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Past Parity

Friday, February 28, 2008

A Friday too far

With the adoption closing in it seems like we have 20 projects going on at home. Pie finally got me to restart re-tiling the fireplace last week, and in my usual experience with our house I found everything is below spec and done badly. When I chipped the old tiles out I discovered they were attached directly to drywall instead of the concrete backer-board which is what is mostly used. I can’t even cut the drywall out because the mantel covers so much of it, so my conclusion was it’s been below spec for 20 years, another few won’t hurt.

The house kind of looks like a demilitarized zone at present with two of the rooms either being painted, stuff pulled out of closets to be gone through and boxes of furniture everywhere ready to be assembled. This weekend we’re moving Pie’s study downstairs and then straight to getting her old room converted into the kidlets bedroom. I’ve said to Pie we should try and time 2 -3 weeks at the end of this doing nothing but be hedonistic before we go get the kid. After that it’s be a good 16 years of acting responsibly (and another 40 before we can wear diapers and throw tantrums in the supermarket when we don’t get our way).

Pie let me buy a violin bass last week which I’ve wanted for about 15 years. I had a no-name vintage fixer-upper Japanese one last year but it turned out to be too badly damaged to bring back (no controls, the truss rod snapped off when the tech I use tried to adjust it and only one pickup worked). This one is the Rogue VB100 Series 2 which I think is Musicians Friends own brand model. For $200 it was really great quality sound and looks and does the thumpy Hofner thing really well. It’s funny that the Hofner retails for a lot more and sounds about the same from what’s I’ve read. It’s only because Paul McCartney played one (which he got because it was cheap), that they became as desirable as they did. I actually recorded the bass line to ‘Monty’ the song I wrote about my Dad with it, and was pleased with how woody sounding the tone was. I may use it in PW a little but I’d have to figure out on which songs.

Pie, Jeff and myself are going to see the New York Dolls on Sunday, hopefully none of them will OD between now and then.

spoke Rob at at 4.35pm | permalink | 0 comments

Friday, February 08, 2008

The devil you know….cause he’s your mothers, brother cousin twice removed or something

What really bites about growing older is your body not being as forgiving as it used to be. When I was in my teens and through my twenties I could eat and drink whatever I wanted virtually without consequence. Now I’m in my mid thirties I have to worry about cholesterol and my weight a lot more. My father had heart problems mainly caused by heavy smoking and a high fat diet but it makes you a little paranoid. My cholesterol was a little high when I had my physical done a few weeks back and my doctor was making noises about putting me on something to lower it if I couldn’t do it with diet.

So with the primaries in full swing we get to see who our candidates will be but this stage it looks like John McCain for the Elephants and Clinton or Obama for the Donkeys. I’m going to try and go to the Democratic caucus in Federal Way tomorrow so I feel like I made a difference.

I co-wrote a song Dave from the Beanie Shavers about my Dad and kind of feel I’ve turned a corner on the grieving process since. There were some times when I was so depressed it became kind of crippling. Now I’m just back to being plain old exhausted. It was really important to me that they really did him justice and I liked what Dave wrote to the lyrics so I’ll probably keep it stripped back and acoustic and leave him to sing it.. After I lost my Dad I had a writers block for two months which seemed to end once I’d finished writing these.

Monty

V1
All I could do was say goodbye
While there was still some time
Wishing I could have told you
The contents of this heart of mine
Your blood flowing in my veins
Knowing with all my heart
That not even death itself
Could tear our bonds apart
CH
And the mountain stands
Proud for all to see
But one day even the rain
Will wash it all away
V2
Woke up and you were there
Holding my hand so tight
Telling me without words
It was going to be all right
Gone but always in my mind
God knows I miss you everyday
Only wishing I could tell you
I love you more then words can say

In happier news I’m going to see both The New York Dolls and New Model Army in the next couple of months assuming we don’t go to China. We’re still plodding through stuff at home to get ready for a toddler.

spoke Rob at at 4.45pm | permalink | 1 comment