DESPITE an early night and no booze last night we sleep in...so much of the morning is gone by the time I've finished checking emails and my socials.
It's a crappy day outside and I spend the early part of the afternoon making some merch in the office and furthering my email list migration from Mailchimp to Brevo.
I need to get some news releases about the March shows down south out to the monthly mags and stuff...while I think about a 'hook' for 'em I set up some pix in the studio.
My evening guitar student arrives bang on time and we have a good session then I get on with making dinner - black pepper beef.
Jennifer and Malky stop by for a visit….and a jam in the studio
BACK into the usual Monday (early!) morning sourdough baking routine ten I get the admin-y type stuff dealt with before an online session with one of my guitar students.
Margaret’s sorted flights to and from New York later in the month – we have some business to sort out – so we go through the ESTA application. A bit longer and more involved than we remember…and quite a lot more expensive…at least I’m not gigging etc so don’t need a visa.That’s an entirely different ball game!
My pals Jennifer (JPax Guitars) and Malky (Mad Malky Guitars) stop by for a visit and we talk music, guitars and all sortsa stuff over coffee then have a wee session in the studio.
Darkness falls too soon and I have to get some stuff ready for tonight’s Wildcats’ livestream on Facebook. I also set up the PA and some IEM (in ear monitoring) ready to rehearse the set I made up for the Gartmore show on 14 January…a week on Wednesday!
The livestream goes to plan – other than I stream it to my Facebook page instead of into the private WIldcats’ group. Ah well….no harm done!
FIRST job is getting the Christmas decorations and outside lights down – then I start sorting stuff out in the studio.
As well as s a good clean and tidy up, I’m keen to try and solve the problems plaguing the GoPro 10 camera. It’s been completely unreliable – and therefore redundant – for the last year or so.
It’s not a bad day outside and I take a break for a wander up the lochside.
Back in the studio I put together a set list for the Gartmore gig…it’s not long off now – a week on Wednesday!
CATRIONA arrives with the kids just in time for breakfast with us then leaves them with us – Margaret’s taking them swimming this morning.
My stomach’s playing up a bit and I have a few things that I need to get done so I don’t go with them.
After lunch we all go to the park in Stirling then stop at the supermarket before taking the kids home. We have a coffee with Catriona then hit the road.
I sous vide a piece of flank steak and make some pepper sauce and we enjoy dinner with a bottle of Châteauneuf-du-Pape Will gave me at Christmas. Nice!
We watch Deliver Me From Nowhere – a dramatization of the events around Springsteen’s recording of the Nebraska album. My favourite Springsteen album by a long chalk. I enjoy the film despite some pretty scathing reviews…but then, I’m also in the minority of those favouring that album.
MIKEY and Dougie head off after (a late) breakfast...and we have the place to ourselves for what seems the first time in weeks.
I prep a piece of brisket – a crappy wee bit of beef from Tesco bought out of curiosity! – and rub with salt and pepper then clean out the smoker and get it on to smoke.
Margaret needs some stuff from the village so I go with there and take a walk back bumping into a music pal Stevie and his son along the way.
I'm ready for something to eat and a nap when I get back then hit the studio to work on mail list stuff.
Having finally finished the housekeeping and aggregation of various lists I set about opening a Brevo account but there's a bunch of errors and I can't get a subscription to go through. Jeez.
The brisket is done and surprisingly good for a wee piece of rolled brisket – BBQ really needs a packer brisket with flat and point, but this has turned OK.
ANOTHER year starts…and we celebrate with breakfast burritos.
Mikey and Dougie go for a walk and we go to first-foot Betty. When we get back I hit the studio and carry on with email lists and aggregating various sources for a ‘clean’ start.
I spend the rest of the day and early part of the evening on the same task then back to the house – Margaret’s made steak pie.
I’m pretty done with everything and head off to bed soon after dinner.
AFTER breakfast I get the (electric) smoker ready for the pork and start things off for Mikey’s birthday dinner this evening.
I have quite a lot of work to get through in the studio, including trying to organize and aggregate all my email list stuff to see if I can migrate away from Mailchimp to another provider. Mailchimp has just got too expensive.
Mikey's meant to be meeting his pal Dougie in Dundee at midday to come throughout it looks like they're a good few hours behind schedule.
Meantime I make some salsa to go with the pulled pork tacos then go out for a wee walk, stopping off at Betty's to drop off a dod of Christmas cake and have a blether.
The guys still haven't arrived by the time I'm back home so I get busy with the email list stuff in the studio 'til they roll up.
The pulled pork tacos go down well then we chat for a while before watching Big and Dorothy's new year livestream from Florida.
I get out for a paddle – it’s gonna be windy for the next few days….
MARGARET’s not feeling great when we wake up so we hang out in bed, drink coffee and I deal with emails, socials and stuff.
After breakfast I set up some locally-focussed ads for the Gartmore show then get sorted to go out for a paddle. It’s a nice, albeit cold, day and the forecast isn’t great for the upcoming week so I take the chance to get out on the water while I can.
I pull up on the shore at Betty’s and nip in to see her then paddle back to the bay.
There’s time for a quick shower before we get the bus to Martyn and Louise's for drinks and have a grand afternoon and evening catching up before Louise runs us home.
MIKEY heads off after breakfast and we drive round to Kilmaronock Old Kirk to see the newly completed renovations.
It’s all very impressive and there’s a nice local heritage exhibition….and good to catch up with some of the folks behind the development. I’m keen to arrange a date for the fundraiser gig I’ve offered to set up to say thank you for all the access we were given to film the videos for the singles off the new album.
Next stop is Costco which, once again, is mobbed and neither of the options for Mikey’s birthday meal are available – I’d hoped for beef short ribs or a pork butt. Luckily Tesco has a bit of pork shoulder – not as big or good quality as we get at Costco, but hopefully it’ll do the job for smoked pulled pork tacos.
Margaret’s been fighting off the lurgy all day and puggled when we get home so I dal with dinner and we chill the rest of the night.
MATTY and Mikey head off to Catriona’s mid-morning – their dad and his partner are meeting them there for lunch.
Mikey’s coming back here afterwards – Matty’s off to Dundee. I spend the day in the studio filming some stuff for online promo/content, including a piece to help promote the Gartmore show in January.
I’m not that happy with the result tho’ and end up creating a different video in various formats to spit round my socials. If it looks like it’s getting traction and the show needs an extra punt I’ll maybe use it a the basis for a local advertising campaign. I wanna wait for the press to land first before I decide.
When I get back to the house Mikey’s back and we have some dinner then chat for a while before bedtime.
