UP early, checked out the hotel and parked at the airport before 8am.
Checkin for our flight to Helsinki and security is largely hassle-free, but our departure delayed by nearly an hour.
The delay is compounded by a busy passport control but somehow we manage to get our train with just 30 seconds to spare.
One change then we arrive in Mäntsälä where Ismo meets us drives us to the venue. It’s a great place and Tarja has a great spread of food and drink for us backstage.
Ticket sales are good and the walk ups make it a full house…and a sell-out!
The gig goes great and is a fantastic start to the tour. After we load out Tarja takes us for a drink then we head to Ismo and Suvi’s in Lahti where we’re staying the next few nights.
OFF to the village early doors – Alison at the hairdresser has saved my ass and booked me in for an 8.15an haircut before what was probably meant to be her first customer if the day.
Margaret’s got some stuff at the doctor and we meet at Alfie’s for a coffee before heading home for breakfast.
I have a new guitar student coming at 10am…..when she looks like she’ll be late I message her and, for some reason, she thought it was 3pm! Nevermind, she’s on her way and will be with me by 11am.
Meantime I film a quick video update to tell folks about the new rewards jn my Kickstarter campaign.
The lesson goes well then I edit various formats of the video to post later.
After lunch I finish off a last minute batch of guitar necklaces, Margaret packs the merch and I get my gear ready. We’re driving to Manchester this evening and staying in a hotel near the airport for an early getaway.
We’re a bit later leaving than planned and rock up at our hotel just after 11pm.
A LOT on ‘the list’ today. Merch production, Kickstarter stuff, livestreams, guitar lessons…
After my first Zoom student of the day I get busy with a batch of earrings to take to Finland. We drive south tomorrow (Tuesday) and fly out early Wednesday. First gig is Wednesday night.
In the office I get some merch production underway…I also need to make more guitar necklaces.
Betty joins us for lunch in the garden then I get on with prep for Finland.
I get back on the merch then start sorting out a couple of extra rewards for my Kickstarter campaign….I have a couple of sets of test pressings form my Live at Memorial Hall album..and a couple coloured vinyls left, so I make a ‘bundle’ with them. I also make up a reward with a CD copy of the album plus a backers’ pin.
My evening Widlcats’ livestream goes well then it’s time for dinner.
I spend the rest of the night in the office on merch production and get to bed just after 1am. Early start tomorrow….
You won’t see me crying’…grand afternoon playing Festival Americana in Arrochar
UP early and I get the car packed before breakfast.
We eat then head for Arrochar where I’m playing set at Festival Americana at the Three Villages Hall. Wanna get there at a reasonable time to load in and soundcheck before folks start arriving.
It’s an easy, hassle-free drive and we’re there in just over half an hour. We know the organisers and some of the folks there and set up is a breeze. All sound checked and sorted with time to spare 🙂
I’m never really sure how these daytime shows will go, but the place is full up, I get a good reception and we sell lots of merch…and even attract some Kickstarter campaign backers.
We’re back home late afternoon and I get the pizza dough balled up and ready for later. There’s a fair bit of tidying and sorting in the studio – I have some guitar lessons over the next day or two, a livestream to do and also need to make sure I have all the gear I need for the `Finland tour. We leave on Tuesday evening….
I’VE an outdoor photo job in the village/along the lochside any 11am. A young couple, their 18-month-old kid and a dog…and it’s raining.
Luckily by the time I;ve had breakfast and head out the rain;s stopped and things have brightened up a bit. In fact, the lack of direct sunlight is a bonus as cloud cover is the ideal nature soft box!
The shoot goes well. I’ve done pix for these folks before so things go nice and easy and we have a good laugh.
Back home I dump the pix onto a hard drive, make a coffee then take a walk to the next village for the sheepdog trials. Margaret, Catriona and the kids are already there and we have a nice couple hours watching the dogs at work and catching up with folks.
Later on I hit the studio and sort the morning’s photos, rehearsethe rest of myself et for tomorrow (Sunday) afternoon show any the Festival Americana, Arrochar then pack all the gear ready for an early getaway in the morning.
I get a batch of wee guitars done for the merch table at Sunday afternoon’s show…a wee bit clean up still to do before Margaret ‘strings’ them
RAINY and grey outside. After breakfast I grab a nice wee ½-page feature (on page 2!) from the Stirling Observer about the Kilmaronock show on 14 July. See it here.
The roofing guy finally shows up…a few missed previous visits, but he seems a good guy. he checks the attic and round about and, as we suspected, there’s a bit more to be done than just the soffits. The roof’s fucked. He’ll get us a quote and timescales and we’ll see if we can get a bank loan!
I do some more work on the wee guitar necklaces…they just need a clean up and ‘strung’ by Margaret.
In the studio I do some promo for Sunday afternoon’s (1pm) show at the 3 Villages Hall in Arrochar and rehearse some of my set. I also get my camera gear ready for a job tomorrow (Saturday) morning.
The new SumUp card reader is working on wifi but I can’t get a mobile data connection and so my dialogue with support continues.
Dinner is marinaded flame-grilled chicken and turns out great…
The Kickstarter limited edition red vinyl edition of Devil may Care will include this song as a bonus track not on the CD release…check out the rewards and campaign here.
WE have a lazy morning and breakfast at Bill and Dorothy’s then stop at the supermarket in Dundee to pick up some shopping.
We’re not long home when I decide we need to do a livestream and hit my socials to promote my Kickstarter campaign and the bonus track that will – if the campaign meets it’s target – feature on the limited edition red vinyl edition of my Devil May Care album.
Of course but the time we get out to do it the midges are out in force. We manage through it then drop into Betty’s for an aperitif…
UP AT a reasonable time to try and get some work done before we head off to spend the night with Bill and Dorothy near Dundee.
The Kickstarter campaign seems to have got off to a reasonable start so I decide to hold back on hammering my socials so folks don’t get (too!) sick of hearing about it. I do, however, update the landing page on my website.
In the office I check the silicone moulds…they look reasonable and I melt some metal and cast into the small one. The pour isn’t the best so after it’s cooled I try again. Mmmm…think my ‘object’ is too small for this approach, back to the drawing board on that one.
I do some work on the batch of wee guitar necklaces until Margaret tells me it’s time to go.
The drive up to Dundee is fine and we arrive late afternoon. Bill and Dorothy’s place is lovely with great views over the Tay. We sit in the garden for a while before dinner and have a wonderful evening with our pals.
A CALL from a potential guitar student leads us to diary her first lesson for next week..then I get on with the routine emails, socials and other admin stuff.
In the studio I make up a set list for Sunday’s (1pm) Festival Americana show at Three Villages Hall in Arrochar. I also notice that I’m not getting any notification of Twitter mentions which is weird. There’s a load of stuff from the folks behind Sunday’s show that I haven’t seen, so I like and retweet.
Still no joy getting our SumUp card reader to work – that’s a. on both and half since I got it and it’s never worked. Numerous support ‘chats’ and emails have gone round in circles and I finally lose the tattle today and they agree to send me a new reader to see if that solves the problem. Hope it’s here before we head to Finland.
I hold off launching my Kickstarter campaign ’til later – apparently Tuesday is the ‘best day’ and I wanna leave it ’til a reasonable time in the USA. Meantime, I create a load of ‘now live’ graphics for my socials, banners and anywhere else that’ll let me post promo.
I need to try and streamline the production process for the loch and guitar pendants…there’s too much sanding needed and I end up losing colour by having to sand so deep. I make some new moulds for booth…and a prototype loch earring mould, although I fear it’ll be too delicate for both the silicon mould-making and also the casting process. We’ll see.
In the evening I launch the Kickstarter campaign and start spreading the news. Fingers crossed!
AFTER my first Zoom guitar student is done I hit the office and work on some loch and guitar pendants.
They’re not bad, but to get certain details to come through the epoxy I have to sand down further than I’d hoped and I lose colour in some areas. Maybe I can sell them as one-off special editions!
Lunch is the extra pizza I made last night, reheated in the air fryer. Almost as good as the ‘original’.
After writing up a news release and sorting a pic for tomorrow’s (Tuesday) Kickstarter campaign launch and sen d it off to various journalists and radio folks.
Next I do a little more work on the new song which I aim to play during tonight’s Wildcats’ livestream on Facebook.
Another Zoom guitar student, then it’s into the livestream. Some tentative music including the new song with some yodelling and a special request – Ring of Fire.
It’s 9pm by the time we get along to Betty’s for dinner then back home soon after 11pm.
We take the kids down to the bay to feed the ducks….
AFTER a lie in we have a late breakfast then Catriona and the kids rock up.
We have coffee and cake then Margaret and I take the kids to the bay to feed the ducks and let Catriona get a rest…Aaron woke everyone up at the crack of dawn!
It’s not as windy as forecast and the loch os pretty calm so when we get back I go out for a paddle and do a livestream to try and spread the word about my about-to-launch Kickstarter campaign.
When I get back I edit the livestream footage and use it as content on some of my other socials – InstaGram, TikTok and more…
Dinner is pizza in the garden then we plonk ourselves in for too the telly and watch Glastonbury.
Nice to catch our pal Tom (second right) playing with the uke group at Doune gala day 🙂
THERE’S some mercy to get finished off, packed and in the post before midday.
When I get to the post box it’s not quite noon but the wee ‘next collection’ sign says Monday. Mmmm…
Nevermind, we’re off to Doune to see Catriona and the kids and go to the gala day so well may be find a later post collection en route. Sure enough, there’s a postman emptying a box in Buchlyvie and he happily takes my stuff.
