Generated by All in One SEO v4.9.10, this is an llms.txt file, used by LLMs to index the site. # Dave Arcari - Scotland's alternative blues troubadour official site for alt.blues troubadour Dave Arcari ## Sitemaps - [XML Sitemap](https://davearcari.com/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website. ## Posts - [](https://davearcari.com/daves-blog/) - Daily blog from Scotland's alt.blues troubadour Dave Arcari - [Saturday 11 July 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/07/12/saturday-11-july-2026/) - UP EARLY(-ish!) to get the dough for my weekend rolls made up and sit up in bed drinking coffee, dealing with emails and my socials while dough rests and proves. Then it goes in the oven….and out to cool on a rack. By the time I’m out the shower and salt with some other routine - [Friday 10 July 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/07/11/friday-10-july-2026/) - ANOTHER nice day so I set up office in the garden. I pack up a merch order from West Highland Way GIfts and take it to the postbox then spend the rest of the morning migrating. The rest of my websites to a new hosting company. I’d planned to go for a paddle after lunch - [Thursday 9 July 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/07/10/thursday-9-july-2026/) - A BIT of a late start to the day but the sun’s shining and I set up office in the garden. One of today’s jobs is to start migrating websites from one hosting company to a new one which has next home to this website for a few months. It’s not a particularly difficult job, - [Wednesday 8 July 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/07/09/wednesday-8-july-2026/) - MARGARET”S away early to look after the grandkids…and I have an online guitar lesson first thing. It’s a lovely day outside so once ‘my got some of the routine stuff and new music for the radio show out the way I go back to the house and set up office in the garden. I set - [Tuesday 7 July 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/07/08/tuesday-7-july-2026/) - AFTER breakfast I hit the studio and create an audio file from Sunday's radio show – I usually record it when it goes out but we were away on Sunday. Luckily, rock.scot keeps the last two shows on their listen again section of each presenter’s profile so I can play it from there and make - [Monday 6 July 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/07/07/monday-6-july-2026/) - BREAKFAST at the hotel finishes at 9.30am so we’re downstairs to meet Dai and Liza by 9am. We have a good breakfast and blether, say cheerio and pack the rest of our stuff. We’re ok the road soon after 10am and Margaret does the first driving shift. In the passenger seat I do my blog, - [Sunday 5 July 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/07/06/sunday-5-july-2026/) - I’M STILL a bit tired when we wake up….Margret has a pretty severe hangover! We have breakfast then make for the festival site, stopping en route for a snack. Liza and Dai are staying at the same hotel as us in Pontypool so we collect them and then all go back to the festival site - [Saturday 4 July 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/07/05/saturday-4-july-2026/) - THE ALARM goes off at 5.45am….ooooffft. I manage to get out of bed by 6am and we start getting stuff ready to go. Glad all the gear was packed last night so there just our overnight bag and some other bits and bobs to sort out…and coffees/snacks for the road. We stop off at Costco in - [Friday 3 July 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/07/03/friday-3-july-2026/) - I WAKE early but stay in bed drinking coffee, dealing with emails and my socials before I get in the shower. In the office I make some support ‘struts’ out of Perspex for the display cases that hold the.guitar pins and pendants. Margaret had been using the dividers from the cases but someone helping tidy - [Thursday 2 July 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/07/03/thursday-2-july-2026/) - THERE’S some brass guitar pins to be made to replenish the merch case for Sunday’s XS Festival in South Wales. I get production started and also look out some insulated tumblers and cups that are already engraved…. and put aside a couple of trekking flasks to engrave later. In the studio I start the pre-record - [Wednesday 1 July 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/07/02/wednesday-1-july-2026/) - MARGARET has a meeting at 8.30am and sleeps in…to be woken at 8.45am asking if she’s coming! The annoying thing is that I’ve been up since 6.30am and would have them her long ago – but for some reason I thought her meeting was 10.30am. Luckily it’s a local meeting so after a mad panic - [Tuesday 30 June 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/07/01/tuesday-30-june-2026/) - I’D HOPED for a paddle this morning but it’s absolutely tipping it down. Instead I hit the studio and make some promo videos for my show on Rock.Scot and send them off. Next job is to make an info/landing page on my website for the radio show. It makes sense to have some local to - [Monday 29 June 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/06/30/monday-29-june-2026/) - AFTER breakfast I finish designing a wee bracket to hold a swivelling curtain rail (don’t ask!) and send it to the 3D printer. I manage to get another few things off the to-do list before a mid-morning session with one of my online guitar students. Once done we go to the village for a swim - [Sunday 28 June 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/06/29/sunday-28-june-2026/) - ONCE I’ve finished all the prep for tonight’s radio show I can start looking at things and stuff for next week’s show which needs to be a pre-record as I’ll be getting ready to go on stage at XS Festival in South Wales when my show goes out next Sunday. After lunch I take the - [Saturday 27 June 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/06/28/saturday-27-june-2026/) - STRAIGHT into the studio after breakfast…a few ‘studio-centric’ things on today’s to-do list. There’s still some music submissions to go theorists before I can start any serious prep for tomorrow’s (Sunday) radio programme – plus, I’m playing a show in South Wales – XS Festival – next Sunday (5 July) so I not only need - [Friday 26 June 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/06/27/friday-26-june-2026/) - I WAKE in a panic thinking the XS-Fest in south Wales is this weekend…it’s not, it’s next weekend.Phew! Makes me realise I won’t be around for next Sunday’s Dave Arcari’s Deep Blues on Rock.Scot – so as well as all the prep for this week’s show, I need to prep and pre-record next week’s show…and - [Thursday 25 June 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/06/26/thursday-25-june-2026/) - ANOTHER nice day and after the routine stuff’s out the way we decide to go to the village for a swim. We stop off en route to visit some pals and their new baby and drop off a gift…then on to the swimming. The good weather brings opportunity to get some stuff in the garden - [Wednesday 24 June 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/06/25/wednesday-24-june-2026/) - SOURDOUGH day so an early rise to get it in the oven then it cools on a rack while I go to the studio for a session with an online guitar student. Back to the house, breakfast, then I top up the water and feed in the hydroponics in the office. I’ve got tomatillos in - [Tuesday 23 June 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/06/24/tuesday-23-june-2026/) - I RE-FILM my ‘remember to vote’ in the National Park board election and post around various local groups and socials. I doubt I’ll win the race, but it’s worth a shot and I’d welcome the opportunity to represent the communities in our area on the park board. Once that’s out the way I get Sunday’s - [Monday 22 June 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/06/23/monday-22-june-2026/) - AFTER a Zoom guitar session I have a list of diverse things on the to-do list. First job is to ‘self-tape’ an audition for an advertising campaign. I got an email from a casting agency to say I had been shortlisted and asking for an audition reel. I set up as best I can, get - [Sunday 21 June 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/06/22/sunday-21-june-2026/) - THE KIDS wake us up early bringing me Fathers’ day cards from Catriona and Will…and themselves :-) After breakfast I go to the studio and do some more prep for tonight’s radio show on Rock.Scot Fiona and Neil rock up just after 11am to go for a paddle. It;s a nice day and we head - [Saturday 20 June 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/06/21/saturday-20-june-2026/) - THE dough for my weekend rolls is ready just before my Saturday morning guitar student arrives. After the lesson I do some final finishing on the audiopoint info panel – a bead of clear silicone round the front and back of the mounting gasket. Once it dried I’ll do the last bits. I have a - [Friday 19 June 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/06/20/friday-19-june-2026/) - MIKEY leaves just after breakfast and Margaret has a meeting about the local place plan. I hit the office and realise that in my haste to get the mounting bracket things for the shoes of the audiopoint info panel done I forgot to add a notch so they’ll for flush with the main seal that - [Thursday 18 July 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/06/19/thursday-18-july-2026/) - PRIORITY job today is to design and print the mounting system for the wooden audio point info panel I've been working on. We take the panel and the angle measurement tool I 3D printed tot eh audio point and measure up...then back home to design the mounts. I start with the one for the top - [Wednesday 17 June 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/06/18/wednesday-17-june-2026/) - WEDNESDAY…my new ‘sourdough day’…I’m awake and up early to get it in the oven so it’s baked and cooled in time for breakfast. I’ve not allowed quite enough time for it to cool – best practice says an hour, so I adhere strictly to that advice – so I have to go to the studio - [Tuesday 16 June 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/06/17/tuesday-16-june-2026/) - I CAN’T understand it. In bed before midnight last night, no alcohol…and we sleep through the alarms and don’t wake until nearly 11am! Luckily nothing time-specific in the diary this morning. In the office I meet and design a tool to help me measure the angle of bracket/s I need to make to mount the - [Monday 15 June 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/06/16/monday-15-june-2026/) - UP early to get the smoker fired up and a pork butt on – then I manage to get most of routine stuff out the way before an online session with a Zoom guitar student. Next job is to upload a copy of last night’s radio show to my Mixcloud and post the playlists online. - [Sunday 14 June 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/06/16/sunday-14-june-2026/) - STILL quite a lot of prep for tonight’s radio show to do…once I feel I’ve got all my ducks in a row I get back to the house for some lunch. It’s not a bad day outside so I get the cover on the wee Aldi greenhouse thing – it’s lasted well, much better than - [Saturday 13 June 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/06/14/saturday-13-june-2026/) - THE KIDS are through jumping all over me long before the alarm goes off…not gonna sleep in this morning! After breakfast I hit the studio to do some prep for tomorrow’s (Sunday) radio show and Maggi and Joel drop off their wee dog Rosie for Freya and Aaron to look after. Margaret and the kids - [Friday 12 June 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/06/13/friday-12-june-2026/) - NOT quite sure what happened, but we sleep through all the alarms…odd, ‘cos we weren’t even late last night. I call guitar repairman Jimmy Egypt to see if my guitar’s ready for collect but the new sound has only just arrived, so it’ll be next week. Looks like I need to go into Glasgow anyway - [Thursday 11 June 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/06/12/thursday-11-june-2026/) - MARGARET’s off to a meeting t the park HQ and I have a bunch of video to edit into vertical clips for my socials/reels. There’s also a bunch of routine admin stuff needing done. I’ve also realised that I need to keep on top of music submissions for my radio show otherwise the pile gets - [Wednesday 10 June 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/06/11/wednesday-10-june-2026/) - UP EARLY to get the sourdough in the oven then off to the studio for a Zoom session with one of my weekly online guitar students. I’m just finished when my in-person student arrives and we have a good session. Once she’s finished we have a late breakfast and I get busy editing some of - [Tuesday 9 June 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/06/10/tuesday-9-june-2026/) - A NEW trustee on the local community trust comes up to go through some stuff with Margaret…and I need to get a photo and write a blurb to add them to the relevant page on the trust website. Having got some ‘background’ video for my National Park board member campaign I need to film a - [Monday 8 June 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/06/09/monday-8-june-2026/) - A BUSY day kicks off with an online session with one of my regular guitar students. Next job is to share my radio show playlists and Mixcloud link on my socials etc then I hit the studio to work on my campaign for the National Park board – voting will start soon and I wanna - [Sunday 7 June 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/06/08/sunday-7-june-2026/) - AFTER a bit of a long lie and late breakfast I go out to the office and start the finishing work on the audio point info panel I've been busy with for the past few weeks. There's some clear acrylic sheets to be cut to size and paperweight stands to be made for Manson Glass - [Saturday 6 June 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/06/07/saturday-6-june-2026/) - AN early start to get some dough started for my weekend rolls…then back to bed for a coupla hours ‘til it’s ready to go in the oven. Once the rolls are in the oven I jump in the shower and am ready just in time for my Saturday morning guitar student arriving. We have