It's Coming

Doesn't look like much but in total these have had 30.5 hours work invested in them. I've been keeping track.

I'm pleased with the progress.

Regal Jazz Band

Yesterday we went to Collingwood for the afternoon. Our friend Michael was playing downtown (he plays clarinet with the Regal Jazz Band) for a couple of hours. They are all fantastic musicians, but Michael - wow! I knew he was a great musician, but I was gob-smacked!

They play Dixieland music. It's such happy music.

People walking by on the sidewalk smiled, even the little kids. Some would do a little dance. One couple in the audience danced during one of the songs. Passers by in their cars would be tapping their hands as they hung them out the windows. The man driving the horses and carriage stood up and danced as they passed.

It was such a fantastic time.

If you hear they'll be in your area, you MUST go and see them! They will be performing on Thursday in Wasaga Beach (Laura, seriously, you must!). The following week, they'll be in Stayner.

Since Yesterday's Post

Today The Mister finished the guitar he's been making. It sound fabulous! Again, I teared up at the birth of an instrument.

This is today's progress on my cello.

Finally A Post

Here's what's been going on around here.

I didn't take any pix when Sue & Steve were here or at the Crazy Glasses Party. Plum forgot.

Here are Susan and Steph's kids in the back of the house.

This is The Mister's guitar, he's spraying it with lacquer, then he can string it up. Tomorrow or Friday we should actually hear it's voice. I can't wait.

Here is the cello I'm working on now. Her name will be Lucy.

After spending a bunch of time preparing the front and back, here is a picture of them both cut out, followed by the edges having been trimmed (with The Mister's help ... the pieces of wood are big). In the last picture, you can see that I've begin the arching on the front.

This Week In a Nutshell

This week at our course, the Mister & I have gotten a lot done. The Mister has his guitar read to lacquer and will do that next week. It's pretty toxic stuff and he'll have to do it outside on a still day.

This is our friend Mike playing Lily, my lovely viola, (named after my grandmother). She's all done (except for the varnish which I'll do in a month or so). I am thrilled with how she looks and the sound is fabulous.

Here she is hanging beside Pearl, the violin I completed last year.

This is the maple for the back of one of the now current projects, a double bass.

Bethany and I worked on getting ready to join the two pieces of spruce for the front.

Here's the front, all clamped and glued.

We're pretty darned proud of ourselves.

Here is the back all glued and clamped too! The pieces of wood are so massive it takes at least three people to join them.

The a bunch of our group got together at our house last night for a party.

I'll post pics of the cello I've started tonight or tomorrow.

And She Shall Be Called Lily

This will be the last update before she's done.

I have a wood burning pen, and I've put her name, Lily, where it can be seen inside the f-hole opposite the one with the label. The week after next is the week long course when I'll be finishing her and playing her in the white. Here she is with a few things left to do before I cut the mortise for the neck.

As soon as she is finished, my next two projects will start. I will hang her on the wall beside her sister, Pearl (the violin I made), so she can easily be taken down and played. I'll take a family picture and post it here.

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This is the front, back and neck for my cello (who will be called Lucy). The flame of the maple is really pretty.

This is my sidekick holding the block of wood for the neck of the double bass we're starting .

Visitors

Last night we got home from a social event and I found this guy on my kitchen window ledge. He wasn't at all bothered by my talking to him from two feet inside the window. The window was open a little, so I reached up and closed it so he would have a bit more room. Because he was so patient with my activities, I thought he might be sick.

I went and took a picture from another angle so I could try to identify him. His feathers were so white and he had a pretty crest, so I thought at first it was a cockatoo, but the beak was definitely not a hook-bill! I heard a kafuffle at about 5:30 and thought it was him leaving. When I got up later, he was gone.

At about 8:00, this lady showed up on my other window ledge. She had the same weird feathers around her legs (They looked very cumbersome!).

She tolerate me for a few minutes, then flew down onto the lawn. So I went out the front door and looked into the garden and this is what I found.

