AFTER breakfast I spend some time working with Margaret on our bookings system which has lain dormant since the pandemic!
The first booking system I built was on FileMaker…then Apple brought out Bento which was easier to synchronise and more user friendly so I rebuilt for that.
For some reason Apple discontinued Bento and the only thing we could find that had similar functionality was an app called TapForms. It worked but was clunky and awkward to work with.
When I was booking the last USA tour pre-Covid I discovered AirTable and found it pretty good but then Covid hit and Margaret never really used it and it fell into the background. Now we wanna start using it again.
It’s lunchtime before I go out for my first paddle in a month or more ‘cos of a combination of an elbow injury and shite weather.
I do a livestream from the water then back home for a shower, lunch, then I get the smoker on…time’s tight to get the beef short ribs done so I decide to try the electric smoker instead of the kamado.
Late afternoon one of my guitar students rocks up for a session. We’re not long done when an alert on my phone tells me the ribs are almost done.
Later on when we eat we’re happily surprise that the meat is just as good as when done on the kamado. Seems some things still fare better on charcoal, but some stuff comes out just fine on the electric jobbie….
SIX-thirty and the kids are jumping all over me. Jeez! On the plus side it gets me up to put the sourdough in the oven nice and early!
After breakfast I hit the studio for an online guitar lesson and Maggie and Joel bring their dog, Rosie, for Freya to look after for a few hours.
Next I have a custom pewter pin to finish off and get ready for sending out.
I spend the first part of the afternoon editing up the ‘burrito’ video I shot yesterday morning so I can spin it into tonight’s Wildcats’ livestream on Facebook.
When I come to export the finished video there’s an issue referencing the original media files which takes me an age to sort.
There’s some updates to run on the Quad Cortex which I leave running when Catriona comes to pick up the kids then I get busy worth some prep for the livestream which, unusually, goes pretty much to plan with no technical clusterfucks!
I DECIDE to film the breakfast burrito process which I’ll edit later on and spin into tomorrow (Monday) night’s Wildcats’ livestream on Facebook.
Once we’ve eaten I go out to the office and cast a spurtle pin – one of the recipients of the fi9lm premier batch has lost hers and asked if I could make a replacement.
There’s also an order in from the ‘States for a couple of acrylic Loch Lomond keyrings so I get them made up and ready for the post to pick up.
Next job is some livestreams of Still Friends which we get done before Catriona rocks up with the kids…we’re looking after Freya and Aaron tonight and tomorrow.
I have a batch of pizza dough all ready to go so we all sit outside and eat pizza before Catriona heads back to Doune.
After the kids are in bed I get a little work done then we chill and watch Bill and Dorothy’s livestream.
Mushroom and ricotta ravioli with brown butter and crispy sage. From scratch.
RELEASE day for the new single, Still Friends, so lots of posting round my socials and other ‘release day’ promo before breakfast.
Then it’s into the studio to create artwork for my social media covers and update my website landing page.
Once that’s all out the way I sort a takedown notice for the last release with my digital aggregator – all part of the Spotify ‘waterfall’ release strategy.
The next single, MacPherson’s Lament, doesn’t drop ’til 26 September so there’s no immediate panic but I start prep by creating a lyric file ready to upload when I get onto it next week.
In the office I do some more work on my new prototype gift ideas then our pal Sheena drops in with her new spaniel pup, Floss.
I’m back in the studio when Betty comes by for a coffee so I take a break and join her and Margaret.
After some more work for my pal Kevin I make some mushroom and ricotta filling for tonight’s ravioli…then a batch of pasta dough.
The ravioli – whoch I toss in some brown butter and sage –turns out pretty good… 🙂
MARGARET’S off to Doune early to look after Freya…she’ll take a drive into Glasgow for some shopping so I make up a list and plan for the next week or so.
I mess about designing a local gift idea then start making some prototypes.
Looking ahead to the new year, I need to get tickets on sale for a show at Komedia, Brighton on 7 March…I get the show listed, ticket toting sorted and all related stuff.
A walk up the lochside then into the office to work on my local gift protoypes.
Before Margaret gets back I prep all the stuff for tonight’s chicken fajitas…
Still Friends – available on my Bandcamp page before general release on all streaming services on Friday…
A BUSY start to the day with a Zoom guitar student immediately followed by an in-person lesson.
There’s an order in for three Loch Lomond key rings – they’re made of black acrylic with an iridescent inlay and I’m not sure I have the materials.
After digging about a bit I find enough to get the order made and start knocking them together then get them in the post box.
I realised I haven’t made a vertical version of the official Still Friends video so get busy on that…then some more bits and bobs of video stuff for Kevin McD.
Our pal David drops by and helps me finish off the garage door repair. I replaced the mechanism and lock last week but neither of us could work out why the holes int eh steel frame were so off. My drill bit wouldn’t;t go through so David drills and cuts. Job done.
There’s only time for a short walk before I light a chimney-full of charcoal and cook our smash burgers.
For some reason I decide to try my hand at making ciambella. Success!
AFTER breakfast I have an urge to I try my hand at making ciambella – a kinda Italian cake flavoured with vanilla and lemon zest. My aunt Maria used to make it when I was a kid and it was one of my favourites.
I get the mix in the oven then venture outside to try and tidy up some of the wind damage. It’s still pretty blowy, tho’ – and it looks like it’s gonna be that way for at least a few more days.
In the studio I get some more promo done for Friday’s release of Still Friends (the single) then do some prep for a young guitar student coming later on.
Once out the oven and cooled, the ciambella is pretty good. The texture is a little ‘rough’ but it tastes good.
After the guitar lesson I spot a message from my pal Kevin asking if I’llbe available for a chat later on. He has a new single coming soon and needs some help.
We FaceTime and chat through some ideas and I put together a wee plan based around vertical video clips and socials.
I have a wander up the loch side. It’s still windy but not cold and I enjoy the fresh air.
Back home I make some pasta dough then do some video work for Kevin while it rests..then it’s pasta with tomatoes, garlic and basil for dinner.
AFTER a wee bit of a lie in I head to the studio for a session with a Zoom guitar student.
Next job it prepping Still Friends – the single coming on Friday – for Bandcamp so I can share in my WIldcats’ livestream later. It’s live on my Bandcamp page now.
The forecast wind is really picking up now and because of the leaves on the trees, bushes etc, it’s having a pretty devastating effect. We brave the elements and try and anchor down the fruit cage with paracord and same with the wee PVC greenhouse thing that houses my tomatillo plants.
Sadly two of the three have succumbed to the wind and despite being inside the greenhouse thing are broken beyond repair. There was gonna be a bumper crop but only two or three fruits have reached full-size/ripeness 🙁
Back in the studio I edit up video footage from both Upton Blues Festival and the ‘gig in the garden’ for tonight’s livestream and subsequent social content.
At livestream time we still have power, thank goodness…I was expecting the usual wind-induced power cuts…and the livestream all goes to plan.
THE KIDS have everyone up early and we have bacon and sausage rolls at Matty’s while we wait for the rain to pass.
As soon as it;s dry we make our way to the ‘den’ for the Turriff Show – the biggest annual event of its type in the local and regional calendar. As well as farm animals, machinery and the like, there’s stuff for all the family.
The kids have a whale of a time and we also catch some live music and a motorcycle stunt rider. There’s loads of food trucks around and the ‘ghillies meal’ – venison burger with brie and redcurrant jelly –I choose for lunch is amazing.
It’s after 6pm when we get back to Matty’s, say cheerio to everyone and drive back down the road stopping in Dundee for some shopping bits. Been a grand weekend.