We have a great day in Doune – I find some folks willing to service my bike, spot our pal Tom playing in the local uke group, b ump into an old friend (Lee-Ching) that we haven’t seen in ages and generally have a nice family afternoon.
We have a lovely meal at Catriona’s then head home in time for bed.
FIRST job of the day is updating my ‘link tree’-style homepage on my website to include the Kickstarter campaign link…and also create a landing page for same.
The campaign doesn’t launch until Tuesday (27 June) but any traction and followers I can get pre-launch helps get some traction.
A little more work on the new song idea. I;m hoping to get it to a stage where I can give folks a wee taste of it in Monday’s Wildcats’ livestream on Facebook.
The first part of the afternoon is spent working on more prototypes for my guitar necklaces. I have a few fails along the way but looks like progress. Watch this space!
Margaret drives me to the village where I get some posters up for the upcoming Kilmaronock show and I walk back home. it’s a five-mile hike – mostly off-road – and the weather’s not great but it’s nice to get some exercise and fresh air.
Back home in the studio I record another ‘sketch’ of the new song then head back tot he house for dinner…velvetised chicken and black fungus stir fry. And very good it is too 🙂
I’VE got most of the routine stuff done when my first Thursday guar stand arrives. This’ll be her last lesson for a few weeks as she’s working away for a while. I give her lots of stuff to practice!
In the office I work on some guitar moulds then hit the studio until Fiona arrives and we take our sandwiches out on the loch.
Back home I mess with some guitar until my latest e afternoon guitar student arrives.
Once we’re through I do some promo on the Kickstarter pre-launch and. make up a plan to spread the word once it goes live.
A MESSAGE from Kickstarter tells me my campaign needs some changes before approval. Mainly, I’ve referred to the campaign as a pre-order (which is, effectively, what I’m using it as) but they don’t like the terminology!
I amend all the award items and my ‘story’ accordingly and edit the video then re-submit.
In the office I try out some different ways to make the wee guitar pendants I prototyped last week. None of the ‘new’ methods/ideas work, but the process gives me some more options to try tomorrow. Meantime, I do some more on the new song and mess with another idea. Creative central!
Another message from Kickstarter tells me the campaign is now approved and good to go. I’m not gonna launch until Tuesday (27 July) but can spread a pre-launch link to start (hopefully) creating a bit of a buzz.
Margaret gets home with the shopping and once it’s all packed away we wander along to Betty’s for dinner…
Nice solstice paddle with Emma and chums from PaddleFast 🙂
AFTER breakfast I hit the studio and spend some more time on the new song – it’s morphed from hill country blues to country…and now somewhere in between. I make a quick demo so I don’t forget what I’ve done!
I make quesadillas for lunch then find some more pewter ion the office and give the new blow torch a whirl. Seems to be making a huge difference – faster, better melting and doesn’t seem to crate so much slag/crud. I cast a couple of loch pendants.
There’s a paddleboard event later this evening and I make a batch of brownies to take along and share.
A show has just been confirmed for Huddersfield on 23 July so I spend some time getting it listed online and start spreading the word.
In the office I finish off the loch pendant, add some colour and start sanding.
We have an early dinner as I’m off to Milarrochy to join the PaddleFast SUP Club’s solstice paddle. We have a great few hours heading out and around Inchlonaig, stopping on the island for a biscuit and cake break.
THE morning is taken up with admin, emails, socials and a Zoom guitar session with one of my students.
II also take the chance to update the forthcoming (hopefully) Kickstarter so the backers’ pin badges are not labelled as handmade by yours truly…that means a trailer video edit and rewards listing edit. I also take the opportunity to generate and add subtitles to the video. I should know sometime tomorrow (Tuesday) if Kickstarter has approved the campaign.
In the office I open up the silicon moulds I made yesterday. The wee guitars have some bubbles but I try casting with the small amount of pewter I have left. It doesn’t work out but that may well be down to not having enough pewter for the pour. The loch moulds look OK….
The Dremel blowtorch I ordered from Amazon – mostly paid for by a generous Amazon gift voucher from Catriona, Will ands the kids – arrives. Looks great, but I have no useable pewter left to try it out. There’s some on order.
Back in the studio I work on the new song idea. It morphs from a hill country style to a country vide which doesn’t sound very ‘Dave Arcari’. I try moving to over from regular tuning guitar to bottleneck and it sounds arts to show a little promise.
I take a short walk up the loch and rush back for my 7pm Zoom guitar student then it’s straight into my weekly Wildcats’ livestream on Facebook….
AFTER breakfast I open up the silicone mould I poured yesterday – at first it looks good..then I spot two bubbles that have caused tiny ’empty’ areas. The design is too intricate to try and fix. Back to the drawing board…
I work on a new song idea then pour some more moulds to see if they turn out any better. We’ll see in 24 hours.
Margaret’s busy putting plants in various hanging baskets and I take a walk up the lochside. Not such a great date weather-0wise today, but good to get out and have some fresh air.
Mmm…Kickstarter badge prototype didn’t;t work out too good. Fail at all levels…gonna have to rethink production!
WE have a bit of a long lie.
After breakfast I try and rescue the prototype Kickstarter badge but the result is an epic fail on all levels. Looks like my ‘process’ isn’t gonna work for the lettering…plus it’s too heavy and time consuming…not to mention expensive…to go down this DIY route.
I investigate some alternatives. Watch this space.
Next I make a silicone mould for the wee guitar necklaces. We’ll see how that fares tomorrow once it’s had time to cure.
In the studio I experiment with some guitar ideas for instrumental tracks to send DeWolfe. I really need to get buy finger out on that. I get list in the music and before I know it the day is done! Back to the house for dinner and some telly.
THERE’S a couple of CD orders to get packed up and taken to the post box…then I get into the office and carry on with the Kickstarter badge prototypes. The silicone mould I made yesterday has cured…
I also need to finish off a batch of loch pendants as a couple are getting picked up later today.
It’s an other glorious day and I take a laptop into garden to start the social media promotion and also all the ‘traditional’ press/radio/media for the Kilmaronock show on 14 July. Good to speak to a few enthusiastic journalists 🙂
Jeanetta comes to choose a couple of the loch pendants and we enjoy a coffee in the garden. Maggi comes to collect some local community survey sheets and we all sit and chat in the garden until the sun disappears, thunder rolls and the rain starts…
I manage to get the Kickstarter project all lined up and off for approval…all going well it’ll launch on Tuesday 27 June…watch this space…
AFTER my first guitar student of the day has had her lesson I hit the studio to make a video for the upcoming red vinyl Kickstarter campaign.
I get the video shot and into Final Cut but have no time to edit before I have to head for the school in Balloch where I have a good music session with some of the kids.
I’m home in time for my regular Thursday afternoon guitar student arriving. After the lesson I finish editing the Kickstarter video, dot all the Is and cross the ts then submit the campaign for review. It could take a few days so I change my planned launch late to Tuesday 27 June…if all goes well and the campaign is approved.
Back in the house Is start prep for to night’s enchiladas. First, I make a batch of sauce then prepare the chicken and all the fillings. I wait until Betty arrived before I put ’em in the oven…
Nice day for bike ride…from home to Gartocharn, Croftamie and back to drop off a couple things 🙂
ONCE the admin, social media and email stuff’s all out the way I arrange to drop off the Kilmaronock gig posters in Gartocharn and a batch of custom leather key fobs in Croftamie later on.
It’s another lovely day so perfect excuse for bike ride!
I need to hang about for a delivery – some production kit for the office – then I jump on the bike.
I’m back in time for a late lunch then I get busy with some of the Kickstarter stuff for the red vinyl release campaign.
There’s some pewter/epoxy loch pendants to be fi nailed and I also need to prototype some special pins for the Kickstarter. After a bit of experimenting I’m not happy with the results and decide to try making a silicone mould for the pins. It’s a messy job and the silicone’ll need 24 hours to cure, so I’m gonna have to wait that one out.
AFTER breakfast I some more research on Kickstarter and start trying to pull a project together. On the face of it, it seems like this might be a manageable way to run a pre-order campaign to finance the red vinyl edition of Devil May Care.
The rewards tiers need some careful thought and I need to create images of the reward items. Ic a mock up the red vinyl, create a graphic for the digital download collection…but the ‘backers only’ pin badge will need a prototype. Not just so I can show it, but also to make sure it’s viable for me to make ’em!
I make a sandwich and head out onto the loch for lunch and a short paddle.
Back home in time for a quick shower and take delivery of the posters for thew Kilmaronock show on 14 July and some other supplies I’ve been waiting on.
Then I spend some time on music stuff before Margaret gets home with the shopping.
Velvetised chicken and black fungus stir fry for dinner…and self-congratulatory or not, it’s magnificent!
A still from the ‘public’ Wildcats’ livestream…watch it here
ONCE I have my first Zoom session with a guitar student out the way I set about sorting the tangle of power and other cables round our router, ethernet switch and a load of electrical stuff.
Having had to to re-jig everything to accommodate BT digital voice we ran out of useable power sockets. I ordered a good quality single track 12-way trailer and have been putting off ‘installing’ it and sorting out the mess. Today’s the day!
Not, of course, as simple as it should be. Sonos system problems ensue and take a good while to sort out. But I get it done.
I reheat a leftover pizza in the air fryer for lunch then work on some Loch Lomond pendant orders.
Next, there’s a new song idea to be developed…and some other guitar stuff to be worked on.
Early evening I take a stroll up the lochside then get back to the studio and set up for the Wildcats’ livestream which – for one week only – is going ‘public’ on my Facebook page rather than in the Wildcats’ group.
