Reasons to have a digital camera, #432...

... they make it easy to remember how the heck things are supposed to back together, so you don't have to give the nice man at the dealership two days pay to basically rethread a giant bobbin. :)

Samhuinn, hope and pray...

Well that was just all kinds of fun.

Started out the day getting both literally and metaphorically blood-sucked, ponying up half a week's pay for a spate of "you haven't been to a doctor in well over two years, naughty girl" blood tests. Kind of appropriate, in a disturbed sort of way. Then going to get some breakfast in ran an into an old friend I've not seen in over a year, and ended up playing chauffeur while catching up. Seriously fun dude to hang out with.

Then hurried on to the Samhain party the local Celt group was having. It was really just about the perfect mix.... not enough ritual to make anyone ansty, but enough of a reminder of the old ways to stir the blood. Lots of "remember your ancestors, remember your cultural heritage, treasure your family and kin ties" kind of stuff.

And of course... harp and fiddle, dancing and games, and delightful company.

Prolly about the best Halloween I've had in ages.

So happy new year, y'all. :)

Happy Trails....

The cost of love is loss. The cost of friendship is a goodbye.

My very bestest Alaskan bud is at this moment flying off to her new life in points South. I'll miss her something fierce, but it's good to know she's headed to a good place and open arms.

Sure feels like Alaska just got a whole lot colder though.
Y'all treat her right down there, ya hear? :)

Godspeed, my friend.

is this thing on?

So... about that glacial pace of updates? Well... the home PC just croaked, so don't go expecting the pace to pick up much I'm afraid. The upside is work is about to order a pile of laptops for the techs and I might be able to buy into a replacement here... they're looking at some of those armor-plated toughbooks.. refurbs, of course since we're not paying with tax dollars. Still though, wow... looks nice. if I *have* to get electronics, it'll be nice to get some I'm not as likely to break.

Still though, for a "the last two weeks in two minutes" rundown (excluding the hours and hours behind a keyboard on like three different startups that you'd find dull as dirt and is covered by an NDA anyhow)....

There are now TWO wings in production at Miss D's place (about time, I know I know.. :) )


Took my poor dear homemade mountain fiddle apart to make certain there wasn't any dry rot or anything going on inside, what with the catastrophic failure it had already had due to water damage. The sides will need to be replaced of course, but the plates are in fine shape. More intriguing though is the wood of the back - there's some faded printing on it. I think it must have been carved out of a shipping crate or the like back in the day:



Grampa's single six is the only pistol I still have in my possession. Miss D and I tried the range up Palmer way for the first time in ages again. I thought I'd try the old trick of keeping the trigger down and just running the hammer - not the straightest shooting thing in the world that way, but it was sure fun to make the thing run almost as fast as the semis. Old fashioned is just fun sometimes. :)

Still, the trip up and back was the best part of all. Pictures don't do this place justice. The everyday scenery minutes from town is literally tear-your-heart-out, agonizingly beautiful. Of course.... it'll all be under snow in a month or so. T'ain't nothing free. If it was easy to live here, it'd be as packed as Seattle.

Interesting news today...

Some interesting flags caught my eye on the news this evening...


Lots of yellow Gadsdens....and this one I've not ever seen flying "in real life" before today.



Presented without comment.... excepting to say I don't think the newsies know what they're looking at. What was that about living in interesting times?

explaining the silence...

got in yesterday morning after about forty straight hours at work.

Never been up two nights running before - and it was easier than those paltry "all nighters" at college that didn't last past 4 usually.

hunh.

On the other hand,time for some serious time away from a keyboard. Don't expect much here for a bit more. :)

Well that was fun...

Yesterday took some time off to visit the State Fair once with Miss D while they were in town. The big reason for going was to see Shae Laurel on the advice of a friend... lots of fiddles and some bluegrassy/Irish crossover repetoire.

The show was fun - it's a family band, four kids and their parents. The overall feel was "family fun" with some nicely mischievous antics tossed back and forth. The music itself had a Disney/HSM feel to it overall - high energy, upbeat, fun, nice vocal harmonies, though without much subtlety or emotional depth. Which frankly, is exactly what was promised and perfect for the venue. I imagine an evening concert hall performance might be a little more varied on that count. The big draw though is without doubt their stage presence. They're quite simply just fun:


That's Boil them Cabbage Down done on the neighbor's fiddle. Neat kids.

... and hearing Rocky Top again, all this way from Knoxville was a nice treat. :)