breakfast - [Friday 5 June 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/06/06/friday-5-june-2026/) - WE HAVE (an extremely!) long lie…albeit checking emails, socials and discussing stuff over coffee. Since starting my Dave Arcari’s Deep Blues show on Rock.Scot a month or so ago I’ve started getting lots of music submissions. A lot of the music is good but doesn’t fit the profile for my show so I have to - [Thursday 4 June 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/06/05/thursday-4-june-2026/) - AFTER breakfast Margaret takes the car to the garage for an MoT. I hit the office and do some work on the audiopoint info board. Starting to look good now, but full a few more coats of varnish and other finishing stuff to be done. In the studio I do a little prep gathering tracks - [Wednesday 3 June 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/06/04/wednesday-3-june-2026/) - THE ALARM goes off at 6am to get my sourdough in the oven.While it’s baking I drink coffee and deal with emails, socials etc. I have an online guitar session with one of my students at 9am then spend some time pulling together some new music to include on Sunday’s radio show. After lunch we - [Tuesday 2 June 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/06/03/tuesday-2-june-2026/) - ONCE the routine stuff’s out the way I jump in the car and take my signature National guitar in to Jimmy Egypt in Glasgow for repair. It seems the broken pickup delivery switch isn’t just cosmetic – when I plugged in for soundcheck at Cottiers last week the output was intermittent at best. On the - [Monday 1 June 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/06/02/monday-1-june-2026/) - BLUDDY hell – June already. Doesn’t seem like to when you see the weather! After some work on playlists and posts relating to last night’s radio show I get the whole show up on my Mixcloud then it’s time for a universe session with one of my guitar students. I do some more sanding on - [Sunday 31 May 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/06/01/sunday-31-may-2026/) - WE HAVE a bit of a long lie then, after breakfast Catriona, Will and the kids drop by. After they head off I hit the studio and do some prep for tonight’s Deep Blues radio show on rock.scot. There’s some show idents to sort out then I nip back to the house for a coffee - [Saturday 30 May 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/05/31/saturday-30-may-2026/) - THE ALARM goes at 6am to get the dough made for my rolls. Once it’s one he go I make a coffee and deal with my socials. I have an early meeting with a local pal who’s asked me if can use one of my drones to survey a few acres of gorse oin the - [Friday 29 May 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/05/31/friday-29-may-2026/) - FRIST job is to try and deconstruct the old charcoal grill. Easier said than done – and not made any easier by the drizzle and abundance of midges. I drag it under the smoker shelter and spend a good hour freeing up corroded nuts and bolts in girly inaccessible place while getting bitten by the - [Thursday 28 May 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/05/29/thursday-28-may-2026/) - NO long lie after last night’s show – I manage to get the gear unpacked and video downloading before my early minting guitar student arrives. I’d promised to restring Dawn’s guitar so our session lasts a wee bit longer than usual. Last night’s promoter asked if we have any photos from the show. I have - [Wednesday 27 May 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/05/28/wednesday-27-may-2026/) - MARGARET has an optician appointment first thing. I drop her off and go to Costco to pick up some shopping and stuff. We’re back home by lunchtime. I pack the car and stuff and we make our way back into Glasgow and park up at Cottiers in the west end.Our pal Charlie’s already there and - [Tuesday 26 May 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/05/27/tuesday-26-may-2026/) - CRACKING day outside. After breakfast I g out and see if I can dismantle the big old cross trainer that’s been sitting under the smoker shelter completely unused for two or three years. I’s kinda big to take to the dump in one piece. There’s some engraving to be done on the wooden info panel - [Monday 25 May 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/05/26/monday-25-may-2026/) - AFTER breakfast and my first guitar student of the day I investigate Mixcloud as a possible way of archiving my radio show and providing a ‘listen again’ separate from rock.scot which hasn’t yet got that feature. I manage to set up an account and upload my archive copies of the first three episodes. Check it - [Sunday 24 May 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/05/25/sunday-24-may-2026/) - NICE DAY outside but I need to get into the studio and finish prepping my radio show for tonight. I take a wee break and cut the grass and then sit in the sunshine and play some guitar. Still haven't decided what I'm gonna play at Cottier's in Glasgow on Wednesday night. Margaret is sitting - [Saturday 23 May 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/05/24/saturday-23-may-2026/) - AFTER breakfast I get the two brass orders all finished off and packaged up. One of the packs has to go to the USA and the other is being picked up later today. Phew. There’s a wee bit of tidying up and stuff to be done outside Then I hit the studio and start some - [Friday 22 May 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/05/23/friday-22-may-2026/) - NOW I’VE got all the signatures and stuff I need for my board nomination for Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park (LLTNP) I check over all the forms and get everything printed out. The stuff needs to be delivered by hand to the returning officer at Stirling Council so we take a trip into Stirling - [Thursday 21 May 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/05/22/thursday-21-may-2026/) - AN EARLY start – first up is an 8.30am haircut before heading into Glasgow for an eye test at the optician. I have time to pick up some shopping and venue have a coffee and muffin before the optician and I’m on my way back home before 11am and drop in and see some local - [Tuesday 19 May 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/05/20/tuesday-19-may-2026/) - MARGARET’S off early to meet Les and get her hair done in Edinburgh – I have a load of things on my to-do list. First up, I need to get the brass golf ball markers on the go…the jig I set embossing last night isn;t gonna work which is a bit of a pain as - [Wednesday 20 May 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/05/21/wednesday-20-may-2026/) - I’M on a mission to get the brass golf ball markers finished and figure if I go full pelt I can have them done by close of play tomorrow (Thursday). That’s a good couple of days ahead of schedule. Just as well though – I’ve been asked to make a batch of brass pin for - [Monday 18 May 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/05/19/monday-18-may-2026/) - I’D HOPED to get out for a paddle after my morning Zoom session with a guitar student. No such luck – the calm day predicted has unsurprisingly ended up windy and the loch is a bit on the choppy side. Ah well. Instead, I do a little more work on the audiopoint info board. The - [Sunday 17 May 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/05/18/sunday-17-may-2026/) - WE HAVE A bit of a long lie then I hit the studio to do some more prep for tonight’s radio show – the second Dave Arcari’s Deep Blues on Rock.Scot. It’s not hard, but it is pretty time-consuming deciding what tracks to play and getting everything organised to fit the time slots etc. In - [Saturday 17 May 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/05/17/saturday-17-may-2026/) - UP AT 6am to get the dough for my weekend rolls made…then back to bed for an hour before I get up again and make coffee. I have a young guitar student coming – by herself this time as her wee brother has a birthday party…the lesson goes better as she is attentive and keen. - [Friday 15 May 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/05/17/friday-15-may-2026/) - FIRST job of the day is to get tonight’s brisket onto the smoker – then some web stuff for my pal Kevin who’s new single is out today. Then it’s straight onto a community hydro society meeting which goes well. I tend the brisket through the afternoon taking some time out to dot between the - [Thursday 14 May 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/05/15/thursday-14-may-2026/) - NOT a bad day outside so once I’ve got the usual admin and socials stuff done I go out and tackle the wood that’s as delivered yesterday (to the wrong address!) for the audiopoint signage. The slab isn’t exactly as ordered but some creative cutting should sort that out. Means I only have once ‘spare’ - [Wednesday 13 May 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/05/14/wednesday-13-may-2026/) - UP EARLY to get my sourdough in the oven and let it cool while I run a session with one of my online guitar students. After breakfast Margaret gets on with some gig booking then goes outside to tackle the build of the new grill – I’m busy in the studio gathering some tracks for - [Tuesday 12 May 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/05/13/tuesday-12-may-2026/) - MAIN job today is to check the stereo mix for the vocal links on my radio show. On Sunday my voice only came out of the left channel….the techies got on the case and messaged me a fix. I try it…and it works :-) I also need to pull more tracks into the play out - [Monday 11 May 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/05/12/monday-11-may-2026/) - A FEW admin things to get out the way before a Zoom session with one of my online guitar students. I also sort my playlist for my debut show on Rock.Scot radio last night and post it on the show Facebook page and around my socials. I also need to fix a typo in some - [Sunday 10 May 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/05/11/sunday-10-may-2026/) - NO LONG lie today – we’re up early to get over to Kilmaronock Old Kirk for the annual plant sale – we have a space at the market for West Highland Way Gifts. And Love-Balmaha and even my music stuff. The sun’s shining as we put up the gazebo and set the table with stuff. - [Saturday 9 May 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/05/10/saturday-9-may-2026/) - I’M ONLY just finished breakfast when my six and eight year old brother and sister guitar students arrive for their double-header lesson. The six year old is really too young – although interested, he is very easily distracted and is kinda holding his very able big sister back a bit. I think I’m gonna have - [Friday 8 May 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/05/09/friday-8-may-2026/) - A FEW fairly big tasks in diary for today…but the main thing is to prep and set up my debut Dave Arcari’s Deep Blues radio show for rock.scot. It’ll go out Sunday at 7pm UK time. Pulling together the music I wanna feature is more time-consuming than I expect – and planning the show and - [Thursday 7 May 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/05/08/thursday-7-may-2026/) - UP EARLY to get my sourdough in the proven…my routine shifted from Monday to Wednesday (overnight oats for breakfast on a Monday and Tuesday now!) but I was too busy to get he dough ready on Tuesday this week. There’s some prep to do for a couple of guitar students coming later on and I - [Wednesday 6 May 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/05/07/wednesday-6-may-2026/) - QUITE a nice day so after breakfast I sit outside and get some work done. First up, the background image on my website landing page has mysteriously disappeared. I replaced it then set about fixing the menu links for the merch store which have got messed up at some point over the last month or - [Tuesday 5 May 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/05/06/tuesday-5-may-2026/) - VICKY’S already left on the next stage of the West Highland Way when I get up and out the shower. John’s up by the time I’ve opened up the studio and office and we chat for a while before he heads off. I decide to tackle he info point sign I’m making for Betty nd - [Monday 4 May 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/05/05/monday-4-may-2026/) - MAIN task today is to sort out the taxes on the guitar coming from Klos in the USA. I got a message from DHL on Saturday saying I had to pay. Various duties etc and as far as I’m aware they were all paid up front. There’s no answer form DHL in Glasgow and I - [Sunday 3 May 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/05/04/sunday-3-may-2026/) - UP and breakfasted at a decent time – Martyn’s coming up this morning to go for a walk and catch up. We have a good walk and blether – nice to see him – then he heads off and I get busy with some video editing. I also finish off the replacement stoppers/numbers for our - [Saturday 2 May 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/05/03/saturday-2-may-2026/) - NOT sure why, but I decide to try and rejig the studio desk space so I can sit properly and get my knees under the desk. I mess with a few options and get sorted then go back to the house and start to prototype replacement ‘bumpers’ for the toilet seat. The existing rubber ones - [Friday 1 May 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/05/02/friday-1-may-2026/) - WE ENJOY watching the squirrels while we have breakfast then one of my young guitar students arrives. It’s a nice day and the wind is light so I head out onto the loch for a paddle and go to Port Bawn at the far end of Inchcallioch. It’s quite aside from a couple of lassies - [Thursday 31 March 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/05/01/thursday-31-march-2026/) - AFTER breakfast I check the rotary drier ground spike/mount I concreted in yesterday. It’s good. I take some measurements and start designing a cover to 3D print. The first version isn’t quite right so I make some improvements to the design and print up another. Success. I don’t want to venture far as I’m waiting - [Wednesday 29 April 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/04/30/wednesday-29-april-2026/) - UP IN time to