After another session with a Zoom guitar student I do the livestream which goes pretty much to plan!
After dinner I spend some time working on a plan to launch a Kickstarter campaign to get Devil May Care out on limited edition red vinyl.
NOT sure if it’s hay fever or the lurgy….cannae be a hangover as I’ve now not had any alcohol for 16 weeks!
Regardless of feeling crap, I get up and we have breakfast in the garden. I have some orders for the pewter/epoxy loch pendants to get underway, so I make a start and Margaret goes of to Doune to see Catriona and the kids.
Margaret’s asked me to set up an online survey to help in the formulation of a local place plan for our area. I take a laptop out into the sunshine and get it all set up for her to check over when she gets back.
We’re having pizza tonight and I do a little prep in the kitchen…I also start the sourdough for tomorrow mornings loaf.
Our pal Bill is live-streaming his monthly show tonight so once we’ve cleared dinner we sit down and enjoy the show…
WE have a bit of a long lie then breakfast out in the sunshine.
I get some tidying up done outside then help Margaret put ups midge screen on our bedroom window.
After lunch I make up some dough for bao buns. Tried this before and is was a disaster. Hopefully better this time.
While the dough’s resting I work on a new song in the garden.
The buns turn out OK…not great, but definately better than last time. I make an early dinner – just a snack as we’re off to an evening wedding reception across the road and there will, no doubt, be lotsa grub there. We have some of the steamed buns with panic chicken, pickled greens and sriracha mayo.
The wedding reception is great.. Beautiful evening on the lochside…and all just a minute’s walk from the house!
Prototype guitar necklace…showing promise but more work to be done!
NOT long finished breakfast when I get a message for someone urgently needing some West Highland Way Gifts’ items for a birthday present. They need them today as the birthday is tomorrow. I get on the case.
In the studio I work on some lyrics for a new song, taking a break for lunch then getting back to it.
I’m waiting on posters for the Kimaronock show. They should been here yesterday but the printer is obviously taking shite as. they’re still not here! The folks that run the Old Kirk trust are keen to get tickets before the weekend so I cycle over to Gartocharn in the sunshine and drop off five books of tickets.
It’s a lovely sunny afternoon for a bike ride but I crunch all the way there and back as I forgot to adjust my rear gears after changing the chain yesterday. I work on it when I get back home.
I start work on a wee guitar necklace idea and get a prototype made up. Promising, but needs work.
Next I prepare a bit of flank steak for Vietnamese beef then Rachel, her husband and kids rock up to pick up the stuff she ordered. We have a coffee and bother in the garden then I finish fixing the bike.
We nip along to Betty’s to take down her winter curtains then back home to get the grill going for dinner…
Custom orders for his’n’hers golden wedding key fobs…
A BOOKING enquiry for a local gig came in to me via Facebook last night…I passed to Margaret and she’s on it first thing after breakfast.
It’s a small gig – and the proposed fee considerably lower than we would normally accept, but Margaret negotiates and we have a deal. So Sunday 2 July, 1.30pm, I play Festival Americana at the Three Villages Hall, Arrochar.
I spend the next wee while getting it listed on my website and, along with some other UK shows, submitted to various UK listings sites.
There’s a couple of merch orders in – for both West Highland Way Gifts and Dave Arcari merch. Some items need made up so I sort all that out then a couple of custom “his’n’hers” keyfobs commissioned for a golden wedding gift.
Finally I get round to putting a new chain on the bike…a simple, but messy job that I’m glad to get done.
Betty comes round for dinner…Margaret’s on the cooking tonight -)
Very pleased with the way my first Loch Lomond pen want turned out…now available to order here
FIRST job is to finish off the tickets for the Kilmaronock show on 14 July….then more online gig listings for all the upcoming shows.
In the office I start messing with some ideas for a pewter and epoxy Loch Lomond pendant. Last week’s prototype casting was promising but needs some refinement. Much happier with the re-design and resulting item. I put it on sale in my West Highland Way Gifts’ online store and spread it around my socials.
After lunch I play some guitar in the studio and try to develop an idea I’ve been messing with for a while.
Later on the sun’s out so I take the laptop to the garden and get some admin work out the way.
We have a local community trust meeting in the evening. I’m not a trustee but give some communication support.
A FAIR bit to get trough today…and first stop is sorting the internet connection to the studio.
It’s not too difficult to get the network going, but there’s still some bits and bobs not working…or acting up.
Rather than sit and have my coffee in the office I take out out on the loch and have a wee paddle to Clairinch and back.
When I get back I create Facebook events for the upcoming Kilmaronock show (14 July) and the private garden concert (29 July) spreading links for the former and private invites for the latter.
After lunch I get some more work done and notice there’s a bike repair event in the village this afternoon so I take a ride down and catch up with he folks there who take a look at my noisy and ineffectual brakes. Cannae really find any cause….back to the drawing board. Been a good excuse for a ride tho’, and I order a new chain online just for good measure.
In the office I design and print tickets for the Kilmaronock show then Maragert gets home with the shopping – closely followed by Maggi who’s in to discuss some local stuff.
SOME custom key fobs to finish off first thing then it’s into the studio for a session with a Zoom guitar student.
BT have switched us over to ‘digital voice’ – fine and dandy, but the BT SmartHuib is pretty crap and we upgraded our router to a Netgear mesh to give better coverage in the garden and office. It also has a lot of extra functionality, including ability to set up a secure guest network and manage decided connected to the network. I have the SmartHub to a pal in Glasgow when I sorted out their internet problems a year or two ago.
However, BT’s digital voice requires the phone handset to be p[lugged into the router…and must be a SmartHub 2! My bad, really, as BT ‘own’ all the equipment they supply (although I’ve never heard of anyone having tor return anything)…so for sure they weren’t about to send me another. To make matters worse, these routers retail at £200 on BT’s website. Extortionate price for a piece of crap…! Anyway, Margaret found one own Amazon for £30 and today’s the day I have to try and integrate it into our network.
It’s a major pain in the ass trying to get routers to connect to each other and function they way I need them to. Eventually I get the phone working and the Netgear router pushing out connectivity. Some of our shit’s not working tho’….
Meantime, the sun’s out and I take the opportunity to spread some weedkiller and fix the squirrel feeder before hitting the studio and knocking up some artwork for the upcoming show at Kilmaronock Old Kirk on 14 July.
Not much prep for tonight’s Wildcats’ livestream so I play some guitar then have a quick wander up the lochside before my 7pm Zoom guitar student…then straight into the livestream.
After dinner I spend a few hours getting some of the other stuff on our network working…still some more to sort tomorrow!
Grand afternoon near Fishcross for a surprise garden concert at Phyllis’…
AFTER breakfast I dye a batch of custom leather keyring I’ve been making then pack the car.
I have a garden concert near Fishcross mid-afternoon but first we’re gonna see Catriona , Will and the kids.
Nice to see them and sit in the sun for an hours or two then we carry on to Phyllis’ place – Jeanetta has hired me to play a special surprise garden concert for her pal Olive – Phyllis’ sister – at a family/friends gathering and reunion before she heads back to Canada.
It’s an informal. low-key and fun way to spend the afternoon 🙂
First attempt at metal casting…need refinement and work but looks promising…
AFTER my guitar student leaves I go straight onto Zoom for a hydro board meeting.
That takes me right up to when I need to leave for a guitar session with the kids in Balloch.
I drop off a batch of custom flasks in the village on the way home, clear some ivy from around the studio then we head back to the village for the coffee shop opening. I;m stunned when a guy comes up to me and says “do I know you?” Turns out he was a neighbour in Glasgow when we were kids. Hadn’t seen him in 40-odd years!
Back home I get a little work done, manage to cast a reasonable prototype of a jewellery idea – needs work and refinement, but not a total disaster – then wander along to Betty’s for an aperitif.
It’s nearly 11pm when we have our enchiladas…then I fall asleep…
STILL a load of production to get through for the shop – I’d like to get the stuff down to them before close of play today.
Once things are underway I start assessing funding applications that have come into the hydro scheme – we have a board meeting on Friday to decide not he awards.
It’s a much more in-depth and ponderous process than I’d expected, but that’s a good thing.
Next up I make a chicken and avocado wrap and get ready for a paddle with Fiona. We head for Torrinch, have lunch and paddle back. A grand ‘lunch hour’.
I manage to get all the West Highland Way Gifts‘ products finished, an invoice done and all down to the village shop before closing time.
Fiona, Steven and Betty are coming for pizza tonight..but I need to nip along to Betty’s earlier with a custom leather gift she’s ordered for Kate and see if I can sort Alexa on her Sonos and find the missing STV app on her telly.
I’m back in time to get all the pizza prep done and we have a grand evening in the garden with our pals, heading inside when the midges get too much…
A wee look at Whitley Bay Carnival…and a clip of Devil May Care….
A LOVELY day outside.I get busy on production for the shop order in the hope that I might get out for a paddle at lunchtime.
Although not exactly work, there’s a note int he diary to sort my bike chain which is stuck between the biggest cog on the rear cassette and the wheel. Once I get it free I spend some time re-indexing the gears.
While hand finishing some of the West Highland Way Gifts‘ products I’m not happy with the engraving so next job his a bit of – probably overdue – maintenance on the laser. Mirror and lens cleaning, rail lubrication etc. Then production resumes.
Next, I make some sandwiches and paddle to Port Bawn on the far end of Inchcailloch. The sun’s beating down and I have nice couple of hours’ extended lunch break.
