I can't believe how fast time goes, and I've been putting off any blahg entries because of all the other things I have keep up with, and I thank everyone (anyone?) who has been checking for updates.

I completed construction on my bedroom project, but had to put up a carport last summer, so the furniture is still in the shop waiting for lacquer.  Maybe this summer.

I started a fiddle last fall, and construction is almost finished.  I told my friend Jim B. in California that I ruined two neck blanks trying to carve a bull head.  I'm happy to inform everyone (anyone?) that the third attempt was successful, and "Bullisimo" is mooving forward to completion.  See the photos below.

Meanwhile, I'm driving a school bus everyday and having a blast doing it.  Custodial work is keeping us busy as well, and our son's baseball activities are in full swing.  HA

​Thank you for looking in on things.!

      The year was 1993, when woodworking was still just a hobby for me, and my day job was an auto technician at a local service station in Tucson, AZ.  I was really into Period Furniture at the time, and had just finished a cherry wood Queene Anne Highboy.  The design incorporated beading strips around the drawer fronts for accent, and everything looked grand, a beautiful design well done.  Mostly.  In case you are not familiar with atmospheric conditions of different regions across the U.S.A., Virginia has a much higher humidity level than the desert southwest, which leads to wood expansion and consequently swollen drawers that won't fully shut on beautiful well made period reprductions.  But we lived with it...and lived with it...everyday...for over two decades...not being able to fully close the drawers...and too busy to take the time to correct them...until two months ago.  I had actually milled the replacement beading strips a year or two ago, but got busy until just after school started this year, and finally re-fit the drawers.  Now at least twice a week I will say aloud that it is nice to be able to fully close the drawers.
     Now that redo got me obsessing about some other projects completed over the years that need some retro work, like my first mandolin that needs some thinning and weight reduction, and a guitar back that maybe should be replaced because for some reason the outward dome shape became inverted, and though it sounds good, it looks not so good.  And after finishing a violin reconstruction for a customer, I am needing to do a similar job on another violin my neighbor gave me that she would like to pass on to someone wanting to learn to play.  Which brings me to the twenty year old boards.
      When I first moved to Virginia, I purchased a stack of 10 to 12 foot white oak lumber and thought, "Oh Boy, the stuff I'll make with this!"  And over the years I have made some stuff, but they lost their excitement, and so I still have some of these boards, and have decided to make new headboard/shelf units for us and our son. Refer to the Recent Project page coming soon.  But I'll still have some left I bet.
     Between bus driving and custodial work, which pays regularly, and luthery and woodwork, which is much more interesting but doesn't pay regularly, it becomes more difficult to convince the CFO (wife) that we should purchase a $2,500.00 spiral cutter planer, and when a woodworker must even bring into question whether or not to buy great new equipment, it's like staring into your vocational mortality.  Will I continue doing this work?  You can help by sending a check or cash to "Save the Woodworker". My address is on each page.

     These past months have been busy for me and the family.  My son graduated from kindergarden, we've gone to the town pool a little, went to the beach for a week, which we've never done before and was a lot of fun, went to Kentucky to visit family, Vacation Bible School, and we try to go to the park when it's not too hot.  
     I haven't started any new projects and probably won't until school starts.  Check out "All That Sass" on my Mandolin page.  I finished this one around the end of April or beginning of May, and it's pretty sweet.
     I've only taken three bus driving trips this summer, mostly because I need to spend time with the boy, but the school year begins two weeks from today for us and I'm getting mentally prepared.
     Otherwise, there aren't a whole lot of things in the works to prattle on and bore you to death about, so check back maybe after we're a month or so in the new school year, and enjoy the remainder of you summer.

     I'm sorry to have kept all of my dedicated and oh-so-lonely readers waiting for a new post.  I don't know if it's worth the wait, but here goes.
     I will post photos of "Carpe Didelphis" soon.  I lost my camera memory card and only recently replaced it.  I took pictures today, and on this post you can see the mandolin I have been working on and should finish before the end of April.  The mandolin is of sassafras and walnut with persimmon accessory wood.  "Carpe Didelphis" is a GREAT fiddle and if you're after something extraordinary, this is it.
     The  great American novel is going slow because of my other activities taking the time.  I think I will try more writing after the mandolin is completed, as I still have a good inventory of instruments, and there is no speculative work I desire to engage in at the time.
     Bus driving is picking up a little after all the snow-day cancellations and schedule changes due to winter.  I enjoy driving mostly, and the trips can be lots of fun.  I encourage anyone but especially the parents of school kids to go the games, plays, and concerts, because the kids sure have remarkable talents and skills.
     Check out the Criddle page.  Thanks for visiting.
     