get some work done before a 9am online guitar lesson. Feels like I’m getting back into my ‘normal’ routine! Then it’s straight onto a local hydro society board meeting which takes me up to lunchtime. I have some personalized trekking flasks to finish off and an order for a custom magnetic - [Tuesday 26 April 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/04/28/tuesday-26-april-2026/) - AFTER a nice long lie we have some breakfast then I start clearing out some of the archived posts and images on website. A job that’s become long overdue. I get the bus into the village where I’m given a clean bill of health form the dentist and hygienist then walk the four miles home. - [Monday 27 April 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/04/28/monday-27-april-2026/) - WE’RE up early to get out the hotel and return the rental car to Hertz at the airport…then on to check in for the first leg of our journey home. Tallinn to Helsinki. Once through security we have some breakfast then at the gate I have a shot in a massage chair then a complimentary - [Thursday 5 March 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/03/06/thursday-5-march-2026/) - AN EARLY start to get the gear and merch sorted and the car packed for our trip south. The first show is tomorrow (Friday) but it’s a fair drive to Aldershot and we’re both full of the lurgy so better to get there tonight and be able to relax a bit tomorrow. Before we leave - [Wednesday 4 March 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/03/05/wednesday-4-march-2026/) - FIRST, a 9am session with one of my online guitar students….then, just as I finish, an in-person guitar student arrives. Once the morning lessons are all out the way I decide to try and move my website (davearcari.com) to a new hosting company to see if that helps my no/slow loading. I’m hoping it will - [Wednesday 25 March 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/03/26/wednesday-25-march-2026/) - UP EARLY to get the sourdough in the oven then a morning of guitar lessons – first an online session then in-person – before I get busy with some merch production. There’s a bunch of one-off ‘comes in many colours’ brass guitar pendants – while there’s a few of them, each has a unique colour - [Tuesday 3 February 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/02/04/tuesday-3-february-2026/) - THE website/hosting issue is really starting to piss me off. Thankfully it doesn’t seem to have interferred with a bunch of orders come through from folks in my Facebook Wildcats’ group ordering some of the ‘new old solid out stock’ I brought back from NYC and added to the web shop yesterday. I haven’t spread - [Monday 2 February 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/02/03/monday-2-february-2026/) - BACK to my usual Monday morning routine of getting the oven on early for the sourdough – then coffee and emails etc in bed as it bakes closed and open. Then out to cool for an hour. After a mid morning online guitar session I spend a good few hours trying to work out what - [Sunday 1 February 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/02/02/sunday-1-february-2026/) - AFTER breakfast I cut a mount to frame up something for Betty then take it along to her…along the way I bump into Michelle McManus and her family and have a quick chat. Haven’t seen her in ages. Back home I prep the smoker and a huge slab of pork belly, get it all going - [Wednesday 4 February 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/02/04/wednesday-4-february-2026/) - AFTER an early online session with one of my remote guitar students I get back onto the website/hosting issue. My next idea is to update Divi – one of the core building blocks on some of my sites – to a new version. It’s still in beta, but promises to be less resource hungry so - [Thursday 5 February 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/02/06/thursday-5-february-2026/) - ONCE I’M done with my guitar student I deal with a couple of emails then we head to the village to go for a swim. Then we carry on into Glasgow for shopping – including a lunchtime snack at Costco, Tesco and Waitrose. I picked up a small piece of beef for tonight’s tacos so - [Saturday 7 February 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/02/08/saturday-7-february-2026/) - AFTER a lazy morning I get back on the case with the website/hosting issues then prep some pizza dough for later. Laurie – Betty’s granddaughter – pops up to get some paper for some last minute prep and decoration down at the Roastery for Betty’s 80th birthday party tonight. The website still isn’t playing ball - [Friday 6 February 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/02/07/friday-6-february-2026/) - AFTER breakfast I call the hairdresser to see if I can get a haircut sometime. She has a cancellation this afternoon, so I grab the slot. Our pal Fiona was 40 a couple days ago and we’re going to the pub tonight with a small group of folks to celebrate. I make a couple of - [Sunday 8 February 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/02/09/sunday-8-february-2026/) - ANOTHER very long lie…in my defense, I get a fair bit of work done before I get up! There’s another batch of pizza dough to be sorted out and some prep for my sourdough. Trying to be ahead of the game now I’m outta bed. I spend the rest of the day, and evening going - [Tuesday 10 February 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/02/11/tuesday-10-february-2026/) - MAIN job today is to top and tail promo videos for all upcoming shows – and make up a posting schedule as well as work out some kind of advertising campaign for each on my socials. There’s also some more news releases to be sent out and other bits and bobs for next weeks shows - [Monday 9 February 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/02/10/monday-9-february-2026/) - THE USUAL Monday sourdough routine is followed by breakfast before I hit the studio for a session with one of my online guitar students. As soon as I’m done I grab the camera and head into the village to take some photos of Margaret signing the agreements for the community-owned key worker housing that forms - [Wednesday 11 February 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/02/12/wednesday-11-february-2026/) - I’M SICK all night and by 10am or so we submit and Margaret calls the doctor. We thought we’d try to wait it out but things are getting worse rather than better. The doc agrees I need the hospital and arranges for us to go direct to the CAU at Forth Valley Hospital and we - [Thursday 12 February 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/02/13/thursday-12-february-2026/) - I WAKE around 6am in the hospital and feel quite a lot better. Not good, but better. Then go back to sleep. Next thing I know is the nurse coming to check blood pressure, temperature etc and replace one of the drips. When breakfast comes I feel well enough to have a slice of dry - [Sunday 15 February 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/02/16/sunday-15-february-2026/) - A RELATIVELY long lie for when the kids are staying…it’s almost 8am when they come through and start jumping all over me. After a shower and breakfast I escape to the studio to carry on the web server nightmare. Still in the midst of security and malware scans, file checks and edits for the eight - [Saturday 14 February 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/02/15/14-february-2026/) - WE HAVE a fairly relaxed morning then I hit the studio – more web server scans and investigations to be done. Catriona arrives to drop the kids off – they're staying the night to give her a break – and Margaret takes them to feed the ducks. I have a couple of new kids (aged - [Friday 13 February 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/02/14/friday-13-february-2026/) - I SLEEP late and get a decent rest….still not feeling 100% tho’. I decide to take things easy. Eventually I get my ass out of bed and have shower. My (this!) blog is needing done as I’ve missed the last few days due to server/website issues then the hospital incident. There’s a West Highland Way - [Monday 16 February 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/02/17/monday-16-february-2026/) - A BREAK in the usual Monday routine as I didn’t make my sourdough yesterday…so it’s overnight oats for breakfast. I’ll make the sourdough later today. There’s some stuff to do in the village after a session with one of my online guitar students. I jump in the car with Margaret then I walk back home. - [Wednesday 18 February 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/02/19/wednesday-18-february-2026/) - UP EARLY to get the gear sorted and car parked. Mikey leaves after breakfast and we get ready to hit the road to Sheffield. We share the uneventful drive and find our hotel, drop off some bags and head to Heist Brewery – tonight’s venue. Manager Ed is expecting us and we’re set up and - [Tuesday 17 February 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/02/18/tuesday-17-february-2026/) - LOTS to try and get through before we hit the road south tomorrow (Wednesday) morning. In the office I print postcards promoting sign up to email list and start a batch of giveaway keyrings. We threw a few round the tables at the Gartmore show last month and they went down a storm. We’ll put - [Thursday 19 February 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/02/20/thursday-19-february-2026/) - THE HOTEL WiFi is shit so I don’t manage to get any proper work done before we leave. It’s not a long drive to Huddersfield but when we get there we spend a good couple hours trying to find somewhere with parking that we can get a late lunch. None of the retail parks have - [Saturday 21 February 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/02/22/saturday-21-february-2026/) - WE WEREN’T late last night but the last few days and overnight drive back after the last gig have left us pretty knackered…so a long lie feels justified! Breakfast is more like brunch then I head to the studio to tidy all the gear that’s just been dumped after the gigs and downloads the video - [Friday 20 February 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/02/21/friday-20-february-2026/) - WE ROLL up home just after 4am and head straight to bed. I wake up after 10am – Margaret’s already up and getting ready for her 11am meeting with the roads folks from the council. After breakfast, still frustrated with my websites’ downtime and slow loading I get on an online chat with the hosting - [Monday 23 February 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/02/24/monday-23-february-2026/) - I WAKE up briefly a few times during the night…then about 7.30am I wake again as the nurse changes my drip. I get her to disconnect me for a minute so I can go to the toilet. Soon after another doc comes to see how I’m doing and ask a few questions. One of mai. - [Sunday 22 February 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/02/23/sunday-22-february-2026/) - ANY hopes of the vomitting being a one-off quickly disappear and by 2am Margaret’s called NHS111. Not sure how long it is, but an ambulance is at the door pretty quick. As usual I’ll not quite with by this time but I rember getting cannulas in and IV stuff before the ambulance whips me to - [Tuesday 24 February 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/02/25/tuesday-24-february-2026/) - I’M STILL not 100% but not feeling too bad when I wake up. Mikey heads off into Glasgow then Margaret jumps int he car to go to a community organisation event in Crieff hosted by DTAS. She’s only just left when my guitar student arrives and we have a good session. Tickets are (extremely) slow - [Wednesday 25 February 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/02/26/wednesday-25-february-2026/) - I HAVE a session with an online guitar student first thing then we head into Glasgow for my appointment at the eye hospital. Margaret drops me at Gartnavel and goes to get some shopping. We need a pork belly from Costco and a fair bit of pother shopping. Margaret’s cooking dinner at Betty’s for six - [Thursday 26 February 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/02/27/thursday-26-february-2026/) - SOMETHING weird has been happening with my phone. All connectivity has slowed right down and not resolved despite rebooting, resetting network setting etc etc. It’s driving me nuts. I have an online meeting with PRS (Performing Rights’ Society) folks about the prototype performance reporting system I’ve been helping test. There’s not much time after the - [Friday 27 February 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/02/28/friday-27-february-2026/) - ONCE I get all the routine stuff out the way I drive to the village for a swim. Need to get back into some kind of exercise routine…all these hospital stays and gigs have disrupted things a bit. I stop at the chemist on the way back to see if the auto injectors prescribed by - [Monday 2 March 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/03/03/monday-2-march-2026/) - I’M STILL pretty burst – beginning to think we’ve got some kind of lurgy in addition to being knackered. My online guitar session is a little earlier today as I have a meeting about presenting a blues show on a new radio station at 11am. I head into Glasgow, have an interesting and productive meeting - [Saturday 28 February 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/03/01/saturday-28-february-2026/) - UP EARLY to get the pork belly trimmed and rubbed ready for the smoker tomorrow – then we get the guitars, sound gear and cameras along to the hall. Glad we sorted the stage blacks, backdrop and most of the lighting yesterday. While I set up the sound Margaret nips to the post office and - [Sunday 1 March 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/03/02/sunday-1-march-2026/) - I’M UP at 7am to get the smoker going and three slabs of pork belly in the pit…then back to bed for a couple of hours. We have breakfast then Jon and Maggi pack up and head off. I unload the gear we brought back last night then Margaret and I go back to the - [Tuesday 3 March 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/03/04/tuesday-3-march-2026/) - DEFFO got the lurgy. Margaret had a restless night