll be playing in no time.  Pretty soon she’ll be sitting in with the band!  ■  The weather has taken a turn towards cold.  Burrrrr.  The next few days will be in the teens.  ■  I’m starting on another pen and ink tomorrow.  First a couple of pencil sketches in order to get things right.  ■  And I’ve got to do something about this shoulder impingement because it’s not getting any better.  ■ 

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Dark, foggy, but good gig . . . . .

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It was a dark, foggy drive from my house – and back – to AJ’s Horsin’ Around.  Ok, it was a miserable drive.  I think we were always under the speed limit – you just couldn’t see.  I hate driving in those conditions.  ■  Watched the football games today.  Good games.  Now it’s the Colts and New Orleans in the SB.  ■  Time for bed.  ‘Night. ■

Thursday, January 21, 2010

From the past . . . . .

This is a picture from a few years ago. 012110_001That’s Maizy on the left (she’s gone now), me in the middle, and Mollie on the right.  Mollie now has a gray face.  She’s aged, unlike me . . . just kidding.  I think my hair was still blond back then – now they tell me it’s gray.  Liars.  ■  My left elbow has been in pain for the last few days.  I wonder what’s wrong with me now.  ■  I got some orthotics a few days ago.  I trimmed them, because you need to cut off some of the length – otherwise they’d never fit in a shoe.  At any rate I tried them, but can’t get my foot in my shoe with them in there.  I’ve got to figure something out.  ■  Took the guitar I bought a couple of weeks ago into the store.  The string notches need to be cut a little lower and it generally needs to be setup correctly.  I’ll post pictures of it after I get it back.  ■  Time for bed.  ‘Night.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

I’m liking this iVideoCamera app on my iphone.

  This video camera app for my iphone is pretty neat.  The quality isn’t top-notch, but it’s nice having a video camera on my phone.  ■  Tomorrow night we have band practice.  We have a substitute bass player playing with us Saturday, so I’ve got to create a set list without the songs that our regular bass player sings.  Hmmm . . . . shouldn’t be too hard, but you never know.  ■  It looks like it’s going to be icy over the next few day.  Temps above freezing during the day and then lower temps at night.  Drive carefully.  ■  Tomorrow:  clean my office; download some demo software; create a set list; band practice.  It’ll be busy.  ■

I don’t know . . . . . .

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Ah, heck, there’s a lot I don’t know.  The drawing to the left is of the original building of the University of Omaha.  Ok, I’m kidding  . . . it’s just a

Friday, January 15, 2010

My foot isn’t what it used to be . . . . .

My left foot is still not 100% – heck, it’s not even close to that.  ■  Watched “Oceans XX” tonight.  We haven’t seen any of the “Oceans” movies, so I’m not sure which one this is.  ■  No gigs this weekend, but one next weekend.  Still have lot’s of practicing to do.  ■  I’m tired – time for bed . . . . . .

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Music . . . it’s part of my life . . . . .

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Music is a large part of my life.  It’s a large part of both of our lives (my wife and I.)  Billy Galaxy, Bullfrog’s lead singer and guitar player, was doing his solo acoustic gig at Village Squire in Crystal Lake tonight.  Holly and I went out to hear him play.  That’s Billy in the picture.  It was a good time.  ■  My fingers are starting to split.  Split ???? Yes.  I had scarlet fever when I was a mere child.  Ever since then the skin on my fingers and toes has split.  Actually it’s been non-splitting for years and years, but today I noticed that I have a dry split on the index finer on my right hand.  At least it’s on the hand that holds the pic, not the hand that plays the chords and leads.  ■  And, yes, once again it’s time for bed. 

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Something to sooth the pain . . . and it hasn’t arrived yet . . .

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Long story short:  Went out to see if we had keys to fit the door of the recording studio – it was dark – the slope was slippery – I slipped and fell.  My right shoulder took the brunt of the fall.  My right shoulder took the brunt of the last fall I had shoveling snow.  I can feel the soreness and I’m sure I’ll really feel it tomorrow.  The beer, Samuel Smith, is just to ease the pain a bit.  ■  Tomorrow I’ve got lots to do.  Posters to be created and delivered; doctor’s orders to be found; appointments to be made; and a bunch of other stuff.  Time for bed.  ‘Night.  ■ 

A sunny day and a trip to the podiatrist . . . .

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It’s a nice sunny day out.  And it’s warmer – mid 20’s, but that’s a lot better than the single digits that we’ve had for the past few days.  The icicles are even melting!  ■  Had a follow-up appointment with my podiatrist today.  I’m coming along fine.  I received my orthotics (the blue things on the table) and a replacement boot.  The heel on the original one separated from the rest of the boot.  ■  I’m not working Wednesdays anymore.  The band can start practicing again.  That’s good ‘cause we need to learn some new songs.  It gets somewhat boring to play the same stuff.  ■     

Sunday, January 10, 2010

My, oh, my . . . ribs and apple pie!