After a quick shower when I get back I work on some custom designs for leather items then spend some time in the studio messing with song ideas.
Margaret brings home the shopping and I make tacos for dinner – corn tortillas, pulled pork, pickled red onion, smoked cheese and coriander. With a squeeze of lime. Maybe the best tacos I’ve made!
The rest of the night is spent assessing community funding applications in reparation for a hydro society board meeting later in the week.
THERE’S no milk in fridge so I have an early dash to the village shop to get some…and an order for some West Highland Way Gifts‘ products.
I get production underway then hit the studio for a Zoom session with one of my students.
Next, I start editing the video from Saturday’s show at Whitney Bay Carnival…then it’s back to production and ordering materials for the shop order.
It’s a lovely day but there’s a lot on the to-do list, inclusion sorting a special acoustic show at Kilmaronock Old Kirk for Friday 14 July. I manage to get out for. quick half-hour walk before my 7pm guitar student then it’s straight into my Wildcats’ Facebook livestream…
A BIT of a panic to get everything ready for today’s sale at Drymen village hall.
As well as gathering all the stuff to sell, card readers and other stuff I need to make a wee sign to let folks know that all West Highland Way Gifts’ stuff can be customised/personalised.
The event opens at noon and although we plan on getting there around 11.30am it’s more like 11.45am. The organiser is a bit difficult as apparently there’s a WhatsApp group for the event that said folks must be there by 11.30am latest. She’s already turned someone away!
Well, I’m. not in that WhatsApp group – although she added me to another that as bombarded me with other ‘opportunities’ – so didn’t see ‘the conditions’, paid may money and I’ll be set up before doors open. She relents and lets us in…but her stubbornness is a fatal error that means I will likely avoid events organised by other folks in future.
Despite a good range of sellers, the event is pretty quiet. I do well as I spread the word on socials and I have a steady stream of visitors – most of whom buy stuff, including some vinyl and CDs that I threw in the bag ‘just win case’! I also get some custom orders for batches of items 🙂
We’ve thought about hosting our own sales for local creatives/bakers/producers – but charging a small donation (like a tenner max) to the community trust rather than charging £30/£40 per table. The (out of town) organiser must have made a (guaranteed) few hundred quid out the event while the sellers are all on a gamble…didn’t look like anyone else sold much. Entrepreneurial perhaps, but I’m not sure I like that balance!
Anyway, it was a good few hours for me.
Back home I have a coffee in the sunshine then get on with some work before we go along to Betty’s for dinner along with Shona, Ian, Tom and Joyce….
STILL not feeling 100% and the toilet visits are still pretty violent. Good to travel tho’…
I manage to get a few West Highland Way Gifts’ things made for Sunday’s sale event in Drymen before we leave for the drive south.
It’s a beautiful day and we have a nice drive to Whitley Bay, arriving in time for the carnival reception where we hang out with the organisers, sponsors and some other folks involved in the weekend-long event.
Our hotel is close by and after checking in we go to a nearby restaurant for some dinner before retiring for an early night.
THE doc sees me at 2.30am then I get some more pain relief and anti-sickness stuff…and another drip.
I think I manage to fall asleep around 3am and I’m woken at 7am by a nurse wanting to take blood. Another doc comes by soon after and tells me I need to go for a CT scan. I’d overheard him telling someone else that they’re scared may be ‘today or tomorrow morning’ so I ask when it may be and explain I have a show to play down south on Saturday. e takes my request on board and by midday I’ve had my scan.
I’m feeling a lot better and mange to get a few bits and bobs of work done on my phone but still not firing on all cylinders. Mid-afternoon the doc come back and tells me the CT scan doesn’t;t indicate a diverticularitis flare up, but there is some bowel inflammation/colitis…I can go home this afternoon tho’…and I’m prescribed antibiotics and some other tablets.
I call Margaret who comes to get me and we head home. Although not feeling much like it, I need to sort some guitar patches on the Quad Cortex ion advance of Saturday’s gig and I get the gear sorted and car parked ready for our drive to Whitley Bay tomorrow.
ONCE the routine stuff’s out the way I get the bike out and take a ride to the village.
I have some stuff to drop off for Paul who’s opening a new coffee shop. We have a coffee and blether for a while then I cycle home.
The chain could do with a clean and some lube..and my gear’s are crunching so I leave the bike out to give some TLC later.
After lunch I check to see what West Highland Way Gifts’ stuff I need to add to my stock for Sunday’s event in Drymen.
I take some time to work on the bike but end up getting the chain stuck between the rear wheel and lowest gear cog. No time to sort now ‘cos I need to start prep for dinner…Betty’s coming to Jon us for butternut squash, smoked cheese and sage filo tart….
I edit up a video blog covering our flying visit to Berlin…
BURST again, but too much to do to lie around in bed.
I get some of the gear and merch tidied up and put away before my first Zoom guitar student then I start dumping the video from the Berlin trip into the video editor.
After lunch I start editing the Berlin video blog – or ‘vlog’ – and sort some merch orders that have come in.
I’m still editing when it’s time for another Zoom session with a guitar student…there’s just half an hour after that to finish the edit and get set up for the 8pm livestream. I wanna spin the video into this evening’s program.
I must have inadvertently done something to the audio interface because when I switch mics during my livestream the levels are all way too hot and the sound all distorted. I revert to plan B and finish the stream then close up the studio and go back to the house.
Our pals Billy and Dorothy are staying int he village tonight with some family and friends and pop up to see us We have a grand couple of hours catching up and making arrangements to see them again soon.
HAVING not got back to the hotel ’til 2.30am it’s no surprise we’re knackered. Just as well breakfast is ’til 11am!
Margaret also arranged a late checkout when we got back after the gig, so we’ve got the room ’til 2pm.
There’s a fair bit of re-jigging all our stuff. My gig stuff all got thrown in different bags, one guitar needs detuned and the other ‘collapsed’..and the mercy is all mixed up.
We check out at 2pm as planned and get a taxi to the airport which is about 40 minutes’ away. The promoted have paid for all out taxis, accommodation and everything!
Our flight back to Edinburgh isn’t ’til 9.40pm so there’s a fair bit of hanging around the airport. Coffee, cake…a little work followed by check in and bag drop then some dinner. The time passes pretty quick, even if our flight departure is delayed a little.
At Edinburgh airport we have to wait about 45 minutes for the bags to arrive and buy the time we’re home it’s after 2am…
AFTER a good breakfast at the hotel we go out sightseeing. Good to have time for a look around.
First stop is the Brandenburg Gate followed by the holocaust memorial, Checkpoint Charlie and some other historic spots along ‘the wall’.
We have a sandwich back at the hotel then a taxi to the venue – Capitol – which is a half-hour ride away.
Things are running a little late and I don’t get soundchecked until after all the merch is set up,
The backstage area is extremely well serviced with loads of food and drinks. We hang out for a while with the other band and special guest Mark Evans – original bassist with AC/DC who played on the first three legendary albums.
Sound on stage is a little weird but my show goes good and we sell a good load of merch.
The promoters sort a taxi and we’re back at the hotel at 2.30am. Burst.
Good to get the chance for some Berlin sightseeing 🙂
MOST of the packing was sorted last night so we don’t have too much of a panic getting ready to leave for the .
We arrive at Edinburgh airport on time and get checked in for our flight to Berlin. Security is a bit of hassle as they demand everything is taken out of my Pedaltrain bag and the Quad Cortex put in a tray on it’s own.
The flight is delayed by an hour and with the time change it after 6pm when we land – then a 40-minute taxi ride to our hotel in the city centre.
After unpacking and a wee bit of research he head out to a taco restaurant just five minutes walk from the hotel – Tacorino.
Turns out to be great choice. Margaret has chicken tacos, I have beef and we share a quesadilla. All are great. Add in the best margaritas according to Margaret and a couple of exceptional alcohol-free beers and we have a grand evening.
Leather patches and wristbands finished off for the merch table in Berlin…
ALL the raw leather merch is ready for dyeing and finishing…and I make a start on it before we head into Glasgow for our optician appointments.
It’s lunchtime before we’re back and after finishing off the leather dyeing I hit the studio and start working on the Quad Cortex patches for Saturday’s show. First up, my various guitar patches ned a bit of tweaking then levels matched and some other adjustments to maximise the sound I picked up from finally reading the manual!
Margaret comes to the studio to listen through and give her nod of approval then we getting back to packing and the merch. We leave at 10am tomorrow morning and still a load of stuff to do!
MY THURSDAY morning guitar student is coming today this week…I get some leather patches and bracelets underway in the office before she arrives.
Once the lesson is done I hit the studio and rehearse my set for Saturday nights show in Berlin then it’s back to the office not sort out merch for the trip. I also have to finish some artwork for some custom leather key fobs.
Later in the afternoon I head out for a wander up the lochside, do a couple of impromptu livestreams then carry on merch production when I get back. Still chaps to get finished before we fly to Berlin on Friday…
WE’RE off into Glasgow early. I drop Margaret off then take the car to have the windows tinted at Pentagon on the south side. This is the fifth vehicle I’ve had them do.
The car’ll take about three hours and I take a walk into the city centre. First stop is McDonalds for coffee and wifi. I get a fair bit of work done own my phone then wander to the bank and on to pick up some odourless garlic tablets for Margaret to see if they help stop the mosquitos biting her…particularly in Estonia where we go in August.
The car’s ready before midday and they’ve done a great job with the windows. I drive up to Chung Ying for some shopping, Costco for more shopping and lunch then on to Tesco. Good to get the week’s shopping out the way.