and although I slept OK I’ve woken up feeling shit. Once the daily routine stuff is out the way I spend some more time back on the web server issues that are dragging things down. Today’s tasks are trying to Fiona some ways to reduce the - [Friday 6 March 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/03/07/friday-6-march-2026/) - NEITHER of us wake up before 10am….and still full of lurgy. Jeez. Tonight’s show ain’t gonna be easy! At lease we have a completely chilled day and I spend some of it Fiona tuning my (this!) website on it’s new server. Turns out the West End Centre is just five minutes’ drive from our hotel - [Saturday 7 March 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/03/08/saturday-7-march-2026/) - THE lurgy’s still lurking around us both when we wake up…not as bad as it’s been tho’. We have a lazy morning at the Premier Inn. I edit some video clips and share videos, posts and links round socials as my ‘day of show’ promo for tonight’s gig at Komedia in Brighton. It’s only 60 - [Monday 9 March 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/03/10/monday-9-march-2026/) - NO SOURDOUGH to go in the oven as we weren’t back in time yesterday for the dough to be made. Instead, Margaret prepped some overnight oats. After a weekly session with one of my online guitar students I get some stuff together for the folks behind the Rock.Scot radio station – I’ll be presenting an - [Sunday 8 March 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/03/09/sunday-8-march-2026/) - WE drag ourselves out of bed and manage to hit the road home from Brighton by 10am. After a driving shift each we stop at Hilton Park services for some lunch. We continue sharing the driving with a stop in Glasgow to pick up some shopping and get home just after 8pm. We have dinner - [Tuesday 10 March 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/03/11/tuesday-10-march-2026/) - MARGARET gets a call from Catriona first going to ask if she can go and look after Aaron…she has a hairdresser appointment and Aaron’s off school ‘cos he was sick during the night. So off she goes. After breakfast I hit the office and make a wedding gift for Barbara and Thorsten. We missed their - [Thursday 12 March 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/03/13/thursday-12-march-2026/) - LAST night I noticed that some pages on my (this!) website haven’t translated properly to a new editing system. Nothing to do with my web host migration, this is an old issue that I hadn’t spotted. The promoters’ are and discography pages are gobbledygook! I spend most of the morning sorting them out and packing - [Wednesday 11 March 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/03/12/wednesday-11-march-2026/) - UP EARLY to get this week’s sourdough in the oven…a little later in the week than usual. It’s all baked, cooled and ready to eat in good time before my 9am online guitar session. Dawn, my regular Wednesday morning in-person guitar student, rolls up just I finish the online lesson and we have a good - [Saturday 14 March 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/03/15/saturday-14-march-2026/) - WE’RE not long finished breakfast when Matty arrives…he’s picked up the kids at Catriona's and everyone’s here for the day/night. Once I get the pork belly on the smoker for tonight’s tacos I get busy with merch production in the office and guitar stuff in the studio. The others have all gone for a swim - [Friday 13 March 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/03/14/friday-13-march-2026/) - WE SLEEP through our alarms which is kinda weird as we weren’t late last night. Seems this lurgy is still lurking :-( I chase up an online order from last week that’s not been delivered – or charged – and find the company isn’t fulfilling orders in the UK, despite being a UK based company! - [Sunday 15 March 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/03/16/sunday-15-march-2026/) - RIGHT on form the kids have us awake early…I’m feeling like the lurgy hasn’t just not gone away, but is back :-( Matty goes out for a run and we have breakfast – he gets back just as Catriona arrives to pick up the kids. We all hang out for a while then everyone goes - [Tuesday 17 March 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/03/18/tuesday-17-march-2026/) - WE NEED some shopping and I have a photo that I created for Betty that needs printed…I send it to Asda’s Max Spielmann photo service, make up a shopping list and off we go into town. I’m still full of lurgy and sleep while Margaret drives then wander round Asda ina bit of dwam. In - [Monday 16 March 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/03/17/monday-16-march-2026/) - MY USUAL Monday routine of getting sourdough in the oven is deviated as we’re having overnight oats today and tomorrow…so the bread baking will be on Wednesday this week. I manage to get a fair bit of work done before an 11am session with an online guitar student. There’s some computer updates and stuff to - [Wednesday 18 March 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/03/19/wednesday-18-march-2026/) - SOURDOUGH today so I’m up early to get the oven on. I’m baked, cooled and breakfasted before my first guitar student of the day – a 9am online session. Dawn, my regular Wednesday morning student, arrives just as I’m finishing the online session and we spooned some times working on varying rhythm/strum patterns with a - [Friday 20 March 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/03/21/friday-20-march-2026/) - THERE’S some promo to be done for the upcoming Finland and Estonia shows then I try and work out why the video footage we filmed yesterday is out of sync with the main audio track. Looks like something's been automatically ‘conformed’ during import to the FInal Cut project so I clear everything out and start - [Thursday 19 March 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/03/20/thursday-19-march-2026/) - WE HAVE an extremely long lie…apart from sleeping through all our alarm, we make coffee and I deal with all my emails and socials before we get up. It’s a nice day and I suggest we try out some filming for a video idea I have. Margaret always agrees with some trepidation – she’s not - [Sunday 22 March 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/03/23/sunday-22-march-2026/) - I SPEND the morning in the office working on a stone engraved with a fossil. The end result is poor – I think the stone/rock isn’t the right type. I’ll look for some alternatives next time I take a walk up the lochside. We’re running short on brass guitar pendants and pins so I start - [Saturday 21 March 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/03/22/saturday-21-march-2026/) - AFTER spending most of the morning dealing with emails and socials while drinking coffee in bed. I was up early to get some dough ready for rolls and I onto the oven…but it’s good to let them cool a bit before breakfast. I get the brisket I rubbed yesterday out the fridge one onto the - [Monday 23 March 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/03/24/monday-23-march-2026/) - MARGARET has an early appointment with the audiologist so I’m up at a decent time and manage to get some work done before an online session with one of my guitar students. An Etsy order came in for a pewter guitar pin that I don’t have in stock which means I need to get busy - [Tuesday 24 March 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/03/25/tuesday-24-march-2026/) - WE’RE UP early (again!) – Margaret’s off to Edinburgh to meet Les and get her hair done…and I have an 8am start for my ‘speeding awareness’ course via Zoom. It’s three hours long and there’s a bunch of other folks on the session…some interesting stuff but the ‘tutor’ is trying to hard to be a - [Thursday 26 March 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/03/27/thursday-26-march-2026/) - A LOT more social media and email stuff this morning..and some West Highland Way Gifts’ orders. There’s an email in with a potential show booking – Margaret follows up and it looks like there’s be a nice Scottish show end of August. Watch this space! We drive to the village for a swim and get - [Saturday 28 March 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/03/29/saturday-28-march-2026/) - UP EARLY to go to a climate action network meeting in Killearn. Margaret’s going in her role as secretary of the local community trust – I’m going as a director for the local community hydro scheme. There’s a few folks I know there and we have a an interesting and informative morning with a brunch - [Friday 27 March 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/03/28/friday-27-march-2026/) - MARGARET’S off to dermatology appointment and, after breakfast, I have some West Highland Way Gifts’ merch to send out. We have pals coming to stay on Sunday and I’m gonna smoke some pork belly…there’s a whole pork belly in the fridge outside which I cut into manageable slabs, trim up and put a couple of - [Sunday 29 March 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/03/30/sunday-29-march-2026/) - AFTER breakfast I get the smoker going for tonight’s pork belly. Our pal’s Davie and Jane are coming for the night. I also make a batch of Japanese BBQ sauce – we’ll have the pork belly win rice bowls with green beans as Jane is celiac and can’t eat gluten/wheat. Making the sauce I realise - [Tuesday 31 March 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/04/01/tuesday-31-march-2026/) - UP AND organised early to get the daily admin, socials and email sorted before my pal Tom arrives to go over the play out system for the new radio show launching at the end of April. We have a coffee and catch up then hit the studio.It’s good to get an in-depth understanding of the - [Monday 30 March 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/03/31/monday-30-march-2026/) - WE’RE all up at a reasonable time as I wanna have some time to work on guitar stuff with Davie. He’s been a long time online slide guitar student – and also came to the residential workshop last year – but we’ve been doing a coupla things that are best worked on in person. After - [Wednesday 1 April 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/04/02/wednesday-1-april-2026/) - CANNAE believe it’s April already. The last few months seem to have gone by in a flash. Seems Wednesday is my new sourdough day, so up early to get it in the oven, baked and cooled ready for breakfast before my 9am online guitar session. Then I have a couple of show indents to record - [Friday 3 April 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/04/04/friday-3-april-2026/) - LOTS on ‘the list’ for today but the imminent arrival of Storm Dave has thrown up an opportunity to make some online content. Time is of the essence. After breakfast I hit the studio and make up a quick video to post round my socials. Quick? Well, as usual I mess around with it for - [Thursday 2 April 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/04/03/thursday-2-april-2026/) - THERE’S some good fortune that early this morning isn’t windy and the sun’s out – it means not only do I get out for a paddle but I get to test the HOVERAir Aqua drone that arrived yesterday after nearly a year’s wait. I backed the aqua project on Indiegogo when it was launched and - [Saturday 4 April 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/04/05/saturday-4-april-2026/) - AFTER breakfast Margaret heads off to the village and I prep three big slabs of pork belly for tomorrow. I cut and trim as necessary, score the fat cap, slather in mustard then add a rub – my mix of freshly cracked black pepper, sea salt and garlic granules. Then it goes in the fridge - [Monday 6 April 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/04/07/monday-6-april-2026/) - THE KIDS have us awake early. When I go to the toilet there’s a hell of a mess everywhere…I ask the kids if they’ve been unwell? Nope. After Freya being sick yesterday afternoon seems it was Matty’s turn to be sick during the night. Catriona and Will arrive just after 9am to pick up the - [Sunday 5 April 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/04/06/sunday-5-april-2026/) - EASTER Sunday…and I’m up at 6am to get the smoker on for the pork belly. Once everything’s sorted I go back to bed and set a timer to go check the wood pellets and give the three slabs of pork belly a spritz with apple cider vinegar – an hourly exercise to help the bark - [Tuesday 7 April 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/04/08/tuesday-7-april-2026/) - MARGARET’S turn to be sick now…but by morning she’s feeling a little better. I’m not feeling 100% but get up and do some work. I decide to go for a swim and see if that perks me up a bit. It does and I feel fine after…until I get home. Hoping I’m not gonna get - [Thursday 9 April 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/04/10/thursday-9-april-2026/) - STILL not feeling right but there’s brass guitar pins to be made. My first attempt at using the brass jig I made fails. Not because of the jig but because of a stupid setup mistake that I don’t spot until the job’s nearly finished running. I make amends then start again and things look a - [Wednesday 8 April 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/04/09/wednesday-8-april-2026/) - FEELING a lot better this morning and even want to eat something. Overnight oats and fruit it is. Margaret takes Matty and the kids for a swim and I reluctantly get on with my accounts and tax return. They all have lunch out and I hang out a little with the kids when they come - [Friday 10 April 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/04/11/friday-10-april-2026/) - AFTER breakfast with Fred we sit and chat a while then I drive her back home. There’s some bits and bobs of shopping to pick up on the way back. After a late lunch and getting my emails, socials, this blog and stuff done I’m feeling a bit under the weather. I had sore throat - [Sunday 12 April 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/04/13/sunday-12-april-2026/) - FIRST job of the day it to make up set lists for the Finland and Estonia dates. Next on the list Is a bunch of stuff for my pal Kevin in prep for his new single which lands on 15 May – with being away the next fortnight I wanna