     I know, it's been over two months since my last post.  I hope there aren't any really lonely people suffering much anxiety waiting for me to write something.  Sure, I'm cute and clever, but there's a whole community of people and activities to be involved with that are equally or even more exciting than, yes, me.
     I've begun varnishing my latest fiddle, "Possum Up A 'Simmon Tree".  I started this one back in June, but decided to complete the 1/4 size one first, then there was bus training and my son's school and driving...and now it's mid-December and here we are. I am so far pleased with my workmanship, and for all those of you possum fiddle enthusiasts out there, you will be really excited when you see the latest feature on my new Criddles...soft ears.  Yes, that's right!  Instead of carving the ears and that process, I am now using leather which I cut into shape and insert in holes.  The big advantage of this method is that the ears won't break if bumped, dropped, or caressed too enthusiastically.  I will post photos soon.
     Driving the school bus has been going well.  I'm not driving as much as when I started, but I've been told that the busiest time is during softball season.  Usually I'm driving students to some scholastic or athletic event or other, and then wait for the event to conclude, then drive'm back.  During the in-between time I nap, read, play the fiddle, or write.  I can watch the event, of course, and do sometimes, and the kids can often be impressive.
     The novel has stalled, but because I have not been using my time as well as I could, not because I've given up or have a block.  I am usually devoting regularly some thought to the story and characters though, so when I start writing again I should have some material.  It is ambitious of one to write stories, history, and other volumes of this and that, and though not everything one reads is a classic or even written well, my opinion of books in general is similar to my opinion of recorded music in general, when I must acknowledge the fact of what has been printed or recorded has been to date not of my origin, and that somebody smarter than me thought something worthy of investment for the literary and listening public, who in turn gets the final say by voting with their money.

     It's been a little over a month since I began my new REAL job, driving the school bus.  So far I've mostly enjoyed the work, and I get to do that really cool bus driver wave to my fellow drivers, and I've had my first almost emergency situation when a couple of students on a hiking trip didn't come back with the pack, and it was stormy and rainy and windy and the daylight was running out and we were way out in the country and the kids didn't have food or water or adequate clothing for long outdoor exposure...but the "Chuck Norris" of school teachers went out (after two energetic students had also gone out, not come back yet, but smartly made a loop from one trail out and another one back in about 45 minutes...well done!) and found the two missing students on a side trail by blowing a whistle, which was about all you could hear because of the wind, all the while I was able to speak with the dispatcher by radio and communicate the situation to which forces were being contacted for search and rescue, when after about an hour after the teacher went looking, here they come around the bend, everyone's okay and they simply took a wrong trail but weren't injured or in need of medical care, and all the people were greatly relieved, including myself, my supervisor, the principal, and the district superintendent.  Anyway, so far, so good.
     Fiddle lessons for my son are slow in getting started.  I'm trying to keep it fun by playing Star Wars music and other things he recognizes, but it's uncomfortable learning to hold the thing, so I will limit the lessons to five minutes at a time for now.  I hope he will learn to like playing, but I think it will be a long term process.
     The great American novel is coming along well.  I am not a full-time anything, let alone author, but my progress has become more steady due to the waiting time I have on the bus trips I drive.  Since the games or tours usually take at least 3 hours, that gives me time to advance the story a little each week, so as long as I stick to the task, I think I can finish the book, and you will be updated on this subject as the months roll on.
     Someone is really checking out my Criddle page this month, so if it's you and you're reading this, I've got another Opossum in the works, and I'm currently working on the neck.  It will be outfitted with persimmon, and I'm going to call it "Carpe Didelphis".
     So long for now.

     There was a disturbance on the porch, and I opened the door to find that Semper Didelphis had found a 1/4 sized companion to screech with.  The little guy is for my son, and features persimmon wood for the accessories.  I think I might call it "Possimmon", but I'm not sure yet.  What do you think?
     I am currently Washington County Virginia's newest, shiniest, and least experienced, school bus driver, as of last week.  To start with it looks like I'll be doing a lot of activity trips like sporting events and day field trips.  I've already driven some, and so far the kids and coaches have been great, and the folks at the Transportation Center are very helpful and professional, with a noticeable spirit of cooperation that, sadly I've already heard from drivers from other counties, doesn't exist everywhere.
So far, so good.
     I've gone back to working on a 4/4 possum Criddle that I started back in May.  I think I will keep Semper Didelphis for myself because I'm writing the next great American novel, and when it's all done I'll need a possum Criddle for the big publicity events that will be required of famous authors, and all the people who want me to sign there copy of my book will naturally want to see one.
     That's all for now.  Be sure to check out the BBTS SALE page if you're interested in a traditional violin. 