Now I'm convinced that he's hurt as he didn't even try to move when I got close (about 6 feet away). I'm going to call the local wildlife rehab place this morning and see if they can help hm.

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I spoke with the wildlife rehab centre and they told me that they are homing pigeons, based on the description. They need some food, water and rest and in a day or so, they'll head home.

I put out some rice, corn and split peas, all uncooked, and some water (it needs to be at least two inches deep for them to be able to drink it (who knew?).

They have both relaxed and preen themselves and each other and have now moved up into the kitchen window. Don't know if they'll be here tomorrow, but they're fun to watch!

Klutzes

So last night, the mister and I went to a meeting with Devon and Andrew. Details maybe later.

As we left Sh'less Joe's, I pointed to a plant and said to Devon, these are so soft, feel it. As I leaned forward, there was a brick in the sidewalk sticking up and I stumbled on it, falling almost on my face right in the middle of this lovely plant. The whole thing was hilarious!

Later at their house, The Mister was coming down the stairs and slipped (wool socks on hardwood) and fell on the stairs.

After some laughing and talking, we went to go to bed and I couldn't find my glasses. I called the restaurant, and was told that they hadn't been left on the table. I went downstairs to look for them and couldn't find light switches. I asked Devon where the switch was, by then everyone was up and looking around. We looked all over the house. Nada. Andrew called his parents in case they had inadvertently picked them up. (Long shot, but hey, you never know!)

I remembered back to my clumsy manoeuvre from earlier and decided to drive back to Sh'less Joe's. Yup, there they were, right in the middle of the plant I had previously squashed.

As we left for the airport this morning, Devon cautioned us ... "Don't fall".

I texted her when we landed. She texted me back, "Have ya fallen?"

Brat!

I keep thinking about it and laughing till I'm in tears.

Dinner at Meg's tonight .... first of two graduation ceremonies tomorrow.

Viola Update

Having blistered the end of my thumb to the point that I couldn't hold a pen for the rest of the day, I got a good start on carving the inside of my viola.

Here is the front and back, It's hard to see the carving and shaping, but take my word for it ... it's really nice. I've done better on this than I did on the violin that I made.

I've drilled these holes inside to 1 mm less than the amount that will have to be carved out for the correct thickness.

This is where the blister came in. I got down to the bottom of most of the holes on the front. Nice, easy spruce ... but the maple of the back doesn't give up so easily! Once I've gotten rid of all the drill marks, I'll take it to the exact thicknesses. (generally speaking, 2.8 to 3.0 mm)

This is the scroll, I'm taking it with me when we go away so I can mark all of the measurements on it (I'll have a few hours on the plane). The sides just need about 1/2 an hour of work and they'll be ready for the glue.

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Note: I have the font size on my computer set so it is always the same. When CG was here she commented on how the letters on my blog are huge ... I didn't realize I was doing that because of how it shows here. This should look more reasonable.

They're All Done

*** PRESENTING ***

The window toppers

They are all finished and hung.

The corners have a flirty little flip up in the corners.

Here's a close-up.

This pic turned out better than the one I took after I'd stained the rod. The Mister made the rods and brackets.

Next is matching cushions in the bay window and placemats.

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And The Wall Came Tumbling Down

Since the first time we looked at this house, we have wanted to open up a wall in the kitchen. That way it opens the sitting room to the whole kitchen. It wasn't top priority on the "to do" list, but it finally made it to the top.

The plan of attack being discussed.

Take off the first piece of pine and make sure there are no ugly surprises, then start to cut out the rest of the pine from the sitting room wall.

The circular saw is heavy when you're holding it over your head. Taking turns makes it easier.

Just about finished.

Pulling the nails that held the pine on.

Now to start cutting the kitchen side.

It's hard cutting the drywall above your head and between studs on the wrong side of the drywall - or I guess it's the right side of the drywall.

The first peek through.

Trimming the edges.

Getting it ready to put trim on.

There we go ... time for beer. Now we have to go shopping for trim and a railing.

Then there will be flooring and furniture.

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This wasn't part of the wall. Ken brought me some roses the other day and the picture turned out so pretty.