make sure we have our - [Saturday 11 April 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/04/12/saturday-11-april-2026/) - MAIN job for today is to try a test cut of the audio point info board using a router and circle guide on a piece of scrap wood. Not s straightforward, of course, as it should be. First, the bit of chipboard needs cut to side and the clamps I need are nowhere to be - [Monday 13 April 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/04/14/monday-13-april-2026/) - AS expected, a pretty traumatic night vomitting every 20 minutes or so. I don’t want to the hospital ‘cos they;ll keep me in and likely not let me out in time to fly to Finland tomorrow – let alone get the gear packed etc. It’s a bit of a gamble but I decide to try - [Wednesday 15 April 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/04/16/wednesday-15-april-2026/) - I’M AWAKE a few times during the night – I think it’s when the nurses come to change my drips etc. The vomitting and pain has gone. The opiate injection seems to have done a good job! AT 7am a doctor comes to check me out and tells me I can be discharged. They call - [Tuesday 14 April 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/04/15/tuesday-14-april-2026/) - MIRACULOUSLY feeling a lot better when I wake up. Phew. I don’t feel much like eating but mange some fruit and overnight oats. Then it’s straight to the studio to prep and pack the gear. All stuff that would have normally been done yesterday…along with a rehearsal of some songs at least. There’s a bunch - [Thursday 16 April 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/04/17/thursday-16-april-2026/) - WE SLEEP ‘til midday then I go out to find a shop and get some yoghurt and stuff for ‘breakfast’. Tonight’s show is in town here in Lahti and Ismo’s not picking us up ‘til 6pm so we spend the entire day chilling, sleeping and trying to recuperate. I’m returning to eating slowly and carefully - [Saturday 18 April 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/04/19/saturday-18-april-2026/) - OUR body clocks are kinda messed up with the hospital carry on and the late nights…and I’m buggered when I wake up even though it’s nearly midday! After my now routine wander to the shop for breakfast stuff we catch up on stuff and then go a walk to the town centre. I forgot to - [Friday 17 April 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/04/18/friday-17-april-2026/) - ANOTHER long lie – well, more like a long sleep – dunno when I’m gonna start feeling like I’m getting back to full strength. A wander too the shop and some breakfast then I get busy with some of the emails and social media stuff that’s been neglected a bit over the last few days. - [Sunday 19 April 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/04/20/sunday-19-april-2026/) - ANOTHER long lie after a late one….and then I fix some bust strings on the Acoustasonic. Tonight’s show isn’t far away but Ismo comes to pick us up at 3pm to take us to the house for a late lunch before we head to Pensuo. It’s nice to see Suvi and the kids…and Ismo gets - [Tuesday 21 April 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/04/22/tuesday-21-april-2026/) - WE wake early then fall back to sleep. Suddenly it’s nearly midday! Our body clocks are pretty messed up. A late breakfast, showers and we’re good to go – and meet our pals Maiju and Miika who are waiting for us outside the hotel. We take a short walk to a place called Deli Beri - [Monday 20 April 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/04/21/monday-20-april-2026/) - ANOTHER ‘recovery’ morning in the apartment in Lahti then we start gathering our stuff up. There’s no strict time schedule today as we only need to get the train to Helsinki. We’re ready too go early afternoon and luckily the station is less than ten minutes walk form the apartment. After an hour-long train ride - [Thursday 23 April 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/04/24/thursday-23-april-2026/) - WE HAVE a chilled morning then take a 20-minute walk to the theatre to meet our pal Krista. She is theatre manager and producer there and we catch up over coffee. It’s a nice day and we walk back via the supermarket then get the gear along to Philly Joe’s which is only five minutes’ - [Wednesday 22 April 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/04/23/wednesday-22-april-2026/) - WE have to be out the apartment-hotel at 11am. Margaret did all the packing and sorting last night so there’s no panic. After breakfast we go to the foyer and arrange a taxi to take us to the ferry port where we chill for an hour or so after checking in. It’s a smooth, two-hour - [Friday 24 April 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/04/25/friday-24-april-2026/) - WE’RE PACKED up and out the apartment soon after 11am and go to get a taxi to the airport to collect our rental car. Getting an Uber in the largely pedestrianised old town turns out to be tricky and we have to wander around trailing our bags and stuff to find somewhere we can get - [Sunday 26 April 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/04/27/sunday-28-april-2026/) - WE’RE not as sore and tired as I expected after our night on the floor in the junk room – but we need to get on the road ASAP. After saying cheerio we head for Tartu arriving late morning and stopping on the edge of town for a sleep…then McDonalds. We arrive at Salong at - [Saturday 25 April 2026](https://davearcari.com/2026/04/26/saturday-25-april-2026/) - AFTER a decent breakfast at the hotel I sit out on our room’s balcony and get some work done before we hit the road. Not too long ago drive to Torva and we’ve not arranged to be at our ‘accommodation’ ‘til 3pm. We have lunch at a nice wee coffee shop in the centre of - [Saturday 13 September 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/09/14/saturday-13-september-2025/) - AFTER breakfast and chat at Billy and Dorothy’s we hook up with Mikey and go to his flat in Dundee where I install and set up a security camera for him. Next stop, KFC then we drop into Perthshire Caravans to check out the camper vans and stuff but there’s nothing inspiring to see. Onward - [Friday 12 September 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/09/13/friday-12-september-2025/) - WE HAVE a bit of a late rise after a late night (erm..early morning!) then I go to the studio and pack a guitar for this evening. Early afternoon we head to Bill and Dorothy’s ‘holiday home’ at Invergowrie just outside Dundee. We’re going to a special show Bill’s organised tonight – he’s invited me - [Thursday 11 September 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/09/12/thursday-11-september-2025/) - FIRST job of the day is designing and ordering a new backdrop – a necessity now that I’ve updated my logo. I go to the same supplier we used last time and go for a slightly wider format. A bit more expensive, but worth it. An email comes back saying the order is processing and - [Wednesday 10 September 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/09/11/wednesday-10-september-2025/) - WEDNESDAY. That means three back to back guitar sessions – one in-person sandwiched between two online lessons. During the third one I get a message from the school saying they don’t need me today. I coulda done with the dish but there’s a lot needing done so it’s not the end of the world. Margaret - [Tuesday 9 September 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/09/10/tuesday-9-september-2025/) - I’VE ARRANGED a 10am photoshoot outside the village hall with community hydro scheme grant awardees. I’m frustrated that there’s three no-shows and call-offs but we get some good shots of the group of folks who have bothered to show up. Blotted copy books and so on ;-) Back home I pick a couple of shots, - [Monday 8 September 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/09/09/monday-8-september-2025/) - MY WEEKLY sourdough routine seems to make Mondays come round awful quick! Once the routine stuff is out the way I head to the studio for a session with one of my online guitar students. Next job is promo stuff and ticketing for the Black Bull Gartmore’s winter music season. Once I have artwork finished - [Sunday 7 September 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/09/08/sunday-7-september-2025/) - QUITE a lot on today’s to-do list. After breakfast I pack up some merch orders that were waiting for the embroidered beanies, print postage and book a collection. It boils ma piss that the post office close all the local post offices (nearest to us is now 12 miles away – a 24-mile round trip!) - [Saturday 6 September 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/09/07/saturday-6-september-2025/) - WE have a leisurely breakfast and morning with Alastair and Karen then they hit the road. I have some stuff to do for the Black Bull Gartmore’s upcoming music season and spend some time in the studio getting some graphic ideas together an collating the artist info and photos. Louise from The Unique Company messages - [Friday 5 September 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/09/06/friday-5-september-2025/) - AFTER breakfast i get busy with the merch orders. As well as the free-plus-postage stuff there’s the additional items most folks have ordered…and some of them need made. There’s also orders for embroidered beanies which I won’t have until tomorrow. I make up some leather hat patches and print up various mugs then get the - [Thursday 4 September 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/09/05/thursday-4-september-2025/) - WIPED this morning for some reason…so a bit a of late breakfast. There’s a load of merch orders to be sorted out – all the ‘free-plus-postage’ stuff has been snapped up and most folks have ordered additional stuff. There’s also been a bunch of orders from the same person – based overseas – and even - [Wednesday 3 September 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/09/04/wednesday-3-september-2025/) - A BUSY day of guitar stuff today kicks off with an online session and then straight on to an in-person lesson. A local pal needs help with some t-shirts and stuff so I bet that done then, after an early lunch, head off to the school in Balloch for my first music session of the - [Monday 1 September 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/09/02/monday-1-september-2025/) - SEPTEMBER already. Jeez. My right eye seems to recovering OK from Friday’s cataract op – still a few weeks before I can go for a paddle or ‘exert’ myself tho’. After my Monday morning sourdough routine I get some admin out the way, have breakfast then hit the studio for a session with one of - [Sunday 31 August 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/09/01/sunday-31-august-2025/) - FREYA is through to our room first thing…under strict instructions not to poke papa in the eye or jump on him. For once I’m spared! Aaron has gone through to the living room to his mum on the couch. I make breakfast burritos then get busy in the office engraving a bunch of insulated cups - [Saturday 30 August 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/08/31/saturday-30-august-2025/) - EYE’S feeling pretty good when I wake up…I take the plastic cup thing off my eye, give it a bathe and then start the rigorous eye drop regime. As well as the normal post eye drops, my steroid drops have been upped to try and minimise the chance of a uveitis flare up. I’ve to - [Friday 29 August 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/08/30/friday-29-august-2025/) - WE’RE UP early and no time for breakfast before we head to Vale of Leven hospital day surgery to check in for my cataract op. There’s five folks ahead of me so I have to wait a good couple hours before I’m taken – but the nurses are good craic. The procedure itself only takes - [Thursday 28 August 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/08/28/thursday-28-august-2025/) - I’M STILL knackered when I wake up…no idea why…too much to do to laze about tho’. Top of today’s list is to make a Spotify canvas – a short vertical looping video that displays when a track is played – for the upcoming MacPherson’s Lament release (26 September). Once the canvas is uploaded I pitch - [Wednesday 27 August 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/08/28/wednesday-27-august-2025/) - THREE guitar students back to back this morning. The first online, next in-person then back online. I have an hour or so to get through my routine stuff before an online insiders’ forum with Help Musicians then a late lunch. My pal Duncan calls to see if I’d be available for a meeting at the - [Tuesday 26 August 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/08/27/tuesday-26-august-2025/) - THERE’S some email accounts to be sorted for the local community trust which then need to be configured on various devices. Then it’s back on to the office clear out and tidy. Sometimes you wish you hadn’t started something… A message comes in from a pal whose website I revamped a while back. They can’t - [Monday 25 August 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/08/26/monday-25-august-2025/) - USUAL early start to get the sourdough in the oven and breakfast out the way before a session with my regular Monday morning Zoom guitar student. I’m not lying finished when I get a call from the eye hospital…there’s been a cancellation and I can get my cataract op on Friday! Yippee. I was concerned - [Sunday 24 August 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/08/25/sunday-24-august-2025/) - UP EARLY to get everything ready for the community picnic Margaret has organised on behalf of the local community trust. Boat rides have been arranged from the boatyard to take folks to the near side of Inchcailloch but the ‘picnic’ is at Port Bawn at the far end of the island. David F has offered - [Saturday 23 August 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/08/23/saturday-23-august-2025/) - MARGARET’s birthday today. We have breakfast then she has to go into Glasgow for extra shopping…and not for us either. It’s the community picnic on Inchcailloch tomorrow (Sunday) and despite having put out a last call for numbers on Thursday there’s been umpteen people popping up and asking if they can come. The boat bookings - [Friday 22 August 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/08/23/friday-22-august-2025/) - AFTER breakfast I get the Love Balmaha insulated cups in the online store and spread the word at a local level. Next job is to create another version of the video ad for my upcoming show at The Met in Bury (27 September). The existing ad ‘expired’ last week and had been running a while - [Thursday 21August 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/08/22/thursday-21august-2025/) - THERE’S an order for some Love Balmaha tote bags so after breakfast I get busy printing them up in the office. Annoyingly I fuck up a couple of them and throw them on the ‘botched jobs’ pile. It’s amazing how many things can go wrong or adversely affect a seemingly simple process! Big job today, - [Wednesday 20 August 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/08/21/wednesday-20-august-2025/) - AFTER an early online lesson with one of my guitar students I get back on my accounts. Actually, the ‘accounts’ part is largely done, there’s a bunch of other stuff on the tax return that I can’t quite get my head around. I look out some files and try and bring some order to my - [Tuesday 19 August 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/08/20/tuesday-19-august-2025/) - WE’RE off for a day in Edinburgh today finishing up with Miriam Margolyes’ Fringe show. A joint birthday treat instead of buying each other presents…my birthday was last week and Margaret’s is on Saturday. Rather than drive all the way and contend with traffic jams and parking we’ve decided to use our old folks’ bus - [Monday 18 August 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/08/19/monday-18-august-2025/) - THE DAY starts off with a session with one of my regular online guitar students…then I get the next single – MacPherson’s Lament – delivered to my aggregator (digital distributor) ready for release on Friday 26 September. Next job is to move on with my accounts. Yeuch. Determined not to be leaving my tax return - [Sunday 17 August 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/08/18/sunday-17-august-2025/) - AFTER breakfast I sit in the garden and get some work done on the Love Balmaha website and Facebook page. Fiona rocks up and we go for a paddle. The village and bay is busy and suspecting same up the lochside toward Milarrochy we head up past Inchcailloch. On to Torrinch where we stop at - [Saturday 16 August 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/08/17/saturday-16-august-2025/) - AFTER a relaxing morning I venture onto the loch for a paddle. It’s pretty busy with lot of speedboats and jetskis but I have a nice paddle up to Milarrochy and back regardless. Margaret’s away to the village hall to set up for a local place plan community engagement event – I have a quick - [Friday 15 August 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/08/16/friday-15-august-2025/) - AFTER coffee and emails/socials etc in bed we get up and I spend some time getting Margaret’s new iPad set up so it will work best for her. In the office I work on a couple more items for my new local gifts idea. I’m planning to launch a small range of standalone local items - [Thursday 14 August 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/08/15/thursday-14-august-2025/) - CHILL day today…it’s my birthday. Fucking 61. Mental age about 14. Age in my head 22. I do minor amounts of work to avoid a backlog and kick off some ideas for coming weeks. Mostly, though, I sit the garden, play guitar and sporadically go onto Facebook a nd ‘like’ all the birthday messages. Betty - [Wednesday 13 August 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/08/14/wednesday-13-august-2025/) - FUNNY – used to be Monday that was my busy guitar lesson/workshop day but it’s kinda moved to Wednesday. I have an online session first thing and my next student arrives just as the online session is winding up. There’s about 20 minutes between the next two sessions then I get on with some routine - [Tuesday 12 August 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/08/13/tuesday-12-august-2025/) - 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 - [Monday 11 August 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/08/12/monday-11-august-2025/) - 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 - [Sunday 10 August 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/08/11/sunday-10-august-2025/) - 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 - [Saturday 9 August 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/08/10/saturday-9-august-2025/) - WE HIT the ground running and I get breakfast burritos on the go so we can get to Doune before lunchtime. We’re looking after the kids and I’m gonna run Catriona and her pal Gillian to the station – they’re off to see Oasis in Edinburgh! Back in Doune I get a little work done - [Friday 8 August 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/08/09/friday-8-august-2025/) - 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 - [Thursday 7 August 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/08/08/thursday-7-august-2025/) - 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 - [Wednesday 6 August 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/08/07/wednesday-6-august-2025/) - 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 - [Tuesday 5 August 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/08/06/tuesday-5-august-2025/) - 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 - [Monday 4 August 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/08/05/monday-4-august-2025/) - 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 - [Sunday 3 August 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/08/04/sunday-3-august-2025/) - 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 - [Saturday 2 August 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/08/03/saturday-2-august-2025/) - THE KIDS, of course, have us up at the crack of dawn – no bad thing as we wanna get on the road from Doune to Turriff via Dundee early doors. Will gets back from night shift just after 7am And we manage to get the cr packed with stuff and the kids to meet - [Friday 1 August 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/08/02/friday-1-august-2025/) - WE HAVE a lazy start to the morning drinking coffee and dealing with emails and socials. I have a couple of gifts I made for pals that I wanna get parcelled up and ready for the post office then hit the studio to start tackling my accounts. After lunch I’m back on it and make - [Thursday 31 July 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/08/01/thursday-31-july-2025/) - MARGARET’s off to Edinburgh to meet Lesley for hair-dos…and I have a 9am online guitar student. There’s a couple of items to be designed and made in the office. While the first one is ‘processing’ I get busy with some stuff for the local hydro society. I take some time to sit down with a - [Wednesday 30 July 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/07/31/wednesday-30-july-2025/) - MY 9am online guitar session has been moved to tomorrow (Thursday) so I have a little time before Dawn arrives for her lesson at 9.30am. By the time I’ve got all the adminy stuff out the way it’s time to join a Help Musicians’ ‘insiders’ forum session where. Few of us give Help Musicians’ staff - [Tuesday 29 July 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/07/30/tuesday-29-july-2025/) - AFTER uploading the three videos I edited yesterday to my YouTube channel for scheduled release over the week I get busy with some more promo for the release of Still Friends – the fourth single and title track of the upcoming album on 8 August. Most of the work has already been done with just - [Monday 28 July 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/07/30/monday-28-july-2025/) - THE USUAL Monday morning routine is broken as I didn't make my sourdough yesterday...but resumes with my regular Monday morning Zoom guitar student. It's dry and slightly breezy. which means I can get the gazebos from Saturday's garden gig out from under the smoker shelter and let them dry properly before putting them away. In - [Sunday 27 July 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/07/28/sunday-27-july-2025/) - WE HAVE a relaxed breakfast and morning then Bill and Dorothy hit the road just after midday. MIkey really needs a new phone so we spend a while looking at options and his budget then manage to strike a deal with EE that ticks all the boxes. There’s a lot of waiting to get through - [Saturday 26 July 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/07/28/saturday-26-july-2025/) - WE’RE UP reasonably early and after breakfast venture outside to raise the gazebos for this afternoon’s ’gig in the garden’. Margaret and Dorothy start getting the seating and stuff sorted out while Bill plays some guitar and I start bringing over my gear and the PA etc. Everything goes pretty well to plan and I - [Friday 25 July 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/07/26/friday-25-july-2025/) - AFTER breakfast I get straight to clearing the secluded back corner of our garden that we use as a (men’s) outdoor toiler area during garden gigs. It’s a muddy, messy space with lots of old plant pots, garden bits and bobs…and the log splitter. I get bitten to death by midges! Once cleared I put - [Thursday 24 July 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/07/25/thursday-24-july-2025/) - THE KIDS have us awake at the crack of dawn and I get some sourdough in the oven. Just as well we’re up and around early as Margaret gets a message from AO saying they’ll be delivering our fridge freezer in 15 minutes. After breakfast I get on with some work and Margret takes the - [Wednesday 23 July 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/07/24/wednesday-23-july-2025/) - NO LONG lie today as I have a 9am online session with one of my guitar students. The new fridge/freezer is due to be delivered tomorrow. After emptying the freezer into bags and taking it to Betty’s garage I clear a route out the merch store and office and we move it outside. Although the - [Tuesday 22 July 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/07/23/tuesday-22-july-2025/) - WE HAVE A bit of a long lie then start the unpacking and putting away. Not just the music stuff, but all the camping gear too. It’s not raining so I get the sleeping pad unfurled and out to make sure there’s no dampness and then spread the tent out – it was pretty wet - [Monday 21 July 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/07/22/monday-21-july-2025/) - AFTER a good long lie at Auntie Glo’s we head downstairs and chat over coffee. Dai and Liza drop by to see us then we have something to eat and I get on with a little admin work. We pack the car and stat the journey home soon after 5pm – that way we miss - [Sunday 20 July 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/07/21/sunday-20-july-2025/) - WHEN WE wake up the rain’s off…it’s been pretty wet overnight but luckily stopped now. We’re able to make coffee outside And have a quick breakfast then start packing up all the camping stuff. Would be a nightmare if it was raining. Next stop is backstage to pick up the guitars, merch and stuff. We - [Saturday 19 July 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/07/20/saturday-19-july-2025/) - IT’S RAINING when we wake up. I go to the toilet and get our coffee mugs out the car then make us a coffee inside the tent. We have some croissants and then the rain goes off and we join our fellow campers and pals before taking the gear to load in at the acoustic - [Friday 18 July 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/07/19/friday-18-july-2025/) - WE MANAGE to get away just after 8am and take it in turns to drive to Upton with a few stops along the way. There’s a few delays and jams along the way but we mange to find our camping area just after 4pm, get the tent up and wander down to the riverside stage - [Thursday 17 July 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/07/17/thursday-17-july-2025/) - I NEED to get the WIldcats’ brass pins finished, packed and sent out today so get busy in the office. I take a break when a guy from Glasgow comes to check out the camera gear I have for sale and, thankfully, takes it. Good to get rid of it not only to get some - [Wednesday 16 July 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/07/17/wednesday-16-july-2025/) - THE COMPUTER is having a meltdown in the studio when I try and set up for an online guitar session. I start it off on my phone and when the computer finally plays ball we switch over. Dawn arrives for her lesson just as I finish the online session then I have a half hour - [Tuesday 15 July 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/07/16/tuesday-15-july-2025/) - THE DAY starts with a relatively free diary -– only two major tasks on today’s to-do list. Disruption doesn’t take long to cast its shadow and I end up having to spend the entire morning sorting out some website related problems. Ah well. After lunch I get some promo done for Saturday’s appearance at Upton - [Monday 14 July 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/07/15/monday-14-july-2025/) - USUAL Monday early rise to get the sourdough in the oven – more important this week as Mikey found some chanterelles yesterday and we’re gonna have them for breakfast. The mushrooms on fresh toasted sourdough make for a great breakfast then I get some work done before a mid-morning session with one of my online - [Sunday 13 July 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/07/14/sunday-13-july-2025/) - ANOTHER scortchio day – I get to work finishing the custom spurt order then hit the studio. Once I get a set list made up for next Saturday's show at Upton Blues Festival I run through some of the songs. I think I'll just take one steel guitar plus the banjo and acoustasonic as space - [Saturday 12 July 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/07/14/saturday-12-july-2025/) - MORE work to be done on the customer spurtle earrings, pendant and pin…I get busy. In the studio I record some audio clips for a radio show whose host has asked me to pick four influential songs and two of my own and record some