UP at the crack of dawn to get the sourdough in the oven,…Margaret’s under the weather and tried to get some more sleep.
I have a special earring order to make up and then start designing a leather patch before my first Zoom guitar student of the day.
Back in the office, I realise my patch design is a little more complex than I first thought…and my efforts are thwarted by a few computer crashes.
After lunch I edit the video for the final two songs from the Memorial Hall show to spin into tonight’s Wildcats’ livestream. Then it’s back to prototype the patch before another Zoom session with a guitar student.
When I get back to the house after the livestream Betty’s dropped in and hangs out for some dinner.
It’s kinda damp and drizzly so we take a gazebo and mange to get set up in good time for the 10am start.
Despite the weather we have a grand few hours, sell some stuff and meet some new friends. Also looks like the old Kirk might be a great venue for a future acoustic show…watch this space.
We’re home mid-afternoon and have a late lunch then I get busy editing some video in the studio. Margaret’s been feeling crap so goes for a nap.
Later on we have dinner in front of the telly and watch our pal Bill’s livestream from Florida.
After joining Margaret and the kids for a picnic at Port Bawn I start the paddle home…
THE KIDS have us awake at the crack of dawn and after breakfast we get ready for a trip to the island. A lovely day for it.
Margaret gets a picnic sorted and I get my paddle board ready. They’re all getting the ferry and I’m gonna paddle.
I have a bunch of stuff to finish off and prepare for tomorrow’s sale at Kilmarnock Old Kirk near Gartocharn and also some video too edit in the studio.
Everyone gets back and we hang out then Catriona and Will come to pick up the kids.
Great evening paddle with David B and Fiona.,..thanks for the pic Fiona 🙂
I HAVE a busy morning with social media, merch production for Sunday’s stall at Kilmaronock and getting some gear ready for a session at the school in Balloch.
There’s some t-shirts and other merch to be packed up and taken to the post office too.
After a couple of hours with some of the students at school I head back home and get busty in the studio.
Will drops off the kids who;’re staying tonight and I get ready to go for an evening paddle with Fiona and David B. Beautiful night.
The kids are in bed when I get back and it’s after 10pm when we go outside for some pizza….
Nice bike ride to the village to pick up a prescription
AFTER dealing with the routine stuff I get the bike out and get it ready for a ride top the village to pick up up a prescription.
Aside from the fact that I’m wearing ‘unstuitable’ trousers, for some reason I put the cycle clips on the wrong leg and only get 100 yards form the house before my trousers are irretrievably caught not just on the chain ring, but round a pedal and crank. Fuck.
I’m completely stuff and am about to call Margaret and ask her to bring down a pair of scissor to cut the bottom of my trouser leg wen a passing walker stops to assist and agrees the only solution is to cut the trousers. Luckily she has a pair of scissors and soon I’m free. Thank you Heather from San Francisco for rescuing me!
The rest of the ride to the village and back is fine and nice to be back not he bike…it badly needs a service tho’.
In the studio I work on a news release for the upcoming Whitley Bay Carnival show (27 May) then go back to the house when my young guitar student arrives.
Next job is to get the bacon-wrapped pork fillet in the smoker. Betty’s coming for dinner later…
FIRST job of the day is making up a meal plan and shopping list for the coming week..Margaret’ll get the shopping later in Glasgow
There’s a bunch of flasks to be engraved for in3thewild so I get them on the go and assemble some of my new Loch Lomond keyrings to have on sale on Sunday when we have a table at Kilmarnock (near Gartocharn) plant sale. I also make backing cards for earrings and other small items and start getting them packed up.
Next I do a bit of online research to see if I can get a broken power plug out the socket on one of my video lights. It’s my go-to lamp and really don’t wanna have to ditch it. Emails and calls to various authorised service centres haven’t even attracted a reply, so it’s time to tackle it myself.
A YouTube video on removing mini 4-pin plugs helps me get the problem plug removed and I order a replacement online.
After lunch I hit the studio, make up a set list for the Berlin show a week on Saturday and rehearse some of the songs I plan too play.
Margaret come back with the shopping which we quickly put a way before she heads to he village hall for a local community trust meeting. While I ‘assist’ with communications, I’m not a trustee so don’t need to be there for the whole meeting…I finish off a few things in the studio then take a walk along to join them.
After the meeting Sandy pops up to the house to sort one of bathroom lights – for some reason when any of our flights fail it’s not the LED bulb but the transformer that needs replaced. He stays on. for a glass of wine, some dinner and a good ol’ blether…
WE’RE up early and off to Glasgow. Margaret drops me at the station in Milngavie and I jump on a train to Anniesland and en route to the eye hospital.
There’s an hour to spare before my appointment time so I head to the canteen and enjoy a roll and sausage and a coffee while I do a little work.
There’s ‘some activity’ in my right eye so it’s back on the steroids ’til my next appointment in two or three months.
I take a walk into town and go for a coffee and get some more bits and bobs done online.
Margaret’s been to pick up a new batch of t-shirts and comes to get me.
Some more work to do when we get home then I watch a film on YouTube about the hunt for Skip James and Son House in the early 60s…Two Trains Runnin’. Well worth a watch.
‘Least expected’ cover at the end of tonight’s livestream is Johnny Cash’s Walk the Line….
THE ALARM goes off at 6.30am to get the oven on…always an early start of I’m making sourdough!
That means I get through a fair bit of work before my first Zoom guitar student. And it means as soon as the Zoom session is done I can get straight into some video editing.
I’m taking some of my West Highland Way Gifts’ merch to Kilmarnock, near Gartocharn, on Sunday for a wee sale event and I need to promote my attendance. I also need to sort out some stock and maybe make some more items.
Once I get kinda sorted out and plan in place I start dating some live video form the Memorial Hall gig to spin into tonight’s Wildcats’ livestream on Facebook.
Martyn, Louise and Oran drop in for a coffee late afternoon then I head back tot eh studio and get ready fror the livestream..but first, another session with. Zoom guitar student….
AFTER breakfast I head out for a paddle. When I get to Torinch I land on the beach and try and secure a tripod to the front of my board so I can do a livestream form the water.
I tried it last week but as soon as I stood up on the board the tripod – and my phone – toppled into the water. This time I have some velcro and cables to try and make thing more secure. And it works. Still a bit precarious, but it works.
Back home I jump in the shower then Margaret drops me at the village hall for the community lunch where I have a coffee and catch up with folks. I walk back…and had intended to walk there too, but I’m short of time.
We’re going to Betty’s for dinner later and her sister, Greta, has ordered some glass coasters. I set them up to engrave, finish off some custom leather merch and get it packed for posting . Then I give the grass it’s first cut of the year.
I have a wee Biot of time in the studio before we go along to Betty’s where we have a lovely dinner and good company.
AFTER breakfast I edit up some vertical video from the live stuff I’ve been working on the last few weeks.
One of my recent TikTok videos has somehow ‘peaked’ and had more than 5000 view overnight…my previous highest was under 2000 over a few weeks! I wanna post some more stuff and see if I can keep some traction.
Margaret calls me to say it’s time to go to Doune – we’re off to Freya’s fifth birthday party.
We have a nice afternoon and early evening. When we get back we wander along to see Greta, Karen and Rachel who’re staying at Betty’s. We have a couple of drinks with them and Matty stops in on his way to ours….
AFTER a bit of a long lie I hit the office and dye a bunch of custom leather luggage tags and keyrings. Four of them need to go in the post tomorrow..the others are personal gifts for folks so not so urgent.
On one of them the airbrush splutters and sends out some small blobs of dye ruining one of the tags…the downside of a cheapo airbrush and compressor. I hastily engrave and cut a replacement and hope the cleaner will be dry quickly so I can dye it ready for sewing later.
I need to digitise an old DVD but the only Macs I have with DVD slots are ancient – an 18-year old Powerbook and and 13-year old iMac. Both still work, but the software to do the work I need to do is outdated and won’t rip the DVD. I try an old USB USB video capture dongle but the drivers are out of date and I can’t find updated ones only. Jeez. I end up copying the DVD source files and spending £40-odd on some software to work its magic. Finally I get there. Got a big bunch of DVDs I wanna archive.
The letter I’m putting together to send the council about various local issues needs a few tweaks…then I print it out and send it to the chief exec…as well as our three local councillors. Not really expecting much of an outcome, but at least it puts the issues on record.
In the studio I drive myself nuts trying to get a new riff worked out – and playable – to go along with some other stuff I’ve been messing with. It’s a fairly simple wee riff but it has an odd syncopated fingerpicking pattern and my fingers are constantly getting tangled up!
Time for a short walk before dinner..then we chill and Margaret sews up some of the luggage tags…
I HAVE a guitar student coming to the house first thing.
Once we’re through, I finish of some custom luggage tag art in the office and fire off some visuals for approval before start making the tags.
Lunch is arancini mad with leftover asparagus risotto from last night. It’s good, but our verdict is that mushroom risotto makes better arancini!
In the studio I get some more work done until my 4pm guitar student arrives..then I finish off my letter to the local council about some things that are, let’s say, ‘boiling ma piss’.
By the time I’m finished Betty has arrived and I start dinner….
Lunchtime paddle to Port Bawn at the far end of Inchailloch
I SPEND the morning re-creating artwork for some custom leather luggage tags. The customer has sent images, but they’re in colour – which isn’t any good – and very low resolution.
It’s a time intensive but therapeutic job for me and I’m happy with the results.
David B arrives just as I finish making my lunch wraps…we’re going for a paddle to the island for lunch.
I’m back in time for a quick shower before Fiona arrives for a website tutorial – she’s started looking after the local village hall website.
