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).