intros to each. It’s another lovely day and I decide - [Friday 11 July 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/07/14/friday-11-july-2025/) - NIXIE hits the road soon after breakfast. We bid farewell and hope to see her again soon. My ‘spurtle’ customer has been on touch. She loves the prototypes and would like a few things made. I get busy. It’s release day for Walk the Walk so there’s lots of social media content to update and post as - [Thursday 10 July 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/07/11/thursday-10-july-2025/) - AN email came in last night form one of the stars of the Golden Spurtle film that premiered in Copenhagen a few months ago..she was given one of the spurtle pins I was commissioned to make and she’d like some earrings to match. After breakfast I get busy and by the time my new Romanian - [Wednesday 9 July 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/07/10/wednesday-9-july-2025/) - AN EARLY online guitar lesson is followed by an in-person lesson. I have an hour or so before my next guitar student rocks up. Margaret’s away for some shopping when I get back to the house and get the smoker fired up for tongihts’ beef short ribs. Once they’re on the go I have some - [Tuesday 8 July 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/07/09/tuesday-8-july-2025/) - NOT long finished breakfast and got the day’s routine tasks out the way when Fiona arrives…we’ve planned a paddle for this morning. It’s a lovely day but we’re not long out the bay when the wind’s starts to pick up a little. When we stop on the beach at Port Bawn on the far end - [Monday 7 July 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/07/08/monday-7-july-2025/) - FREYA has us awake at 6.30am – which means I get my sourdough in the oven at a decent time! I’ve managed to get through a fair bit of work before my mid-morning Zoom guitar student. Joel and Maggi stop by and drop off Rosie for Freya – she’s crazy about dogs – to look - [Sunday 6 July 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/07/07/sunday-6-july-2025/) - AFTER a lazy morning drinking coffee and dealing with emails and social media we have breakfast then I get busy with stuff. First job is cleaning the grate from the smoker and some general tidying up outside. With the release of Walk the Walk coming up on Friday (11 July) there’s another phase of work - [Saturday 5 July 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/07/06/saturday-5-july-2025/) - AFTER a bit of lie in and breakfast I mess with some artwork to make a brass ‘Manson Glass’ pin for Will. Once I get it done I take a walk to the annual sheepdog trails in the next village. It’s not the best weather, but at least it’s mostly dry. I spend some time - [Friday 4 July 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/07/05/friday-4-july-2025/) - ONCE the routine stuff’s done I get into the office and finishthe paperweight stands for Will. I bend the acrylic into shape with a heat gun – knowing when they’re reached optimum flexibility before melting is key. There’s some other stuff I wanna do and need to try and get my head round 3D design - [Thursday 3 July 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/07/04/thursday-3-july-2025/) - THERE’S a bunch of the Conic Hill bookmarks to be finished for various pick ups and online orders that need to go out today. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the interest in them. In between finishing stages I finish off some other orders and make progress on others. I’m only just finished when a customer - [Wednesday 2 July 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/07/03/wednesday-2-july-2025/) - A BIT of a rush to get over to the studio and set up for my first online session of the day. We’re trying out an app called JackTrip to get around the audio latency using Zoom, A test at the weekend has both myself and my student optimistic that it’ll work. It does, and - [Tuesday 1 July 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/07/02/tuesday-1-july-2025/) - I’VE just finished a load of online stuff when a courier drops off an order of materials, including some clear acrylic. Will needs a load of paperweight stands made up and I ran out of acrylic. After cutting the big sheets to size I set about making the stands. In the studio I prepare a - [Monday 30 June 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/07/01/monday-30-june-2025/) - A NEW trustee on the local community trust drops by to get a photo taken for the website then I get online for a session with a Zoom guitar student. My OCD has me messing with potential finishes for the Conic Hill leather bookmark. I get a version I like and decide to make it - [Sunday 29 June 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/06/30/sunday-29-june-2025/) - AFTER breakfast burritos in the garden I get busy with some work. There’s some design and production considerations for a short run of bookmarks. Before I start messing with artwork I need to known the format the customer would like…and also what kind of leather, faux leather etc he would like. I outline some options - [Saturday 28 June 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/06/29/saturday-28-june-2025/) - AFTER our breakfast burritos– been a while since I made ’em – I get busy with emails and stuff. A message from a Kickstarter backer in Germany tells me her reward package hasn’t shown up. I investigate and see it was sent internationally tracked on 2 June…tracking shows it’s never made it past Glasgow! I - [Friday 27 June 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/06/28/friday-27-june-2025/) - A HYDRO Society board meeting first thing lasts the whole morning and is mostly productive. After lunch I take the bus to the village to pick up a prescription and start walking back. I only get about 1/3-way home before the rain comes. Big style. I call Margaret and get a lift home. There’s a - [Wednesday 25 June 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/06/26/wednesday-25-june-2025/) - THE phone rings while I’m in the shower…it’s Forth Valley Hospital offering me a cancellation appointment at 11am. My dentist referred me a few months ago ’cos they’ve been concerned about a ‘thing’ on my tongue for the last few years. I have an online guitar student at 9am but nothing else in the diary - [Tuesday 24 January 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/06/25/tuesday-24-january-2025/) - AFTER breakfast I finish off a wee keyring I’ve made for Freya’s swimming locker. In the studio I back up my daily blog posts and pix then start looking out live videos of Still Friends. I’ve had a notion to try editing together loadsa live clips and see how it looks. A courier delivers an - [Monday 23 June 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/06/24/monday-23-june-2025/) - SOURDOUGH – admin – shower –breakfast – online guitar session. The usual Monday routine :-) There’s some more video from The Glad Cafe show to edit and I wanna spin a track into tonight’s Wildcats’ livestream on Facebook. Our pal David drops by to fit a new outdoor light at the side of the house - [Sunday 22 June 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/06/23/sunday-22-june-2025/) - AFTER a lazy morning I get busy editing some video in the studio. I finish off the main video for the next single – Walk the Walk – then make a start on some more stuff from The Glad Cafe show. I have some ideas for another Still Friends video too… We’re off to Betty’s - [Saturday 21 June 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/06/22/saturday-21-june-2025/) - I MANAGE to get a few jobs out the way before we jump in the car and head for Doune. We stop to exchange an empty gas canister for a full one at Deanston garage then on to Catriona’s for a a coffee before we go to the gala day. There’s loads going on in - [Friday 20 June 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/06/21/friday-20-june-2025/) - AFTER a bit of a long lie I get busy in the studio. First task is making some reels from the live video of Still Friends from last week’s show at The Glad Cafe. I post one of them around and keep one back for tomorrow. Next, I have some stuff to do for the - [Thursday 19 June 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/06/20/thursday-19-june-2025/) - A FAIRLY light day according to the diary so after breakfast I decide to take a bike ride to the village and pick up my prescription. It’s a nice day and I get a little work done after lunch then go a paddle with Fiona. The longest paddle in while – out past Inchcailloch and - [Wednesday 18 June 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/06/19/wednesday-18-june-2025/) - WEDNESDAY has become my ‘busy day’…first online guitar session at 9am. It’s followed immediately by another session – in-person this time – then I deal with the routine stuff in the office and final site artwork for posters and flutters for gigs later in the year. The morning closes with another online lesson then lunch. - [Tuesday 17 June 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/06/18/tuesday-17-june-2025/) - THERE’S some merch mail outs to be sorted…and Walter’s ‘retirement’ coin to be finished off so he can be given it at tonight’s community trust AGM. We head off to Balloch and drop into the school where I do some sessions for the summer BBQ. Nice to see everyone and meet some of the kids’ - [Sunday 15 June 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/06/16/sunday-17-june-2025/) - AFTER breakfast Margaret gets Auntie Glo packed and takes her to the airport. I get busy editing video from Thursday’s show then some tidying up outside. There’s various other bits and bobs needing done in the studio then we have dinner and watch our pal Bill’s monthly livestream. - [Monday 16 June 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/06/17/monday-16-june-2025/) - USUAL Monday routine – sourdough in the oven, admin, breakfast then an online guitar session. The local community trust chair is stepping down at tomorrow’s (Tuesday) AGM and I’ve offered to make a wee commemorative brass coin. I begin by designing something suitable. In the studio I finish off some video edits of a coupla - [Saturday 14 June 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/06/15/saturday-14-june-2025/) - BEFORE breakfast I get outside and put up a gazebo before the rain starts. The kids are all coming later on for a cook out and family day with Auntie Glo. It’s not long before the rain comes. Big style… but it goes off by the time folks start arriving. We have a grand afternoon - [Friday 13 June 2025](https://davearcari.com/2025/06/14/friday-13-june-2025/) - FEELING pretty burst when I wake up but need to get in the shower and get going. I manage to get the gear unpacked at the studio and the merch in the office/store before breakfast. There’s time to get a little work done before Missy and Judy arrive. They head back to the ’States on ## Pages - [home](https://davearcari.com/) - Official website for Scottish alt.blues troubadour Dave Arcari – full-time touring musician and songwriter endorsed by National Reso-Phonic Guitars - [Radio Show: Dave Arcari's Deep Blues](https://davearcari.com/radio-show-dave-arcaris-deep-blues/) - RADIO SHOW: Dave Arcari's Deep Blues...every Sunday, 7-9pm UK time DAVE presents Dave Arcari's Deep Blues every Sunday - 7-9pm UK time – on Rock.Scot - Scotland's newest radio station broadcasting on DAB in the west of Scotland, online at Rock.Scot and on smart devices via Alexa or TuneIn. On Alexa-enabled devices simply ask "Alexa, - [music](https://davearcari.com/music-2/) - LISTEN / STREAM / DOWNLOAD Stream on Spotify or Apple Music... or stream the embedded songs below. If you prefer CDs or vinyl, visit our online shop. RESOURCES • BIOGRAPHY • PRESS OFFICE • PROMOTERS' AREA • PRESS CUTTINGS • DISCOGRAPHY MORE ABOUT DAVE • DAVE ARCARI SIGNATURE GUITAR • INTRO VIDEO (3-1/2 mins) • DAVE'S - [Signature guitar](https://davearcari.com/signature-guitar/) - The Dave Arcari signature guitar from National Reso-Phonic Guitars – spec, pricing & ordering info. - [store-full](https://davearcari.com/store-full/) - WELCOME to Dave Arcari's online store where you’ll find the latest merch…if you are looking for any of Dave’s previous releases on vinyl or CD…or any of his other merch items please contact us. We now accept Apple Pay and other ‘one-click’ payment methods for fast, hassle-free checkout 🙂 * Dave's music is available for - [STORE](https://davearcari.com/store/) - WELCOME to Dave Arcari's online store where you’ll find the latest merch… NEW AND TOP ITEMS CLICK HERE FOR FULL MERCH STORE! RESOURCES • BIOGRAPHY • PRESS OFFICE • PROMOTERS' AREA • PRESS CUTTINGS • DISCOGRAPHY MORE ABOUT DAVE • DAVE ARCARI SIGNATURE GUITAR • INTRO VIDEO (3-1/2 mins) • DAVE'S DAILY BLOG • GUITARS/EQUIPMENT • - [PRESS CUTTINGS](https://davearcari.com/press-cuttings/) - PRESS CUTTINGS ARCHIVE CLICK thumbnail to view press cutting...to see full size and open in a new window ctrl-click (Mac) or right click (PC) 1 2 ... 