piano work almost a year later

In the last couple of days I have spent much time weighing lead plugs. If you can't handle repetition you are not meant for piano work. You have to be someone who enjoys coming up with systems for speed and efficiency in silly, simple tasks. These tasks, in fact, are somewhat important later down the road. I found lead weighing rather enjoyable in it's mindlessness. Today I developed a system for installing let-off buttons without ending up with holes in my fingers. And the by-product was a great pair of earrings. Photo will follow. I've been trying to develop jewelry for the past year from all these parts. My workmates were impressed, thought I might be a candidate for the cover of the Piano Technicians Magazine. That is a joke amongst all of us.
My afternoon was progressing nicely, neatly installed whippens, well spaced, nicely polished screws. Then I realized I had put them on upside down. This produced great guffaws and amazement, no one thought that was even possible. They all thought I should photograph, and then post with "what's wrong with this picture?". I thought it might be prudent to just turn them around as quickly as possible, which I did. Again nicely spaced in one third the time. Well it's the even spacing that takes the time, and this I had already done, just upside down. Just another day in the shop. Looking forward to many more, hopefully right side up.

the star of encinal makes her maiden voyage

We managed to get out of the driveway, launch, get ourselves into the boat, and row away from the dock without embarrassing ourselves.

Then we managed get out of the boat, get the boat back onto the trailer, and get the trailer back into the driveway. No yelling, tears, or excitement. We both remained dry. We will work on efficiency next trip, and hopefully our second set of oars will be here, so our speed in the water will improve too. Isn't she pretty?

brett weston and I had the same idea

This photo was taken in 1954.

only the food memories remain

Well it was only two days long, but food is always important. Let's say the food highlight was the leftover lamb shank and lamb fillet, saved with the help of plastic bags and an ice machine, from Epsilon in Monterey. We have made note to always bring a small cooler, and forks. I did however have a small tablecloth  and napkins, and we both had knives on us. Eating rice with a knife makes for a slow meal. We found a great old fashioned small grocery store in Pacific Grove the Grove Market, that we augmented our leftovers with fresh rolls and apples. And Fourniers Bakery Cafe makes a mean bear claw and Marion berry scone with quite acceptable coffee. So sorry I have no photos.

The above is scene from the back road out of San Juan Bautista heading south into Salinas.

a short holiday

Feeling a need to escape for a couple of days, the Retties set out for Monterey. We have a rather indirect route we like to take which sends us to San Juan Bautista. After a stop at the Mission Cafe, a classic diner, I felt like I was on holiday. The reason for that was my hash browns, and the grape jelly I spread on my sour dough toast. I don't know what it is, I not that enamored of grape jelly, but those little packets just signify vacation. And crispy hash browns with ketchup, hmmmm. Okay, so I had corned beef hash too. We used to be able to get a good pozole, but alas, the establishment is gone that served it. This was the first of our branching out in the restaurant department of the trip

Being quite full we wandered to the Mission Gallery, an establishment I highly recommend. The owners certainly have us in mind in their choices of artists. We actually purchase a small Stephen McMillan aquatint etching. We have another piece of his, and it's the least we can do to help the art economy. And the owners are incredibly friendly, not pushy, and happy to show you pieces.

Here is the highlight of our visit:

Quite a vehicle, here's a closeup:

More trip details later, my computer resides in one of the coldest locations in the house, time to knit and cover up with some wool.

beverages and your piano, and a new boat

This piano seems to have odd pieces of steel wool in it. We think they were lost in the attempt to clean up the spill that made it's way down through keys, plate, and soundboard. Both Douglas and Thomas have found them in various places. We are not sure sure what it is, we're guessing cola or red wine, but it has made it's mark. These old pianos have clues hidden in them as to their past antics. Hopefully it was a good party.

Now onto the latest addition to the Rettie sanity or insanity. Yet to be named, a Lowell sailing dory, has ended up in our driveway. Yes, I have given it less than first billing, probably do to the questions of sanity.

But, this was a joint decision, we missed the ability to get out on Tomales Bay, and other bodies of water. We have yet to get her into the water, a second pair of oars is needed, but the trailer and towing issues are being sorted out, a bung is being put in the bottom for drainage and the flag on the trailer hitch has, so far, protected our vehicles from large dents in their bumpers. Neighbors are appearing to question us on this new addition. Didn't we have a wooden dory we sold because it was too much maintenance? Isn't this a wooden dory? Yes, and yes. And in between the two wooden dories was a fiberglass dory we just never bonded with and didn't seem to find the time to use. More will be reported once we get her fully launched with two sets of oars and a proper picnic basket. We will find the time, and I think we are both bonding already.

a full shop

For the first time in weeks all five of us were in the shop together. When I pulled up this morning I could hear Douglas playing the piano. Ah, 2012 is going to be okay. I told him how Rhys and I both missed hearing this sound for last three weeks. There is no better way to start your day working in a piano shop than hearing why we do all this work. While we all complain about how tedious, boring, repetitive and hard on your body piano work can be, we all were working away. And we seemed happy and relatively content. Now we did have fudge, macadamia nuts, and green chili peanut brittle to go with our usual espresso, but really it was the company.

fabada

Here's the beginning.Unfortunately I don't have pictures of the final product. But then I would say the final product of the evening was a Tuxedo cake being consumed by six of us, washed down with Nant single malt from Tasmania. The table was filled with 5 bottles of scotch so we could all do some tasting. And the table glowed with reflections from candles and the glass bottles. Good friends, food, and toasts to more neighborhood meals. Never made it to midnight, barely made it to 10:30. But we were all full and happy.
We greeted the new year in our usual way by making our way to Berkeley to buy calendars. All calendars are now in place and we are ready for 2012.