Sounds of Silence...

 

If you said, "Simon & Garfunkel, 1964," you get 5 bonus points.  Only 5??  This one may be the easiest music trivia question ever asked on this blog.

This silence was unusual for me.  A month or so ago, what got spilled into the phone charger that sits by my chair in the living room... it was only a matter of time that it was going to die.  Surprisingly, it held in there for this past month.  Until last night.  When I got up this morning, my phone was at 18%.  I checked the charger: the AirPods part of it was working fine; the adjustable light on it was equally fine; the most important part - the phone charger - wasn't charging.  I put my phone on a charger in the kitchen and moved on with my morning routine.

When it came time to take Murphy outside, I usually grab my phone and listen to podcasts or YouTube videos about RVs, electronic devices, bikes, or whatever else interests me at the moment.  Once in a while, I'll pull up the Hulu app to watch one of our local TV news shows.  I left the phone inside to be charged.

The wind is down today, so I put up a couple umbrellas to provide shade to the patio area.  Then sat down to keep an eye on Murphy.  Without a phone to provide sound, I was more aware of the sounds on the patio.  Mostly birds.  The occasional sound of a jet on approach to Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport.  There is also a small private airstrip community a mile or so from our house - no activity there this morning.

Speaking of aircraft activity: people in the northeast part of the Valley are up in arms that an airport in that area is seeing increased activity due to flight training being done there.  They built homes near an airport and are up in arms that there is airplane "noise."  Joan and I both appreciate "airplane noise" - probably due the time we owned airplanes.  I like the sound of different general aviation airplanes - I can tell the difference between a Lake Amphibian and a V-Tail Bonanza climbing out at the nearby private airstrip.  The airline activity on approach or departure from Sky Harbor is high enough that it is background sound.  Not intrusive at all.

But, this morning was different.  Almost "forced silence" since I left my phone inside to get charged.  Like most people these days, my phone is with me almost all the time.  Except overnight, where our phones stay in the living room.  I guess I feel the need for something to fill that silence most of the time.  But this morning, it was me, Murphy, and the birds.  No traffic sounds.  No construction sounds.  No YouTube telling me why I need this latest camera.  This ain't natural.  ;-)

 

Everyone Knows It's Windy...

 

If you said, "A line from the song Windy, by the Association, 1967," you get 15 bonus points.  If you said, "Another weather report?" you are right, but no bonus points.  A rare windy day here, with winds ESE @ 16 gusting to 30.  That makes for a lot of dirt in the air - the sunrise this morning wasn't particularly colorful, thanks to the blowing dirt...

 Shot with my phone.  Which meant I was the one who got to take Murphy outside first thing this morning.  First time in a couple days.  That's because I was up and Joan seems to be coming down with the same thing I have.

We were supposed to go to a ballgame this afternoon, between the Firefighters and the Texas Tailgaters - two teams in the Savannah Bananas Banana Ball League.  Steph got tickets for us - we let her know two days ago that I wasn't going to be feeling up to it... a really wise decision, considering the blowing dirt and the fact that I still feel like crap.

I did, however, get out of the house for a very short outing.  Joan was feeling like In & Out Burger for lunch, so I made a run to get it.  I know - life in the fast lane.  Well, the drive-up lane.  That was it - neither of us felt up to much else.

On the bright side: kitties...

 They are a definite bright spot.

Just Like Me...

 

 If you said, "Paul Revere & the Raiders, 1966," you get 15 bonus points.  If you asked, "What is like you?" I'm going to talk about the weather.

The high yesterday was 102º.  Apparently, that was my high temperature for the day, as well.  So, yeah, not a cold.  The flu?  Maybe.  There is some other crud going around and this may be in that "other crud" category.  Whatever it is, I am not a fan.  Zero stars - would not recommend.

I tend to get a bit goofy when I run a temperature... you're probably thinking "How would you know the difference?"  That's fair.  The worst symptom is it messes with my equilibrium, so I'm a bit less than steady on my feet.  Joan has been good support.  Literally, as in helping me walk; well, letting me lean on her when there isn't a countertop or wall close by.

It seems like this has been going on for a long time.  It's been two days.  Whatever it is, I hope it goes away as fast as it came on.  Seems like Joan and I have been trading some kind of infirmity back and forth since the first of the year.

 

Again??

 

I woke up this morning with a gawd-awful head cold.  No, I have no idea where it came from - somebody must have breathed on me.  And I was together with my music guys yesterday, and I, no doubt, breathed on somebody.  But, I felt fine yesterday.  This came on fast. 

 

While Joan ran to the store this morning (she drove, she didn't run - we don't run), I went back to bed.  About 5 minutes in, little Stella jumped up on the bed and walked on me, moving up from my legs to my back.  She weighs about the same as... air.  I barely felt her.  I poked my nose out from under the covers, and she came up and touched her nose against mine.  I love that.  And this was all her doing it.  No, Murphy does not do that - he likes being petted and will lay right next to you, but not on you, and no face-touching-face stuff.  I also loved it when Rufus would headbutt me me... although at times it was like getting punched in the jaw.  I digressed again.

Murphy apparently heard me tell Stella how sweet she is; came running and hopped up on the bed.  Murphy laying beside me, Stella laying on me... it was nice.  For almost 17 seconds.  When it once again turned into Thursday Morning Smackdown.