Back in the office I carry on with custom luggage tags then hit the studio to mess with the guitar for a while.
Margaret has a meeting about a local initiative – Maggi comes to the house and the other participants are online. Once they’re done with the meeting we sit and blether over a drink. It’s after when I have the asparagus risotto ready!
AFTER making a batch of egg bites for the next few days’ breakfasts I hit the office to work on some art for a couple of custom leather luggage tags that have been ordered.
I take a clip of the cover version – Big River – from last night’s Wildcats’ livestream, edit it and post it round my socials and make a vertical TikTok post too.
A break to make a pizza for lunch then back to the computer to work my way through some stuff I’m gonna write to the local council about. Long story!
After spending longer than I should on ‘the letter’ I take a walk up the lochside.
Margaret’s back when I get home and we take a drive to deliver a CD order. My first time driving the ‘new’ car….
Welcome to the flight deck…our new used car is a bit of a tech upgrade from our clapped out old banger!
AFTER setting some more video footage to render in the studio I nip back to the house for breakfast..then back to the studio for a session with one of my Zoom guitar students.
Next on the list is a trip into Glasgow to check out a car Margaret identified online as a contender for to replace our aging banger. Arnold Clark has a load of different dealerships in the business park we arrive at and we eventually find the right one…not much time though – I need to be back home for a photo job this afternoon.
Salesperson Kaitlyn is fantastic – she shows the car, tells us about it, makes an exceptional offer on our existing car and calculates the payments. Bottom line is we’re gonna need to make (more) changes to be able to afford it, but it’s too good a deal to pass and we agree to buy!
Time is tight tho’ – and I’ve already messaged Sam and Eva to put our photo session back half an hour. We need to go back to pick up the other key for our car, all the dox and arrange insurance cover.
We get back just in time and by the time I’ve finished the photo session Margaret’s leaving to go and pick up the new (to us) car…a VW Golf estate.
Meantime, I prep soem video for tonight’s Facebook live-stream into my Wildcats’ group then another Zoom guitar session with a regular Monday evening student who’s coming on leaps and bounds.
Then it’s straight into the livestream and when I finish Margaret;’s back with the car and I get a chance for a proper look. Pretty cool machine if I say so myself…just hope we can find a way to pay for it!
Everyone else is going to the swimming and I’m heading out on the paddleboard. In the rain.
I take a tripod and phone mount with the plan of doing a livestream as I paddle back. I stop on Torinch and get stuff set up as best I can. Everything’s a bit precarious though and as soon as I start to stand up the wobble of the board send my phone and the tripod into the water!
I try again and manage to get going but when I get home the whole middle section of the livestream seems to have gone missing. Weird. No matter – it’ll give folks a laugh.
Everyone’s back when I get home and we chill for a while before Catriona and the kids head off.
Margaret and I have a snack then I fall asleep on the sofa for more than an hour!
In the studio I sort out some video render problems – one piece of video was caught in an endless rendering loop, so I delete all the Final Cut preferences which seems to sort out the problem.
Guinness zero alcohol. Pretty good…and more than ten weeks off the bevvy for me 🙂
CATRIONA and the kids arrive just after we finish breakfast.
They take Margaret into Glasgow for a shopping trip in Catriona’s new car and I get on with some work.
First job is to finish the wee promo video for my cousins husband Paul. I get it finished and fire off a link.
Back in the studio after lunch I start rendering some more video footage Fram last month’s gig at the village hall and play some guitar.
I’m out for a walk when they all get back and I meet them at the bay to feed the ducks…yhen back home for a bedtime snack.
Once the kids are asleep we have pizzas outside then back in the house for a bother. I try out some zero alcohol Guinness which is surprisingly good…more than ten weeks without alcohol. A record for me!
WE have a bit of a long lie…then I get busy in the studio working on the audio and video footage I recorded with Paul yesterday. It’s pretty raw and gonna need some creativity to turn it into something.
There’s three sets of leather coasters to be dyed and finished so they’re ready for delivery tonight and a few other things needing done.
After lunch I tale some time out to play guitar and go through a bunch of stuff so I can get used to the ‘collabsible’ guitar. Sounds good, but I guess I need to programme a specific set of patches on the Quad Cortex.
I make more progress on the video editing then finish off the leather coaster.
We have an early dinner so we can get to the quiz night at the village hall on time…
MY THURSDAY morning guitar student is coming a little earlier today…and once we’re done I head to the studio to tidy up and prepare for my cousin and her husband coming up later.
The good folks at Newtone Strings have sent me a load of my signature guitar strings and some electric strings too so I wanna make them some new testimonial videos so they can share them on their socials. I knock up a few options.
As it turns out my cousin and her husband are delayed by heavy traffic and then they get lost and end up on the other side of the loch. That means they’re nearly two hours late which is gonna make it a challenge to get some recording, video and photos done for some promo for Paul.
Add to that a computer flake out and a bust plug socket on buy preferred for filming and we’re really up against it.
Anyway, somehow I manage to get enough content in the bag before they leave and can hopefully turn it into something useful over the next few days.
I have leather coasters to make for an order that’s to be collected tomorrow (Friday) night. The materials were ordered nearly a fortnight ago and opal;y arrived this morning.
Betty comes along for some dinner and I run her home later on. A grand evening 🙂
AFTER taking a West Highland Way Gifts’ order to the village shop I prepare for a video podcast recording with my pal Cindy Douglas. She’s starting a new podcast series and has asked me to be her guest on episode two.
We have a good session on video using riverside.fm – a nice online studio collaborative tool.
Once done I go back to the house and make up some lunch to take on the paddleboard. David B arrives and we get out on the water with a lunch stop at Port Bawn on the far end of Inchcailloch.
Back home I have a quick shower and get on with some work in the studio.
We have an early dinner – chicken enchiladas – then head to the village hall for the local community trust AGM which goes smoothly. Martyn comes back to the house for a blether and a zero alcohol beer. Ten weeks today I’ve been off the bevvy!
I GET batch of egg bites – feta, sun-dried tomato and basil – on the go then jump into the shower. By the time I’m sorted they’re ready for breakfast.
There’s a bunch of orders come in for the two CD offer – I get them packed up and labelled along with a West Highland Way Gifts’ order and dash down to the postbox in the village. Last post pickup is midday,
The fridge magnets I made yesterday need packed fo the shop and I need to knock up a bunch of ‘I climbed Conic Hill’ badges too. The dye sub process can be a bit temperamental but I get there in the end.
Somehow the day passes in a flash and it’s time for a Zoom session with one of my guitar students. Normally a Monday evening session, it was moved to today this week as I had a meeting that I couldn’t move last night.
I get some prep done for a video podcast recording I;m gusting on tomorrow (Wednesday) then go back to the house and make dinner.
I’d planned an early night, but there’s work to be done on a new t-shirt design…
Big batch of fridge magnets for the village shop almost ready to go…
MORE fridge magnets into production then a Zoom session with my regular Monday morning guitar student.
There’s a fair bit of social media stuff to be done both for myself, West Highland Way Gifts and the local hydro society of which I recently became a board member.
I take a walk up the lochside and get back in time to go to the hydro society meeting at the village hall.
We’re home before 9pm have dinner then I spend some time trying to work out a way of making a coupon code so folks on my eMail list can get two CDs for the price of one…then put out an eNewsletter with the offer and coupon code.
Margaret tops of the mushroom bianca pizza with some garlic oil…my new favourite!
AFTER a long lie we have breakfast in the garden and plan the day.
After finishing off a custom leather luggage tag for a West Highland Way Gifts’ order I hit the studio and go through the pix from yesterday’s photoshoot. Once done I send off a link to a Dropbox folder with a bunch of images. Hope they like them!
Margaret’s been busy tidying and sorting stuff in the garden. I have a paddleboard cover that’s too narrow for my board – but it was a bargain and I figured we could adapt it to fit. After we investigate, Margaret does just that. It’ll be good to be able to leave the board inflated sometimes without worrying about the effects of UV/sunlight….or, more likely, the cold.
I get some raw video from the village hall show uploaded to Final Cut Pro for editing sometime soon then go back tot the house to make some bianca sauce for tonight’s pizza…first time trying this and it turns out great, My new favourite 🙂
I upload a live video of Homesick & Blue from the village hall show last month to YouTube and my socials…
WE’RE up sharp-ish and off to Stirling to have a look at electric cars! Our diesel car is 12 years old and nearing the end of it’s useful life – but, more importantly, is gonna attract a hefty and increasing fine if we take it into Glasgow city centre after next month.
Problem, of course, is we have no budget and can’t afford anything – new/used, PCP, lease, loan, HP, whatever…
Still good to have a look at the option for real rather than just online.
I have a photo job for a local pal in the afternoon and we’re home in time for lunch before I go off to grab some snaps.
The job takes all afternoon and I get the images uploaded to LightRoom when I get back, make a batch of pizza dough with the polish made yesterday then head along to Betty’s for dinner…
AFTER a bit of a rush I’m ready in time for my regular Thursday morning guitar student.
Then it’s into the studio to get some video footage ready for editing.
After lunch I take the laptop into he garden and spend another couple of hours on my accounts until my afternoon guitar student arrives.
I’d planned a walk, but Margaret and I get into a discussion about the need to change our car. It’s a 10-year-old diesel and we’ll be fined progressively ig we take it into Glasgow. Rather than a ‘congestion charge’ it’s gonna be an offence, with the fine doubling each offence. Fuck sake.