4 ► RESOURCES • BIOGRAPHY • PRESS OFFICE • PROMOTERS' AREA • PRESS CUTTINGS • DISCOGRAPHY MORE ABOUT DAVE • DAVE ARCARI SIGNATURE GUITAR • INTRO VIDEO (3-1/2 mins) - [PRESS OFFICE](https://davearcari.com/press-office/) - Press office/media resource – downloadable hi-res promo images, info and audio from musician Dave Arcari - [BIOGRAPHY](https://davearcari.com/biography/) - Official biography of Scottish alternative blues (alt.blues) songwriter and musician Dave Arcari - [PROMOTERS' AREA](https://davearcari.com/promoters-area/) - Resources for bookers/promoters staging a Dave Arcari show – hi-res posters, stageplot, channel plan and more.... - [Limited re-stock](https://davearcari.com/limited/) - EXTREMELY limited items – previously sold out but retrieved from Dave's US tour storage in USA...this is the last-known stock of all these items.... - [live](https://davearcari.com/live/) - Saturday 27 September : The Met, Bury, UK - Booking/info: https://themet.org.uk/event/dave-arcari-2025/ - [Spotify](https://davearcari.com/spotify-landing/) - DAVE ARCARILISTEN AND FOLLOW ON SPOTIFY NOW! ...and enjoy music from Dave Arcari's seven albums, four EPS and 13 singles on the platform! SPOTIFYVISIT WEBSITE - [join](https://davearcari.com/join/) - DAVE ARCARISIGN UP AND GET EXCLUSIVE CONTENT & DISCOUNTED/FREE MERCH OFFERSSign up for Dave's email list now and and enjoy: • FREE membership of the Wildcats' Facebook group with exclusive weekly livestreams • EXCLUSIVE 'behind the scenes' content • EARLY ACCESS to new releases, gig info/tickets and more • 10% DISCOUNT on your first order - [website](https://davearcari.com/website/) - SCROLL DOWN SCROLL DOWNTHE DAVE ARCARI SIGNATURE GUITAR FROM NATIONAL RESO-PHONIC GUITARS FIND OUT MORERESOURCES • BIOGRAPHY • PRESS OFFICE • PROMOTERS' AREA • PRESS CUTTINGS • DISCOGRAPHY MORE ABOUT DAVE • DAVE ARCARI SIGNATURE GUITAR • INTRO VIDEO (3-1/2 mins) • DAVE'S DAILY BLOG • GUITARS/EQUIPMENT • GALLERY • VIDEO DAVE IS AN OFFICAL ENDORSEE - [tour](https://davearcari.com/tour/) - UPCOMING SHOWS - [Tour dates](https://davearcari.com/tour-dates/) - Dave Arcari's upcoming live and streaming shows & gigs - [thank you](https://davearcari.com/thank-you-2/) - THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT 🙂 Thank you – your support means a lot. As a 100% independent musician I'm used to sailing close to the financial wind and things are tough enough without the current crisis I'm only too aware that most folks are in the same boat and was very hesitant to ask - [HOLDING](https://davearcari.com/holding/) - New website for DAVE ARCARI coming soonNEXT SHOW: Gig in the Goil Festival - Saturday 18 May • TOUR DATES • FACEBOOK PAGE • SPOTIFY • APPLE MUSIC/iTUNES New single – Brexit Blues – drops Friday 7 June.... SPOTIFY PRE-SAVEiTUNES PRE-ORDER - [half-price-shirts](https://davearcari.com/half-price-shirts/) - No products were found matching your selection. - [Privacy Policy](https://davearcari.com/privacy-policy/) - Who we are Our website address is: https://davearcari.com. What personal data we collect and why we collect it Comments When visitors leave comments on the site we collect the data shown in the comments form, and also the visitor’s IP address and browser user agent string to help spam detection. An anonymised string created from - [Guitars & Equipment](https://davearcari.com/guitars-equipment/) - Dave Arcari's guitars and equipment...including the new 'Dave Arcari signature' model guitar from National Reso-Phonic Guitars - [Live album: media info](https://davearcari.com/live-album-media-info/) - Dave Arcari: Live at Memorial Hall – out now! SCOTTISH alt.blues troubadour Dave Arcari’s new album – Live at Memorial Hall – is now available on Buzz REcords. Recorded in Spring 2017 at Memorial Hall on the east side of Loch Lomond close to Arcari’s home, the album will be available on double 180g coloured - [live splash](https://davearcari.com/live-splash/) - New album order + launch tour dates... - [VIDEO](https://davearcari.com/video/) - SOME live and promo videos...for many more – including road documentaries and video blogs – visit Dave's YouTube channel. RESOURCES • BIOGRAPHY • PRESS OFFICE • PROMOTERS' AREA • PRESS CUTTINGS • DISCOGRAPHY MORE ABOUT DAVE • DAVE ARCARI SIGNATURE GUITAR • INTRO VIDEO (3-1/2 mins) • DAVE'S DAILY BLOG • GUITARS/EQUIPMENT • GALLERY • VIDEO - [GALLERY](https://davearcari.com/gallery/) - LIVE PHOTOSOTHER PHOTOSA SELECTION of live photos...for downloadable hi-res images please go to the press office page... A SELECTION of other photos...for downloadable hi-res images please go to the press office page... RESOURCES • BIOGRAPHY • PRESS OFFICE • PROMOTERS' AREA • PRESS CUTTINGS • DISCOGRAPHY MORE ABOUT DAVE • DAVE ARCARI SIGNATURE GUITAR • INTRO VIDEO (3-1/2 mins) - [CONTACT / MAIL LIST](https://davearcari.com/contact-mail-list/) - Contact Dave Arcari – bookings, messages, enquiries...and join his mail list - [DISCOGRAPHY](https://davearcari.com/discography/) - Dave Arcari discography – solo releases plus bands, guest contributions and sessions.... - [No Access](https://davearcari.com/no-access/) - [dlm_no_access] ## Products - [The ‘songster’ zip-up hoodie](https://davearcari.com/product/the-songster-zip-up-hoodie/) - TOP quality black hoodie with embroidered logo on left chest front – large typography silver-grey print on back - [Dave Arcari insulated tumbler](https://davearcari.com/product/dave-arcari-insulated-tumbler/) - Black stainless steel double-wall vacuum insulated tumbler/travel mug (20oz) with Dave Arcari logo Keeps drinks hot or cold. - [Whisky in my Blood (CD)](https://davearcari.com/product/whisky-in-my-blood-cd/) - ** AFTER BEING SOLD OUT FOR YEARS DAVE DISCOVERED A SMALL QUANTITY IN STORAGE IN THE USA !!** BNCD012 deluxe digipak CD DAVE is joined by Juuso Haapasalo (bass) and Honey Aaltonen (snare drum/percussion) for this album recorded at Sonic Pump studios, Helsinki for Blue North Records. TRACKLISTING: Whisky in my Blood / Cherry Wine - [The ‘songster’ t-shirt](https://davearcari.com/product/the-songster-t-shirt/) - TOP quality Gildan Ultra t-shirts. Black shirt with embroidered logo on left chest front – large typography silver-grey print on back - [Dave Arcari 'signature' bottleneck](https://davearcari.com/product/dave-arcari-signature-bottleneck/) - DEVELOPED in conjunction with Diamond Bottlenecks, this is the bottleneck slide that Dave uses and gives a superior tone to the chrome or pyrex slides commonly found in retail stores. - [Whisky in my Blood ( 180g coloured vinyl - gatefold sleeve)](https://davearcari.com/product/whisky-in-my-blood-vinyl/) - BNLP012 limited edition 180gsm coloured (amber) vinyl gatefold sleeve. c/w free digital download - [Live at Memorial Hall (vinyl)](https://davearcari.com/product/pre-order-live-at-memorial-hall-vinyl/) - LIVE at Memorial Hall is the definitive Dave Arcari collection. The limited edition vinyl pack features 26 songs on double 180g coloured vinyl in gatefold sleeve with free digital download card - [Embroidered beanie](https://davearcari.com/product/embroidered-beanie/) - Black beanie with embroidered logo - [Dave Arcari beanie](https://davearcari.com/product/dave-arcari-beanie/) - Black beanie with grey leather Dave Arcari/guitar patch Designed using high density fabrics with further brushing to keep warm air next to skin Acrylic knitted material Thermal lined for extra warmth and comfort Unisex - one size - [VOL. 2: …something new, something blue](https://davearcari.com/product/vol-2-something-new-something-blue/) - Home / MUSIC / CDs / VOL. 2: …something new, something blue VOL. 2: …something new, something blue£5.00 Category: CDs GOT A QUESTION ABOUT THIS PRODUCT? eMail us now via davearcarimusic (at) g.mail.com Related products - [Leather bracelet](https://davearcari.com/product/leather-bracelet/) - Leather bracelet in brown, purple or grey with DAVE ARCARI • DEEP BLUES • WHISKY • BBQ and guitars design. Press stud/popper fastening choice of black or silver coloured stud. Available in three sizes small (17cm between fastenings), medium (19cm between fastenings), large (21cm between fastenings) and extra-large (23cm between fastenings). Note: as these bracelets are a natural product and hand finished, slight colour variations can be expected - [Devil May Care: ltd red vinyl](https://davearcari.com/product/devil-may-care-ltd-red-vinyl/) - DEVIL MAY CARE album – limited edition red vinyl with *bonus track not on CD version - [Handmade reso guitar pin](https://davearcari.com/product/handmade-guitar-pin/) - RESONATOR guitar pin approx 4cm long handmade (by Dave!) from lead-free pewter. Pin and butterfly clutch fastener on back. Supplied boxed. - [Handmade reso guitar necklace](https://davearcari.com/product/handmade-guitar-pendant/) - RESONATOR guitar necklace approx 5cm long handmade (by Dave!) from lead-free pewter. Signed on the back. Supplied with a cord and boxed. - [Devil May Care CD](https://davearcari.com/product/devil-may-care-cd-pre-order/) - DEVIL MAY CARE CD album in 4-page gatefold digifile pack. - [VOL.1: Something old, something borrowed...](https://davearcari.com/product/vol-1-something-old-something-borrowed/) - BRS012006 CD EP in wallet (2006) Blue Train / Stagolee /Travelling Riverside Blues / Preachin’ Blues / Trouble in Mind - [Dave Arcari signature capo](https://davearcari.com/product/dave-arcari-signature-capo/) - The Dave Arcari signature capo – the "Devil's Left Hand' – from G7th capos is the world's most innovative capo: it features Adaptive Radius Technology (ART) which allows the capo to adapt to ANY guitar neck for unrivalled tuning stability. Available in black, silver or 18kt gold plate. - [Live at Memorial Hall (CD)](https://davearcari.com/product/pre-order-live-at-memorial-hall-cd/) - LIVE at Memorial Hall is the definitive Dave Arcari collection in special edition six-page CD digipak - [Resonator guitar earrings: silver mirror](https://davearcari.com/product/resonator-guitar-earrings-silver-mirror/) - Resonator guitar earrings in silver mirror acrylic. Earring length: 6cm Base metal ear hooks as standard / sterling silver ear hooks available as option. - [Resonator guitar earrings: matt gold effect](https://davearcari.com/product/resonator-guitar-earrings-matt-gold/) - Resonator guitar earrings in matt gold effect acrylic.. Earring length: 6cm Base metal ear hooks as standard / sterling silver ear hooks available as option. - [Dave Arcari 'colours' mug](https://davearcari.com/product/dave-arcari-colours-mug/) - White ceramic mug with 'Blues Comes in Many Colours' graphic front and back. 11oz. Dishwasher safe. Supplied boxed. - [Dave Arcari 'Key to the Highway' mug](https://davearcari.com/product/dave-arcari-key-to-the-highway-mug/) - White ceramic mug with 'Key to the Highway' graphic front and back. 11oz. Dishwasher safe. Supplied boxed. - [Handmade guitar earrings](https://davearcari.com/product/handmade-guitar-earrings/) - Guitar earrings cast from pewter with epoxy inlay. Handmade by Dave, signed on back and boxed. Earring length: 3cm Hypo-allerginic hooks - [Handmade guitar earrings](https://davearcari.com/product/handmade-guitar-earrings-2/) - Guitar earrings (sound hole design) cast from pewter with epoxy inlay. Handmade by Dave, signed on back and boxed. Earring length: 3cm Hypo-allerginic hooks - [Solid brass Love Blues necklace](https://davearcari.com/product/solid-brass-love-blues-necklace/) - SOLID brass ‘bar’ necklace – 5cm long – inlaid with red epoxy heart. Supplied boxed with adjustable leather cord. - [Solid brass reso guitar necklace](https://davearcari.com/product/solid-brass-reso-guitar-necklace/) - RESONATOR guitar necklace approx 5cm long made (by Dave!) from solid brass and signed on the back. Supplied with a cord and boxed. - [Solid brass reso guitar pin](https://davearcari.com/product/solid-brass-reso-guitar-pin/) - RESONATOR guitar pin approx 4cm long made (by Dave!) from solid brass. Pin and butterfly clutch fastener on back. Supplied boxed. - [Still Friends: ltd violet vinyl](https://davearcari.com/product/still-friends-ltd-violet-vinyl/) - STILL FRIENDS album – limited edition violet vinyl - [Still Friends CD (2025)](https://davearcari.com/product/still-friends-cd-2025/) - Still Friends CD album (2025) in 4-page gatefold digifile pack. Twelve acoustic tracks. - [Wildcats beanie](https://davearcari.com/product/wildcats-beanie/) - ** Wildcats: Exclusive ** Black beanie with leather Wildcats patch in natural, brown or grey/brown Designed using high density fabrics with further brushing to keep warm air next to skin Acrylic knitted material Thermal lined for extra warmth and comfort Unisex - one size - [Wildcats keyring with clip](https://davearcari.com/product/wildcats-keyring-with-clip/) - ** Wildcats: Exclusive ** Hand-stitched and finished leather key fob/clip – 16cm long with Wildcats graphic on front – keyring on one end and trigger hook on other for attaching to belt loop, back etc. - [Wildcats cap](https://davearcari.com/product/wildcats-cap/) - ** Wildcats: Exclusive ** Cotton low-profile/'Dad-style' baseball cap. Black with leather patch. Patch designed, made and hand-finished by Dave...and hand-sewn on hat by Margaret! Unisex - one size (adjustable) ## Categories - [Dave's diary](https://davearcari.com/category/daves-diary/) ## Product categories - [MUSIC](https://davearcari.com/product-category/music/) - [CDs](https://davearcari.com/product-category/music/cds/) - [vinyl](https://davearcari.com/product-category/music/vinyl/) - [OTHER](https://davearcari.com/product-category/other/) - [Signature bottleneck](https://davearcari.com/product-category/other/signature-bottleneck/) - [T-SHIRTS](https://davearcari.com/product-category/t-shirts/) - [vinyl_double](https://davearcari.com/product-category/music/vinyl_double/) - [capo](https://davearcari.com/product-category/other/capo/) - [flasks_mugs](https://davearcari.com/product-category/other/flask/) - [earrings](https://davearcari.com/product-category/other/earrings/) - [wildcats](https://davearcari.com/product-category/wildcats/) - [Keyring](https://davearcari.com/product-category/other/keyring/) - [hats](https://davearcari.com/product-category/other/hats/) - [Hoodies](https://davearcari.com/product-category/hoodies/) - [new](https://davearcari.com/product-category/new/) - [metal pendants/pins](https://davearcari.com/product-category/other/metal-pendants-pins/) - [HIGHLIGHT](https://davearcari.com/product-category/highlight/) ## Picture tag - [BluesMagazine](https://davearcari.com/ngg_tag/bluesmagazine/) - [Dave Arcari](https://davearcari.com/ngg_tag/dave-arcari/) - [Helmond](https://davearcari.com/ngg_tag/helmond/) - [Lakei](https://davearcari.com/ngg_tag/lakei/) - [85mm](https://davearcari.com/ngg_tag/85mm/) - [Cluny](https://davearcari.com/ngg_tag/cluny/) - [D90](https://davearcari.com/ngg_tag/d90/) - [Newcastle](https://davearcari.com/ngg_tag/newcastle/) - [Newcastle upon Tyne](https://davearcari.com/ngg_tag/newcastle-upon-tyne/) - [Nikon](https://davearcari.com/ngg_tag/nikon/) - [Nikon D90](https://davearcari.com/ngg_tag/nikon-d90/) - [The Cluny](https://davearcari.com/ngg_tag/the-cluny/) - [band. guitar](https://davearcari.com/ngg_tag/band-guitar/) - [blues](https://davearcari.com/ngg_tag/blues/) - [f/1.8](https://davearcari.com/ngg_tag/f1-8/) - [live](https://davearcari.com/ngg_tag/live/) - [live music](https://davearcari.com/ngg_tag/live-music/) - [music](https://davearcari.com/ngg_tag/music/) - [roots](https://davearcari.com/ngg_tag/roots/) - [da](https://davearcari.com/ngg_tag/da/)