While trying to get them to break it up, my phone rang.  And I think we all know that cell phone ringing is the number one killer of cats.  Apparently, they thought so, and took off running.  It was my buddy Ron - he had some questions about band stuff.  I tried to have some answers... I went to my music room to pull some charts off the iPad and forward them to him.  Did my best to answer a few more questions.

So... I'm up now.  That's OK, it's time for some more cold meds - over the counter, so they probably don't do anything except make you feel like you are doing something.  Hopefully, this one won't hang on like that last crud from a month or so ago.

 

I got the music in me...

 

If you said, "The Kiki Dee Band, 1974," you get 25 bonus points.

I've had a lot of music going on the past week.  A week ago, it was music with the Hip Replacements at Mark's.  Then, Friday with Allan's group (totally different guys, different music).  Over the weekend and into Monday, I was restructuring my pedal board, working it around a different vocal harmonizer - I don't use that as much with Mark and the guys because we have either 4 or 5 vocalists, depending on the grouping.  Let me explain that...

Mark and I have played together in various bands since we were 15 years old.  About 10 years ago, he and I started making music again while Joan and I were spending a couple months each winter in Arizona.  Mark started volunteering at MIM (the world close Musical Instrument Museum) and met other people with similar interests.  That group grew into a collection of 5 guitar players; 6 when I would be in Arizona.  A friend of Mark's (an in-law of his sister's) from Iowa became the 7th.  We get together once every two weeks or so for the fun of it.

 

fA "sub-set" of that group is the Hip Replacements...

 We play out on occasion.  That is Ron on the left (percussion, guitar, mandolin, vocals), me (guitar and vocals), Mark (guitar and vocals), and Podge (bass and vocals).  Podge came to that group from another group that Mark was occasionally playing with - are you keeping track here?

The Hips rehearsed at Ron's house yesterday for an upcoming gig, learning a couple new songs.  And not today, it is the big group again at Mark's house.  That's 4 rehearsals or jams, plus the playing and vocals I did at home while dialing in the pedalboard.  That's a lot of playing and singing for these old fingers and vocal cords.  I feel it this morning.

There are ebbs and flows with the frequency of these get-togethers.  Last year, into November and early December, it seemed to be a lot.  Then, some time off around the holidays.  It is building up again right now, but will drop off during the summer, when the different players tend to get away from the desert heat.  I'm hoping to be a part of that "escaping" for some of this upcoming summer, considering the record-breaking heat we've already been experiencing here.  But, that's a whole 'nuther topic. 

Craw...

 

Yes, I am talking about gas prices again.  It is something that really sticks in my craw... and I'm not sure I even have a craw. 

Here's a definition: "Stick in the craw" (or "stick in one's craw") means to cause lasting bitterness, resentment, or annoyance. It describes something—a remark, event, or situation—that is difficult to accept, tolerate, or swallow because it feels wrong or unfair."

We are involved in an undeclared war (some call it a "war of choice") that will upend the global economy.  The President is saying that oil prices will "drop like a rock if Iran accepts the deal."  The deal?  This isn't a buying decision.  This whole situation is bazarre - the US thinks Putin is evil because he is bombing a sovereign nation, but we stand by while this US President does the same thing.

Politics aside, the price of gas nationwide has gone up 97¢ per gallon in the past month.  The price of gas in the Phoenix area has gone up $1.37 in the same time.  So, not are we higher to start with, the increase is even more.  The average price for a gallon of gas in the US is now $3.95, as reported by one of the networks this morning.  The gas station closest to us was $4.99 yesterday.

My scooter peeps are thinking this will be a turn-around for the downturn in scooter sales.  A typical 150cc scooter will get around 100 mpg.  Others in that group think that more people will turn to e-bikes rather than anything that uses gas.

My RV people are saying they are re-thinking plans for upcoming trips.  Class B RVs like our RoadTrek have been in a downturn for sales.  Some are thinking this current gas price situation may make some people think about trading in their bigger RVs that get 6 to 8 mpg for a Class B that gets 16 to 18 mpg.

Me?  I just lament for what this situation will do to the US and global economies.  Expect your dollar to buy less as the cost of everything increases.  Expect the stock market, which has been relying on consumer spending, to suffer.

I may need to get a bigger craw.

 

Pedals...

 

Another bicycle post?  No, but thanks for asking.  And since you brought it up, Joan and I got out for a bicycle ride this morning, before it got hot.

She proposed.  What?  No, we're already married.  Let me finish: she proposed SmashBurger for lunch.  I accepted.  No ceremony, but the food was good.

When we got back, I went into the music room to work on my pedal board.  The TC Helicon Play Acoustic pedal has been acting up.  Again.  I decided to take my pedalboard apart and start over.  Basing it around a different TC Helicon harmony pedal (that I had before the Play Acoustic; yeah, it's old) and the latest Mooer multi-effects pedal.  And, an octave pedal.  And, a small tuner.

Should be easy, right?  It takes time, but I think I will enjoy this set-up...

 I have been playing more electric than acoustic lately, and this pedalboard set-up reflects that.  Plus, as you may have noticed: there's room for a couple more pedals... if I find something I can't live without.  And for the record, I can live without.  ;-)