Despite a complete lack of funds and finance, I’m keen to go for an electric car. Margaret’s not convinced and thinks a hybrid might be better. I argue the case and ask why we’d want to have to maintain/service two different systems and not realise any of the potential savings in running an all-electric vehicle.
She calls a local pal who runs electric vehicles both for business and personal use and he’s of the same opinion as myself. We do some research…
AFTER getting the routine stuff out the way I call a relation who’s needing some help with their music career.
We have as good blether and I suggest he comes up next week so I can help pull together some promo materials.
There’s a few bits and bobs to make and prototype for my West Highland Way Gifts’ online store then lunch which I have outside.
It’s such a nice day I grab a guitar and sit outside and try and would ouy a top line melody and some lyrics for a new song idea. The rhythm and main riff make it difficult tho’…
Next, I spend a few hours on my accounts. Determined not to get as far behind as I did last year! Sitting outside in garden to tackle this boring job makes it a little more palatable.
I go a walk up the lochside late afternoon and bump intoBetty on my way home…I invite her along for dinner – I can easily make enough chicken enchiladas to feed three 🙂
After breakfast I hit the studio and get some work done before a pre-podcast recording chat with the host of the future episode.
The post brings some new nuts for the collapsible guitar. I take the best fitting one and spend the next few hours sanding, filing and sawing to get it as close as possible to the one I broke…but making the string notches big enough for the heavier gauge strings.
It’s a beautiful day and the sun’s out so I mix up some UV resin and make some earrings for a West Highland Way Gifts’ order, go back to the studio and fit the nut onto the guitar then re-string. Seems to work OK….I mess about with some riffs then take a look past my accounts. Year end passed a week or two ago and I’ve a years’-worth of transactions to sort out for my tax return. Determined not to leave it ’til the last minute again!
It’s after 6pm when I go for an hour’s walk up the lochside. When I get home Margaret’s back with some shopping, I light some charcoal and grill the flank steak I marinaded earlier….
UP at 6am to get the oven on for the sourdough. My plan is to get hot baked and out the oven…then go for a paddle while it cools.
Once the bread’s in the oven I get the paddleboard inflated and prepare to head out on the water. Everything goes to plan and I have an enjoyable hour-and-a-half going round the island and doing a livestream to promote tonight’s Wildcats’ livestream!
Back home I jump int he shower then enjoy some fresh sourdough toast as part of my breakfast.
Next, I have a Zoom session with one of my guitar students then I search online for a replacement nut for the one I scuppered trying to put heavier strings on the new guitar.
I take a walk along to see Betty and help with an online thing then head home for lunch.
There’s a couple of flasks to be engraved and parcelled up to go to France. Once they’re underway I start to fix one of the outdoor bar stools, clean the grill from the smoker and investigate the cause of the smoker lid not sealing properly.Looks like a nut has gone astray…I get int ouch with the manufacturer to see how I can fi things.
In between times I get a video from the recent Memorial Hall show edited and ready to spin into tonight’s livestream and get some more prep done…
While Margaret sorts breakfast I take photos of the new West Highland Way Gifts’ products I made for yesterday’s ‘table sale’. I’ll add them to them to the online store later and use the images for social posts over the coming week.
After we’ve eaten I head to the studio to get some work done then we head for Stirling.
First stop is the dump then on to Knead to Relax where I have a massage booked with Graham courtesy of a Christmas present voucher from Catriona. It’s great!
Catriona’s invited us for dinner on the way home. We catch Will before he heads off for a nightshift then have some dinner before helping get the kids ready for bed.
We’re not too late home and I spend some time putting all the new products in the West Highland Way Gifts’ online store.
ANOTHER early start to get everything ready for the taking to the village hall table sale.
When we arrive, tho’, all the tables are taken…despite me having been the first to reserve a space! There’ a bit of panic and I’m finally set up in the foyer which is probably a better place anyway.
Although pretty quiet in terms of visitors, it’s lucrative for me/West Highland Way Gifts and a nice way to spend the day catching up with folks.
I’m knackered when I get home tho’ and have a nap on the couch before we go out and try and tidy up the garden and put some stuff in the car to take to the dump tomorrow (Sunday).
The Journey Instruments ‘collabsable’ guitar arrives…and we’re impressed!
RELIEVED to get out the cold and onto the 5.30am train at Euston. An old train with USB charging or power sockets…not really a problem as I’m straight off to sleep!
We pull into Glasgow central at midday as scheduled, walk to to Queen Street for the Milngavie train, pick up the car and some shopping then homeward bound.
The ‘collapsible’ electric guitar from Journey Instruments has arrived and we’re immediately impressed with both the build, functionality and – most importantly – the sound. It’s a compromise for sure…but not a bad one, especially given the price.
I have a load of products to get finished and other prep for tomorrow’s ‘table sale’ at the village hall and am still at it when Beth arrives for dinner.
We have a grand evening then I run Betty home and get back for an early night.
I didn’t win…but delighted that my pal Trevor did 🙂
THE alarm goes off at 6am and we get showered and sandwiches made up for today’s trip to London for the blues awards.
We’re parked up in Milngavie by 7.30am and on the train into Glasgow, then onto London.
There’s a few hours to kill and we drop in to see Steve at DeWolfe Music and go for a coffee. Always grand to catch up with Steve and he always manages to motivate me to get into the studio and produce some music for them.
After a quick wander around what’s left of Denmark Street we make out way to Shepherds Bush, stop at Nando’s for a quick bite then onto Bush Hall for the awards.
We hang out with our pal Trevor (who wins the acoustic blues artist category….I had no expectations of winning so extremely pleased he picks up the title) and his wife Emma, Nikki and Sandy from Jubjubes and various other folks we haven’t seen for ages.
The event is done by 11pm and we make our way back to Kings Cross where we hang out until our 5.30am train back to Glasgow.
Some of the new items I’ve made for Saturday’s table sale….
ANOTHER day of finishing – and testing some new – West Highland Way Gifts’ products for Saturday’s ‘table sale’ at the village hall.
After lunch I get Margaret to run me to the village to pick up a prescription then I walk back home.
Before dinner we take a walk along to see Betty for a wee while then I make some mushroom pasta…a new recipe I found online to use up some mushrooms, cream and other stuff kickin’ about in the fridge.
Once we’ve eaten I finish off a few more products then take some photos to make up a slideshow video to promote my presence at the table sale and post it around some socials.
AFTER editing and posting a video clip from last night’s Wildcats’ livestream I make another edit for TikTok then head out to the office.
I’m still on a production mission to get a load of West Highland Way Gifts‘ stock ready for Saturday’s ‘table sale’ at the village hall. Epoxy inlaid chopping boards, leather keyring inga. variety of styles and colours, a new ‘shopping trolley token’ keyring and a load of new earring ideas.
I spend the whole day on it…then we head to The Clachan in Drymen for dinner courtesy of my pal David B who gave us a voucher to thank me for helping record some demos. great meal.
Back home we watch a film – Murder Mystery – on Netflix then off to bed.
UP EARLY to get some sourdough in the over…and say cheerio to Matty as he hits the road back to Inverness.
First up for me this morning is a Zoom guitar session with one of my regular students. Then there’s some more live video from the recent Memorial Hall show to edit to spin into tonight’s livestream.
I’m still working on a range of West Highland Way Gifts’ products for Saturday’s ‘table sale’ at the village hall.
There’s some merch top be dropped of at Buchanan Castle estate. I don’t have much time but need a walk so get Margaret to drive me there…then I drop off the stuff and walk home.
Back home there’s time to prep for tonight’s livestream into my Wildcats’ group on Facebook…then another Zoom guitar lesson.
First bike ride of the year…nice pedal up the lochside to the Cashel Forest Easter event…
THE kids have us up at 6am…and a few moments after the temperature alarm goes off to tell me the smoker needs some attention.
I’d expected to be woken a few times in the night but I seem to have done a fairly good job at stabilising the temperature in the pit.
There’s an Easter event up at Cashel Forest and Margaret takes the kids up…I hang out at home until the pork butt is ready, take it out the smoker and put in faux cambro to stay warm then cycle up to Cashel. My first bike ride of the year.
My brakes are deffo pretty dodgy and the bike needs a good service, but I enjoy the ride nonetheless.
We’re home in good time for Catriona and Will arriving and we enjoy an afternoon in the garden eating pulled pork sliders and chatting.
After they head off I fall asleep on the couch for nearly three hours!
Matty’s staying tonight as well and we have some more pulled pork then watch our pal Bill’s live-stream from Florida.
ON A mission today to get as much West Highland Way Gifts’ stock in production as possible for the ‘table sale’ at the village hall next Saturday.
I have a busy week coming up and we’re in London Thursday into Friday so I need to try and plan ahead.
everyone’s coming for an Easter afternoon tomorrow (Sunday) and I’m doing pulled pork. The pork butt gets prepared and my Memphis dust rub applied. And I get some pizza dough out the freezer for tonight.
Matty arrives mid-morning, closely followed by Catriona and the kids. Matty’s staying the weekend…and we’ve got the kids staying over tonight so Catriona and Will can have a night out.
In between setting up various production runs non the office I manage to get some video edited and some earlier stuff posted around my socials.
I’m still on a mission re the packable guitar and find another curve ball…a collapsible electric guitar from Journey Instruments. it’s the cheapest and most practical option yet. I order one.
Once the kids are asleep we have pizza outside then go back indoors and chat. Around midnight I get the smoker fired up and temperature settled so I can get the pork on. Likely to take 12-14 hours so the morning is too late…and I don’t particularly wanna get up at 2/3am to start faffing about. Hopefully the temperature’ll stay fairly stable overnight and I won’t be woken every so often to go out and tend the smoker!
