TubeNet

Ok, real crappy week for the World this week. So much awful news...

...but the sky is still blue, beer exists, Jesus loves us (if that's your thing), etc.

Here's a place where we can all share some good news, no matter how small. We need it.

I'll go first: a kind older man has been visiting my son's preschool twice per week for the last month or so, to teach and sing music with the kids. Holy cow, dude has got game, they all absolutely love every second of it. The man is a complete hero to them. I finally got the chance to talk and say hi, to tell him how much my son enjoys it. He said he had no idea... That he knew they liked it, but not that much. Complete modesty, and done for the love of kids and the love of music. Sounds sappy, but whatever, it was cool.

A good handyman is worth his weight in gold for 77 y/o seniors like me.

A local handyman, new to me, spent all day here Friday doing chores that I haven't been able or been inclined to do. He serviced my two weather stations that are mounted on my chimney which required extension ladder work and bringing them down from the roof to be worked on indoors. When he remounted the big one he inserted much more secure anchors to the chimney than the flimsy ones I had used. This was a huge job in itself.

He repaired the leaky-when-on sillcock in my garage and replaced the lousy faucet in my kitchen sink. He installed an electrical outlet in my bathroom and the bidet seat it powers that I ordered when it was on sale at Costco a couple of weeks ago. (I had to see if the Europeans and Japanese were really onto something, and with the run on TP last week I'm glad I did.) Laugh if you must.

He cleaned the leaves, etc. from my two huge window wells, one about 10' x 3' x 7 feet deep, and the other 10' x 3' x 4 feet deep that catch lots of debris every fall, winter, and spring.

Still to come is an electrical outlet for the exercise equipment in my makeshift unfinished lower level workout room. Currently I'm snaking a heavy-duty extension cord about 20' from the lower level hallway. We also talked about having him replace the deteriorating cement board siding on the chimney.

Getting all of those chores done so swiftly, efficiently, and knowledgeably has lifted a huge worry from me about maintaining my townhouse. I now know someone, a true gentleman to boot, who can help me stay here for a few more years until it's time for me to go out to pasture in assisted living.

(Please don't hijack Bort's thread with comments about this post. Rather, share your own good news.)

Spring officially arrives this week

Spring will be here, I was admiring my lawn yesterday before the weeds show up.

The following week is our 20th wedding anniversary.

After teaching band for 7 years, I'm now in my second year of teaching elementary school music. It's is awesome!

Two amazing things that happened last week:

1. My chorus is working on an Ellington tune called Hit Me With A Hot Note. The majority of the song is a solo and I opened it up to auditions. Out of about 50 students in chorus, 17 of them stood up in front of their friends and auditioned for the solo!

2. I've been wanting to start and elementary percussion/Orff ensemble since I was hired for this job. I finally took the initiative to get it going with my 3rd graders. I chose 16 students that I thought would do an excellent job and be able to make the after school rehearsals. I passed out the letters/permission slips on Tuesday and had 12 of them returned on Wednesday! All from some very excited students and very supportive parents.

Lots of things are different for kids these days. They have lots of different interests and influences than I did growing up. Some for the better and some for the worse. But the interest in being a part of and performing live music is still strong!

People are still making music:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/ ... g-lockdown

My 3D-printed church serpent from bisontuba arrived, so I'll have another thing to distract me while keeping away from people. Just as Mark claimed, it has a pretty nice tone, and I think I'll be able to play it. So far, for me it wants to be almost a half step sharp, so I'll need to sort that out if I ever intend to play in a group.

P.D.Q. Bach was right, though:

Oh, Serpent, how full of
Surprises art thou,
Thou lookst like a snake
Yet sounds like a cow

Bort got a tuba that he really likes (this is posted seriously). We have been communicating for a few years now and I know that he is a serious about music as well as a good person. A few of us in the Baltimore area are very happy that he got this tuba and that this particular tuba got a good home.

best,
Mark

Great motorcycle trip yesterday with a buddy from Tampa to Cedar Key R/T about 300 miles. The morning ride up from Tampa on country back roads was 65-70 degrees and absolutely perfect. Cows, horses, farms, beautiful scenery. I'm second from the left. Met up with friends from the Villages and spent an amazing day soaking up some natural beauty, some great riding, fellowship, and some excellent craft beers. Original plans were for Daytona but social distancing took us to the other coast and a more relaxed experience. Took the interstate back home in record time and after a hot shower reflected on the good things in life before passing out dead tired with a big smile

bort wrote:
...but the sky is still blue, beer exists, Jesus loves us (if that's your thing), etc.

Even if it isn’t your thing!!

Plenty of brewski on the shelves here. That’s definately my thing

Three Valves wrote:Plenty of brewski on the shelves here. That’s definately my thing

Lines around the block here in Delaware as counties in Pennsylvania close their liqueur stores...
(they're all just coming south with their cooties! )

Three Valves wrote:

bort wrote:
...but the sky is still blue, beer exists, Jesus loves us (if that's your thing), etc.

Even if it isn’t your thing!!

)

Exactly!
For us, Friday night we were headed to the Chanhassen, MN, Dinner Theatre for a great supper and a performance of The Music Man. An hour from home we got the call that all shows are postponed for a month or so. Bummer, right? Nah, we just headed to my son's place, spent the night with his family. Next day our daughter's family came over, we all had a fine time together.
Grumbling and despair are a choice. So is joy.
Tim

windshieldbug wrote:

Three Valves wrote:Plenty of brewski on the shelves here. That’s definately my thing

Lines around the block here in Delaware as counties in Pennsylvania close their liqueur stores...
(they're all just coming south with their cooties! )

Sales tax free booze, even better!!

Back in they day, we had to drive from DE to MD to buy beer on Sunday.

With the weather a bit warmer and DST here, I will get lots of good mountain biking in while all my gigs are on hold.

This evening, my son and his girlfriend just told my wife and me that they are getting married. I am very happy to welcome her to the family.

I'm a day early, but have corned beef, cabbage and potatoes in the crock pot cooking. My Irish wife told me specifically not to add carrots. I may do Shepherds pie tomorrow.

Doc wrote:Well, Bort...

I have a 496 in my hands currently. That other special instrument is secured, and my package from Berlin is being boxed up.

That's really good news!

My local Kroger (while I dislike Kroger generally) stocks this:

A vintage golf club that I've been in search of for years unexpectedly popped up on eBay for $25 shipped, and it should arrive here tomorrow.

At work, which was just shut down for two weeks, we did some brainstorming and realized that with social distancing best practices now in place, golf is something we can still do for fun...if the courses remain open.

bloke wrote:Having raised three children, we know quite well how to get by without TP

What do you do when you're stranded and you can't find a roll..... Ask the Red Hot Chili Peppers




edit on second thought maybe we do need some TP for the big **** the stock market took today