Accomplishments
It's been a while since I checked in with what I've actually gotten done. So here we go.
Acquired 2 new LiVirghi Praetorius recorders--a G-alto and a Bass. Woohoo! Need to take the cap from the bass into vonH to add a bocal since end blowing the bass trashes my right wrist.
Sewed a case for the set (including the tenor I already had). Need to make a waterproof cover (I don't have that type of fabric in my stash) but in the meantime I have a nice cotton ATB case (with quilt batting). The cover should have more batting or fleece or something because the quilting in the case is not quite enough--still hear a clunk when I put it down, and with $6000 in instruments in there I want it protected well!
Almost done refurbishing Mel's vihuela case. Ripped out the disintegrating 30-year-old foam lining and put in black velvet. Still gluing in a black satin ribbon around the edges of the velvet. Almost finished making a quilted pad out of black velvet to pad the body of the instrument a bit more. Should be done by next week. Yay!
Had the electrician out to deal with the short. Got an estimate for various things we want done. Need to decide which of these things we will actually do and get back to him. The list in probable order of importance:
1. Replacing a stretch of original wiring in the house--why it wasn't replaced when they updated everything else I have no idea.
2. Replacing the dead stretch of bare wire buried in our garden that takes the power from the house to the barn and garden shed (currently disconnected because of a short).
3. Actually connecting the ceiling fixture in the pantry to some method of turning it on (the electrician confirmed that the wires in the fixture actually are live....but there's no switch or anything. Gotta love it.)
4. Installing ceiling fixtures (and the wiring involved) in the dining room and music room.
Had the pest control dude out today because of a woodpecker trashing shingles on our barn. Turns out it's *not* a bug infestation but rather a territorial thing, and the fix is to hang reflective dangly things (wind chimes? :-) to scare it away. While he was here, had him go through all of the barn, garden shed, and house. We do have a few issues--powder post beetles in the barn, possibly carpenter ants in the barn, one carpenter bee nest in the eaves of the house. He says it's too late in the season to treat these now, he'll draw up a list and come out in April to deal with all of it. Damage isn't too bad, fix is straightforward, I asked for whatever he can do with least environmental impact, and I'll try to remember to get the name of the chemical from him. Inside the house it's boric acid based, which is fine, he uses something else outside tho, and since we're killing bugs it's going to have some impact on other bugs in the garden. But I can't have these things eat my house & barn away.
Knitting stuff. Have lots of cotton dishcloths now. Made an armlet to protect the vihuela from sweat in the summer when I don't want to wear long sleeves. Have a ball of yarn from Mel to do the same for her. Almost done (like, 10 rows to go) with a lace scarf for me. Need to make the hat that's on my list soon, before it gets too cold. Made a nautiloid for Geoff, need to remember to have Jason take it in to work one of these days.
Acquired 2 new LiVirghi Praetorius recorders--a G-alto and a Bass. Woohoo! Need to take the cap from the bass into vonH to add a bocal since end blowing the bass trashes my right wrist.
Sewed a case for the set (including the tenor I already had). Need to make a waterproof cover (I don't have that type of fabric in my stash) but in the meantime I have a nice cotton ATB case (with quilt batting). The cover should have more batting or fleece or something because the quilting in the case is not quite enough--still hear a clunk when I put it down, and with $6000 in instruments in there I want it protected well!
Almost done refurbishing Mel's vihuela case. Ripped out the disintegrating 30-year-old foam lining and put in black velvet. Still gluing in a black satin ribbon around the edges of the velvet. Almost finished making a quilted pad out of black velvet to pad the body of the instrument a bit more. Should be done by next week. Yay!
Had the electrician out to deal with the short. Got an estimate for various things we want done. Need to decide which of these things we will actually do and get back to him. The list in probable order of importance:
1. Replacing a stretch of original wiring in the house--why it wasn't replaced when they updated everything else I have no idea.
2. Replacing the dead stretch of bare wire buried in our garden that takes the power from the house to the barn and garden shed (currently disconnected because of a short).
3. Actually connecting the ceiling fixture in the pantry to some method of turning it on (the electrician confirmed that the wires in the fixture actually are live....but there's no switch or anything. Gotta love it.)
4. Installing ceiling fixtures (and the wiring involved) in the dining room and music room.
Had the pest control dude out today because of a woodpecker trashing shingles on our barn. Turns out it's *not* a bug infestation but rather a territorial thing, and the fix is to hang reflective dangly things (wind chimes? :-) to scare it away. While he was here, had him go through all of the barn, garden shed, and house. We do have a few issues--powder post beetles in the barn, possibly carpenter ants in the barn, one carpenter bee nest in the eaves of the house. He says it's too late in the season to treat these now, he'll draw up a list and come out in April to deal with all of it. Damage isn't too bad, fix is straightforward, I asked for whatever he can do with least environmental impact, and I'll try to remember to get the name of the chemical from him. Inside the house it's boric acid based, which is fine, he uses something else outside tho, and since we're killing bugs it's going to have some impact on other bugs in the garden. But I can't have these things eat my house & barn away.
Knitting stuff. Have lots of cotton dishcloths now. Made an armlet to protect the vihuela from sweat in the summer when I don't want to wear long sleeves. Have a ball of yarn from Mel to do the same for her. Almost done (like, 10 rows to go) with a lace scarf for me. Need to make the hat that's on my list soon, before it gets too cold. Made a nautiloid for Geoff, need to remember to have Jason take it in to work one of these days.