The wildcard…and I love it! The Yamaha ‘silent’ guitar plays and sounds great…
ONCE the routine stuff’s out the way I make up a meal plan and shopping list for the coming week…then we head into Glasgow.
As well as the weekly shop, we’re on a mission to explore the possibilities for a flying with a second guitar.Either a folding guitar or something that has a neck that can be bolted/unbolted and stowed in a suitcase.
First stop is Jimmy Egypt’s on Great Western Road. He has a wood-bodied Journey guitar that has a detachable neck and fits in a complaint cabin bag. I like it, but Margaret’s not convinced. Also, I’d prefer something that can go in a suitcase (we’ll already have a National guitar checked as normal) and our hand/cabin baggage allowance is spoken for.
Next up is Fender acoustasonic tele. The ‘cheaper’ player edition. It’s fantastic and pretty lightweight. Downside is the bolting and unbolting the neck to get it to fit in a. checked bag.
Next stop is GuitarGuitar, mainly to see how the £100 EastCoast telecaster sounds through an acoustic amp. It has a P90 pickup in the neck position and although not the best guitar in the world its sound is passable. Like the acoustasonic it would need the neck bolted/unbolted but the main deterrent is that it weighs a ton.
Finally I try the ‘wildcard’ – a Yamaha silent guitar. It’s a bit of an oddity but as soon as I hold, play and hear it I’m smitten. It’s nothing short of brilliant. Cheaper than the acoustasonic player by a few hundred quid too. But…although the body frame comes off, the main part of the instrument is 98cm long which is pushing it a bit size-wise for a checked suitcase, even fitted diagonally.
It’s down to an acoustasonic (player edition) tele or the Yamaha silent. We’re still deliberating,
In short, the Yamaha is a bit of a one trick pony, may cause a ‘size’ issue but is cheaper – the acoustasonic is more versatile, more expensive and has the inconvenience (and maybe has;e) of having to bolt/unbolt the neck.
Of course the easiest option would be to put two Nationals (signature model and a resolectric jnr.) in their Reunion Blues continental voyager bags (which are good enough to be checked in their own right) in a flight bag for golf clubs, The combined weight is less than 23kilos. However, everywhere I look, ‘the rules’ state that any oversize ski/golf etc bags must only contain the relevant sports equipment and no personal effects our accessories. I can’t see any reason why…and we’ve not been able to get an answer…
And before anyone asks, neither ourselves nor any promoters/bookers can afford (or are willing to pay for) us to take any more than two checked bags!
A batch of small and large custom paperweight stands for Manson Glass
MY THURSDAY morning guitar student is away this week so I head straight to the office and finish off a big batch of paperweight stands for Will (Manson Glass). I’m quite proud of my design and production 🙂
I’m on a mission to find a way of flying with second guitar and have all sorts of ideas. One of my ideas is to add a piezo bridge to my telecaster and replace the neck bots with something that will stand the wear and tear of multiple neck removals.
I call Jimmy Egypt but he’s in the midst of building a new workshop and can’t take anything on for the time being. I email Glasgow’s Guitar Workshop..then start looking at other options.
The ‘collapsible’ Journey guitars might be an option – the carbon fibre model is good in all ways except looks. Can’t quite see myself on a festival stage playing one, even if it is only for a few ‘non-bottleneck’ tunes in standard tuning, The wood one may be an option – seems Jimmy Egypt has a second-hand one in the shop…so I might drop by and see what it’s like.
Other options are the incredible value (£100) EastCoast telecasters which feature a P90 pickup in the neck position. Like all teles, the neck can be bolted/unbolted so this might be a good ‘tryout’ that won’t cost much, especially if I fuck it up.
Similarly, the Fender’s Acoustisonic might be an option..the ‘player’ edition is 2/3 of the price of the ‘American’ model and I’ve been hankering after one for a while. The bolting/unbolting of the neck might be an issue tho’…mmmmm…
There’s a table sale next week at the village hall and I’ve booked a table to try and generate some local interest in West Highland Way Gifts’ stuff – mostly custom gifts and also a range of earrings and stuff. I pull together some ideas of what I might make to take along…
We have an early dinner then head to hall for a talk from the Ben Lomond ranger service and the National Trust for Scotland. It’s interesting and nice to see folks albeit a poorly attended event.
Back home we watch the Lewis Capaldi film on Netflix then off to bed.
WE have a seriously long lie – I find it bizarre that nearly seven weeks without any alcohol and I’m still knackered in the morning!
There’s a load of fridge magnets’ finishing and packaging to get done for the village shop order so I get busy with that…and it takes moist of the day.
When I finally done I deliver the order and go for a walk up the lochside.
Margaret’s on dinner tonight…and Betty’s joining. us. While she’s busy in the kitchen I start work on a bunch of paperweight stands for Will.
UP early for breakfast and to get our picnic made up…we’re off to Edinburgh Zoo for the day 🙂
Mikey comes with us and we meet Matty, Catriona and the kids there…Les arrives soon after and we’re in just after 10am.
I have no memories of being at Edinburgh Zoo before and I’m impressed with both the animals themselves and the enclosures. Thank fuck nothing’s caged up and miserable-looking.
We’re lucky with decent weather and manage to find a picnic table to accommodate us all.
It’s a great day out and once our visit is done we bring Mikey back to our place to pick up his car, Margaret gets on with dinner and I carry on with a West Highland Way Gifts’ order for the village shop.
After lunch I do some work in studio and prepare for tonight’s Wildcats’ livestream.
There’s a fair amount of admin to be done for some other bits and bobs then it’s suddenly time for another Zoom guitar session…then the Wildcats’ livestream.
Our pals Sarah and Mitch stop off on their Scottish trip to spend a night with us…
THE alarm goes off at 6am to get the pork shoulder out the fridge and the smoker fired up. Pulled pork tonight 🙂
Takes me an hour or so to get everything going nicely then I go back in to bed and enjoying a coffee when I spot a message from our pal Sarah. She and her husband Mitch are visiting from LA and coming to stay tonight…we were expecting them mid-afternoon, but her message says they’re on their way now!
After a bit of a scrabble getting thing ready, we manage to have breakfast out the way when they roll up.
We each up over a coffee then take them down to the bay and along to the old pier where they embark on a walk up the lochside. We stop in to see Betty then get back home to watch the smoker and get on with some work.
Our pals enjoy their walk and are back late afternoon. The pork’s ready before 8pm and we sit round the table, eat, drink and chat.
STILL pretty sore around my stomach today…but a lot better than yesterday.
I head to the studio after breakfast until Catriona and the kids rock up. They have some lunch and I have a coffee and we chat a while. Catriona’s brought one of Will’s bigger paperweights so I can make a bigger version of the stand I prototyped earlier in the week.
When they all had off to the swimming I get busy in the office and come up with a large version of the stand that works out pretty good. Catriona’ll take them back to Will to check he’s happy with them before I start on the a production run.
I’m still pretty knackered and sore so I have a wee lie down for half an hour on the ‘bed of nails’ therapy mat I have in the studio. It helps a little, if only relaxation then it’s time to go to Duncan and Irene’s.
We have a grand night with our pals and being ‘off the drink’ I’m happy to take on driving duties!
THE stomach pains mean I only mange to doze a little during the night…then we’re up at 6.30am to get ready to go to the hospital at Lambert.
We’re there in good time for my 8.30am colonoscopy appointment. The nurses and staff are great – no-one seems to perturbed by my stomach pains and I’m prepared for the procedure. The ladies in the colonoscopy suite are all great and after a thorough examination and removal of there polyps I’m sent to recovery for half an hour. First class care and support.
Back home I have a sleep before a lengthy Zoom meeting after which I’m done. The painkillers for the colonoscopy which had relieved the stomach pain a little have worn off and I;m feeling a bit sorry for myself. I lie on the couch with a blanket in front of the fire…
COLONOSCOPY – ass-cam – tomorrow and I have to start the Moviprep this morning.
I mix up the first batch and down some before mu first guitar student of the day arrives. Luckily it doesn’t take effect ’til she’s finished!
Once the first batch is finished I head to the studio and get on with some work, dashing over to the house to sit on the pan every so often.
No lunch for me today…or anything to eat – but by early afternoon my stomach is killing me. So much so that I cancel my afternoon guitar student an ahead for bed. I shivering uncontrollably and feel like my stomach has suffered a blow with a sledgehammer.
NO FRUIT at breakfast as I’m to minimise fibre intake in the run uo to Friday’s ass-cam adventure.
In the office I set about cutting down the big sheets of wood and acrylic that arrived yesterday into sections that’ll fit in the laser cutter. A bit time-consuming but quite therapeutic scoring and snapping to size.
Will had asked me a week or two ago if I could design/make stands for his paperweights…firstly for him to use at exhibitions and stuff and also perhaps to include with purchases. After sketching out some ideas and trying to make something as simple as possible I come up with a prototype.
Will likes it so I refine it a little and add his web address for prototype number two (pictured above). I quite like the way it’s turned out.
I hit the studio with the intention of editing some video but end up lifting up the guitar and jamming around for an hour until it’s past lunchtime.
I finally start some video editing after my delayed lunch then go back to the house to prepare some flank steak for sous vide – Betty’s coming for dinner tonight and I’m doping steak I. pepper sauce.
It’s not very nice outside so I try and make up for the lack of a walk by doing a session on the cross trainer. Legs like jelly afterwards!
Margaret comes home with shopping and after putting everything away I nip back to the studio until Betty arrives.