     July is winding down fast, and the best way to describe the last few weeks is that events and projects have been scattered, and likely will continue to be until school starts.
     We took two trips in June, one to Kentucky, and one to Oregon.  I wanted to meet up with Jim B. while in OR, but the birth of his grand daughter was later than the doctors predicted, so our schedules didn't work out.  I wanted to play some music with Jim at Lithia Park in Ashland, OR, something on my bucket list.  Jim bought "Possum In A Pear Tree", and it would have been fun to have a two possum jam together.  My son and I got to play in the Pacific Ocean, and we all went on jet boat trip on the Rogue River.  I was mostly really glad to see some of my family.
     My real job training for school bus driving is going well, and I may have my CDL by next week.  Then I will get to drive for reals after school starts.
     I am working on the 1/4 size possum fiddle for my son, and I am on the neck as of this writing.  I do so hope he will want to learn to play, but you can't always force these things.  It will be a fun thing to have around regardless. 
     The way things are going, I don't know if there will be enough time for me to help Jed build a guitar and a mandolin by this spring, so he will need to choose which one he wants to do most, and if there's time for the other, okay.
     I might be having a "Back to School Sale" for August and September.  Contact me if any of you have an interest in violin, and we'll parlez.   

     I've started two opossum criddles this month, a 4/4 size and a 1/4 size.  For the 1/4 size I am using some maple I've had in the shop for years that doesn't have as much figure as I'd prefer, but it will still look good.  I will be accessorizing it with persimmon, and I sure hope my son will want to learn to play it.
     I will also showing a young man how to build a mandolin and maybe a guitar, too. His school is involved in yearly competitions in academics, sports, arts and crafts, and one of the categories is wood carving.  He won this category in 2014 with a violin he made in my shop under my watchful eye, and is hoping to do well at the competition next spring with a mandolin and guitar.  Like a violin, almost all the parts on a mandolin are carved on to one extent or another, so it can be entered in the wood carving contest, but the guitar may be a different story and need to be placed in another category, but we have some time to figure that out.
     In July, I will be starting training for a part-time real job, and I'll make some entries on my progress.
     The Damascus Artisan Expo went okay.  This is it's first year, and I will be happy to participate in it next year, but events like this need to heavily promoted in order to attract more buyers.  It's fun to demonstrate crafts to the public and answer questions, but emphasis needs to be made on the fact that we are also there to sell.  This event needs to be nurtured and I hope for greater attendance and sales in the years to come.

     If you have been lonely and bored with nothing better to do than to keep up with my BLAH...G, then you've noticed some entries have vanished that were pertinent mostly to May only, but I will reiterate now the things that still apply.  The BIG MAY SALE wasn't what I hoped, but I did sell "Sassy" the mandolin to a NYC dweller, which means that 1/3 of all the mandolins I've made are in the Big Apple, and that's a proud statistic for me.  
     I have also pulled my instruments out of the stores they were in and am now selling only through my website and shop, resulting in lower retail prices now that there aren't consignment fees.  I think my violins are worth more, but times are hard and my current inventory of violins are now priced at $1,500.00, with the exception of my Opossum Criddles, which will stay at $2,000.00.  There are so many aspects to consider in any given marketing strategy, and I've decided that my Opossums are pretty special and that you will get a great value and uncommon instrument, and I'm not willing to sell them on the cheap.  In fact, I may dedicate my whole production to these criddles and establish my niche in violin making.  I started a 1/4 size opossum for my son, so look for some photos in the coming weeks. 
     In a deleted post I stated that I may have to get a REAL job, and that could begin this fall.  A real job would allow me to continue in my luthery while providing income, which will also allow me to hold out for higher sale prices.  So with that in mind, make me and offer on my existing inventory while I'm in the mood to deal.
     I will be demonstrating violin making at the Damascus Artisan Expo on Saturday, June 13th.  
     If all this sounds like self-promoting shameless capitalism, that's because it is.