7/16/2017

It’s Hot, my thermometer reads 105 F and I know it’s off on the low side. I got a lot done anyway. I woke up early and watched ‘Moana’ on Netflix, that’s a fun movie. Sipped yesterdays cold coffee. I really liked the closing song by Alessia Cara, good singer.

While it was still cool I made a Trader Joe Banana bread mix, adding one more ripe banana. It turned out OK but it fell in the middle. It’ll still taste good tomorrow at work.

To town for a light bulb just to get out, and Goodwill had nothing but cool air.

Home, I made some spaghetti sauce, a small batch. I cooked up the ten TJ ravioli Bolognese, sauce, five ravioli, mozzarella cheese, provolone, sauce, more mozzarella, Parmesan/Romano, two buckets, Ravioli Lasagna. One in the freezer, one fridged, with a small batch of sauce frozen.

Next up chicken thighs Sate’ style, marinade of soy sauce, powdered ginger, powdered garlic, five spice, coriander, olive oil. fried in a pan to keep the heat down. I should have watered it, pretty salty, rinsed it, OK, still tasty. A batch of rice and some steamed green beans, butter on each. Two buckets, lunches. I’ll eat well.

I need to get the second Ukulele done soon. I looked most everywhere except where the nut is, made another one of bone. I sanded it to super fine 15000 shiny. As it’s 36 mm, 3 mm on each side, 10 mm per string works out close enough for four strings. It should be calculated for string width and all, but this works quick, it’s a ukulele. I sanded the back with 320 grit to loose the scratches, tack ragged it clean and applied another coat of lacquer. I shouldn’t have, but it’s baking hot.

Half an hour later, tape off, I’m gluing in the nut with white glue. As that dries I add in the tuning pegs with awl and screws. I find the strings and install them, tying each to the next and winding them with one fret slack.

There is another problem, the neck is bowed back just a little. I wish I had a truss rod to adjust. OK, I’ll need to raise the bridge, I cut one piece of bone and another one to get it right. The second fret on the A string is still buzzing out, filed down, still not great. I’ll need to work on it later.

I tuned it way up to in tune with a serious fight to get it there. The new tuning is slipping fast, as expected. She’ll be alright, coming in to tune. My second ukulele, rushed a bit with too many errors. Such is the fate of the second, what can go wrong will. A serious learning curve. But it’s nearly done.

I’m hoping the bass uke will learn by these mistakes, I’ll take my time. I cut out the paper pattern for the head stock, just a little over the line.

Laundry folded, a very hot day, more than most, I’m OK.

7/9/2017

Much done today. I process

ed a batch of cornichon pickles early this morning, lost one of two pints in the water bath broken jar, clean break. I reclaimed it as a refrigerator jar with new seasonings and vinegar. Bone soup chicken noodle veggie soup, tasty with tiny vermicelli noodles.

My own tenor ukulele was broken last night, not sure how, perhaps in the voyage. The rib above the sound hole came loose with a piece of the soundboard attached. I cut and sanded new wedge braces with twisted wires to install and hold everything in place. I used the glue syringe with extension tube to apply the glue, clamped into place. After a few hours dry time it’s OK. The seams are there, but it plays well restrung.

Meanwhile, I sanded the bass uke neck head flush using the lapidary sander. I also centered the two side molds and sanded them even while clamped, drilled two holes and pegged them, ready to be wide even molds for the hot bent sides and lacquered.

I lacquered the second tenor ukulele more with a new can of off brand lacquer, worked alright with a wide spread nozzle. It’s looking really good.

I picked up a couple lamb chops in the discount section, cooked them up. One for now, one for tomorrow lunch, really tasty stuff. A couple small red potatoes nuked, needs a veggie. I have an artichoke in the garden, perfect. Boiled until the inner leave comes loose, cut in half and the choke removed with a spoon. A wedge of butter in the cavity and on the potatoes, I’ll eat well tomorrow. Tuesday is enchiladas for the gang. I like to cook.

7/8/2017

Returned from a trip to Michigan, Family Reunion, great time. Elliot gave me his first class ticket coming home, that was cool, first time.

It’s really hot here today, 102, so I took a shower with my clothes on. I was actually cold for 15 minutes. Then comfortable the rest of the day.

I made a batch of breakfast burritos to freeze and chicken enchiladas for the work gang, one without dairy for Alan. I’m soaking a nice batch of small gherkins I bought at the farmers market in salt to process into cornichons tomorrow. And working on some chicken bone soup broth.

I put the first few coats of lacquer on the second tenor ukulele today after filling, sanding and tack ragging it clean. I cut a piece of rosewood into a nut for a violin on the table saw for my friend Warren at work. I used the surface sander to get it close to perfect 8 mm x 9 mm. I like that machine. I used it to get the two wings for the bass head smooth and flat to be glued to the neck. But I needed to cut the heel to match the width of the sides while flat before I glued the head wings up. It’s drying, with enough excess to bring it all into smooth.

A fine day, more to do tomorrow.