Had ribs and home made apple pie tonight.  Mmm . . . . yup, delicious.  You knew that was coming!  ■  I took the video with an 011010app on my iphone.  The quality isn’t great, but it is nice knowing that I can take some videos.  The newest generation iphone has video capabilities built in.  Not so with my first generation phone.  ■  It continues to be cold.  12ยบ (-11ยบ C) out.  Hard to believe that I was outside doing ribs on the grill in these temps.  I hope it warms up as the week goes on.  ■  This week should be busy.  Two doctor’s appointments, band practice, and work.  ■ 

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Snow . . . and it keeps falling.

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As predicted we’re getting snow.  They closed the schools today because of it.  When I was younger they had only closed the schools for 1 day from the time I had started school until I graduated from high school.  But we’re somewhat out in the country here.  Too many county roads will have been plowed only to have the snow blow back on the road.  ■  Off to work in a couple of minutes.  ■

Going International?

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Calling for snow tomorrow – up to 12” by some estimates.  ■  My left elbow is giving me some pain.  I wonder what it is now.  Hopefully it’ll be better tomorrow.  I’ll need it in good shape in order to shovel that white stuff!  ■  The title of this post - what does this mean?  Interesting.  More to come . . . . .  ■  Time for sleep.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

“Where do those stairs go?”

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The answer in “Ghostbusters” was: “Up.”  Depending on which level you are in our home it’s either “up”, or “down.”  Going down our stairs for me requires that I put my back against the wall on the right-hand side and go down slowly taking care to make sure my left foot is twisted sideways to that it’s completely on it’s stair.  I can’t wait until I can walk normally!  ■  Zoe goes to the Vet tomorrow.  Time for her annual physical.  I need to ask the vet if Zoe’s tail will ever stop wagging.  I’ve never seen a dog wag her tail so much.  ■  There was a plane crash about 1 mile from where my wife works.  The plane (a Lear Jet) went down in a forest preserve about a mile south of the airport.  My wife said they didn’t hear anything.  Looking at where it went down, if the plane had gone down a couple of blocks to the left it would have been in the middle of housing.  Remind me never to live in the path of a runway.  ■  And it’s still cooold out.  And now the weatherman says we’re going to get snow tomorrow.  Oh, joy.  ■

Monday, January 4, 2010

Cooold . . . . .

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Last night I started the grill, got the coals hot, put on the grate and then the cover so the grate could heat up.  When I came out to check the coals I found they were ready – so I took the cover and placed it on the patio – went inside – got the steaks – came out and put the steaks on – and then tried to lift the cover off the patio to put it on and found that in that short time it had frozen to the snow and ice on the patio.  A little warm water from a pitcher thawed that out.  I’ve never had the cover frozen to the patio.  Something new to be learned every season!  ■  My foot, I think, is getting better.  I still limp.  Maybe the orthotics that I’ll get will help.  ■  Off to work in a few short minutes. ■ 

Saturday, January 2, 2010

It’s cooold out -2ยบ and heading down . . . .

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It’s cold out.  It’s been cold all day.  And the temperature keeps dropping.  The next few days are supposed to be cold too.  ■  Mollie likes this cold weather.  She took her rawhide treat outside to chew on it.  She just lays in the snow and enjoys the cold – and I mean she does enjoy it.  During daylight hours she looks for shade!  What an animal.  ■  Did a quick pencil sketch to see how a building might turn out.  Pencil is easier as you can always erase your mistakes.  Pen & ink is very non-forgiving.  Anything you put down in ink stays.  And that’s why I’ve had to start many drawings over from scratch when I’ve made a mistake.  ■  Band practice tomorrow. ■ 

Good gig and good brunch . . . . . .

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Our new year’s eve gig was good.  Plenty of people all having a good time.  ■  And yesterday’s new year’s day brunch was good also.  Lots of good food and drink and football.  ■  Drinks:  Terry makes a great Bloody Mary.  He brought some pre-mixed.  I avoided those 2 pre-mixed bottles and just used the un-spiked Bloody Mary juice in my beer (the original Bloody Mary I’m told).  What I didn’t 010210_002know was that at some point the “un-spiked” juice became “spiked.”  After a couple of beers with the “spiked” juice I became rather dizzy.  It was then time for bed – at 5:00 pm!  ■  Finally, now, I’m going to install the webcam I received from Holly for Christmas – then I’ve got to get a Skype account and try some calls.  I’ll let you know how it goes.