Merry Christmas

 

Freefall: The Pilot Inn, Hardwicke

Not the most flattering photo I've ever seen of myself, but it made me smile nonetheless. Last night. second gig of a two gig weekend, last gig before Christmas. Both were a bit mad.

Overslept this morning, had meant to go race on the lake. But the wind was gusting 30+ knots. Woke up, saw the trees bending outside, rolled back over to cuddle the dog (who had, apparently replaced my wife after she'd got up to go to work) and went back to topping up the four hours sleep I'd managed before sunrise.

Credit for the photos go to a friend of the drummer, Leah.

Did watch the lake on the webcam over tea and toast once I finally got out of bed. Nobody else launched. Maybe if I'd been there I might've teased somebody into racing against me. On the other hand, I actually think I needed the sleep. Maybe if I hadn't had a couple of gigs this weekend. Or maybe I'm just getting old. There was a time a couple of gigs, gusting 30 knots and 4°c wouldn't have stopped me.

I really do need to get back out on the water again. Missing it badly, and can't help feeling I've let myself down a little.

FOSSC: YouTube - Northbound

If the share button does what it says on the tin, the following should be a YouTube playlist that a friend from my old sailing club at Frampton put together of his adventures this summer just gone. The above is a still from one of the later videos.

If share button doesn't do what it promises, then the link to the playlist is here.

Reuben's around the same age as my eldest son Ben. I remember how as a kid he'd cycle the sixteen mile round trip from Stroud to the club every Sunday to race with the rest of us in his somewhat ratty, beat up old Laser. But the age of the boat and state of its sail didn't stop him from regularly beating us.

I took the above at Frampton on one such an occasion. The photo following was in 2020, when we last crossed paths with him sailing across Falmouth Bay. His is the little boat just off the bow of the cargo ship.

About the time Ben left home for Bristol Uni, Reuben left home and the Club to move to Falmouth for a boat building apprenticeship, and there he designed and built the dinghy he sailed to Norway this summer. We'd bump in to him occasionally when we in the area with Calstar. It's a beautiful little yawl that he built, possibly the only yawl I can think of that has a spinnaker and a trapeze rigged for the helm to hike out on, the idea of which always makes me smile.

So very Reuben. Although I don't think he used it much on his most recent trip.

Freefall: PRS Paul's Guitar in Faded Blue Jean #0371814

She arrived just after lunch. I'm very, very pleased. Lottie was bemused by how long it took me to get it out of the box. It's not as easy as it sounds. Reassuringly, the hard case that came with her seems to weigh more than the guitar itself.

Apparently, the nitrocellulose finish to the maple top is "faded blue jean" which, for some reason, made me chuckle. Seems a bit pretentious for what's essentially a working guitar. But it is undeniably pretty. I've checked back, and the finish to my current PRS is "faded blue".

So when the next person asks me "Why do you need a new guitar" it seems I can't just say it's because I fancied a change in colour. In any case, the honest answer would just be "Because".

She is, in every sense, the big sister to my current PRS. American built in the PRS factory in Maryland, on the shores of Chesapeake Bay, the maple top, mahogany body and neck and rosewood fingerboard are machine cut, but hand finished, and the workmanship is exquisite. 

Because the top of the new guitar has that nitrocellulose finish, rather than the veneer of my current SE model, the carving of the body is deeper and more pronounced, with inset tone and volume controls and switches. It has an elegance that the lines of the SE just can't match.

Which is not to disrespect the old guitar. The SE has been an absolute workhorse and a pleasure to play and perform with. In so many ways she's the more sensible choice for what I actually do with a guitar and the venues I perform at. But what's the point in a midlife crisis if you're going to be sensible?

Anyway, I've now spent a couple of hours plugged in and playing. Quite loud. I have very patient neighbours.

Her first gig will be this coming Friday.