Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Genesis 4

I'm back. Took a blog vacation. No vacation from the violin work however. I sent pictures out to everyone I know in this blogishere. If you didn't get them leave a comment on this (I didn't really send them, just want to get my comment average up) and I'll try again. I'm working on the violin neck now. Its been cut out, have drilled the holes for the pegs and tomorrow will start carving. That's all for the violin talk.

Since my main focus for this blog was to let everyone know I'm still alive, and I guess that has been accomplished by now, I can stop writing. Just to let all you counters out there know, this doesn't count as a blog. But when one calls a penalty on oneself then that person should actually be rewarded for good conduct. Perhaps 5 blog points would be in order. Bill

Friday, February 12, 2010

Numbers 1:1

Adams:
A
A&J
Abby
Al & Barbara
Alan
Alyson
Andrea

I've hit a little dry spell in creativity and recently noticed my sister Jane finally wrote her third blog. I'll never catch Susan. Gail maybe. There is no way my little sister is going to get near me.

Adler:
Arnold & Carol
Barnett
Carlton
David
David & Gloria
Edith & Edgar

Edith and Edgar Adler? You've got to be kidding. Hi my name is Ed, this is my wife "Ed", we are the Eddy Adlers.

Ahern:
Barry & Tara
Bernard
Brian
Brian & April
C Pete
Chas & Martha

This is what senators use to do years ago during a filibuster. They would read from a phone book, War and Peace or some other suitable unending manuscript. By the way, how many words do we need Gail to qualify as an official blog?

Aittaniemi (no joke it's in there, the 2009-2010 C. Cod Directory)
Alan & Barbara
DC
Hazel
KW
Kenneth
Raymond J & Stella

Stella. My sophomore year at NKC High. I began dating a real nice girl named Stella. 1969. She was kind of shy, I was more than a little square. We were a good match.

Alexander:
Bette & George
Bill & Mary
Chas
David
Harvey Jr. & Dorothy

Speaking of random names, has anyone out there besides me and maybe my sister Judy ever tried to read The Book of Numbers. It should be assigned reading in every high school in America. If more people new it existed, sleeping pills would never have been invented. I think I made it through it once in my younger days when I thought I would fry in hell if I didn't read the entire Bible. Judy, if you (meaning me) are just slogging through the words in a daze does that count? Or am I still going way down south in my "big" retirement?

Allain:
Keith
Mary Jane
Pauline M
Phillip
Vernon J & Irene

This must be official now. We should have sat down and gone over all the rules of this blogger thing before we got started. It's really not fair because I know Gail is making up the rules as we go along. And I'm sure she will try to disqualify me. But before you do, just remember this. Jane is on her third one and maybe on a roll. You might need a friend later on when a favorable judgement call would come in handy.

Allegretti, Enzo; Allegrezza, Nello;Al legrini, Joan; ........................ Bill.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Genesis 4

We went to the doctor yesterday for our first check up. That is my baby and I, the violin pieces, we went to see a real violin maker to get his opinion on how my baby is coming along. Well, let us just say that I don't need to worry just yet about reaching the point where there's no room for improvement. Actually he didn't tell me much I didn't already know. There are cosmetic issues and the need down the road to use better glue. Overall, for a novice I'm doing okay. In many ways I can't wait to get started on the next one because I've learned so much over the past month or so. But I'm not going to abandon this one in the cause of building a better one. The next one will come soon enough. First things first.

Right now I'm close to finishing the body. That is the back, sides and top of instrument are almost done. I need to adjust the arching a little on back and top. Both need a little more hollowing out. The back weighs 119 grams and needs to shed about 10 grams. The top weighs 86 grams and needs to diet as well, about 26 grams. I need to cut out the ff holes and glue in the base bar underneath the top piece. It sounds like a lot but isn't more than a day and a half or so.

But then we have the neck and scroll to carve. No idea there on how much time but I'm preparing for the worst. Anyway a little voice from somewhere keeps saying, "just one day at a time". I have no idea where that's coming from. Can any of you remember who might have beat that into me?

As I write this we are being visited by some friends of my dear sister Susan. Only I wish they would have stayed with her. Cathy and I would rather see pictures of them on line than to see them in person. That means tomorrow is another lost day. Time to get the snow blowers revd up. "One day at a time Bill, one day at a time." Who is that voice in my ear!

Monday, February 8, 2010

Another interlude

No Genesis, Song of Solomon, or even Revelation Of John this time. Violin construction going well, the chopping block and bonfire a faint, distant memory. No time to write silly stories at the moment. Just enough time to pass along a time worn observation.

When one gets beat up often enough and with regularity, it feels natural, even enjoyable. Until the beatings stop. Then you wonder how it ever felt so good or why you put up with the punishment.

Being out of touch with those you should be close to has seemed quite normal to me for many years. And then someone came up with a novel idea that maybe there is a better way to live. Thanks again Gail for inspiring me to begin to find that better path.

Bill