The Sunday Thread for Groundhog Day, 2025

And if you don't know that Groundhog Day is every February 2, you're probably from another planet. Or a groundhog.

After a week of above average temperatures, we're back to the cold. Funny, it happens every year. And groundhog be damned. This past week was both my daughter's and sister's birthdays, and my son-in-law's was last weekend. So, I'm taking my daughter and son-in-law to dinner tonight. My sister lives in Massachusetts, so she's have to fend for herself.

I'm going to re-string the Washburn before I go over, as that's the guitar I'm giving my granddaughter. There's no handegg on TV, so I'll find something else while I do so. Church first, then my normal Sunday activities before I go.

Stay warm, stay safe, everyone!

Our deep cold finally broke yesterday. We are into the 40s (was 20s). Yesterday was mainly work (7 hrs) with some chores and building a guitar stand. Today is church, house cleaning, pay bills and working on the office/music room. Got a couple errands to run as well.

It's 4 degrees where I live in the Berkshires. Been a cold winter so far.

Nyquilled myself to sleep last night. Dry, sore throat coming on. Scratchy cough.

May go out to see a local band later if I feel OK. Trying to show my face around and take up playing opportunities wherever I can.
Good area here for music.

Played my first gig in Becket Friday night. Been sitting in with players at the open mics in the area and slowly building some credibility. I was asked by one of the players from an open mic to play a gig as an acoustic duo. 24 hours notice. D'oh!
Went very well. More gigs on the horizon.

Decided I am definitely selling a few guitars. There's a very nice store in Northampton where I plan to drop the kids off and see what happens.
Time to start parting with the case dwellers. Fortunately I don't develop strong bonds with things I don't use. They've all had their time at the top of the heap. Now it's time for them to become someone else's new favorite.

Moving a couple towns over for March 1st. Found a really sweet deal on house with 6 acres and a music room! Enough space for a small workshop as well!
Long-term lease. Looking forward to the new digs!

Stay warm everyone. I'm hoping winter is just getting all its cold and bluster out of the way early and we'll have long, warm, spring!

Was supposed to be a hiatus for a couple months, that didn't last long! Phone's been ringing. I have a studio session for tomorrow and Tuesday. Tomorrow will be going over charts and getting sounds for the song. Hopefully we can knock it out without a lot of overdubs and not have to revisit on Tuesday. This studio has lots and lots of great equipment. Even a full selection of guitars, amps and pedals. I'll have some of my gear there but we'll see what sounds they are looking for. I don't have to play the gear rental fees so everything is on the table. I think this may be a double scale session too, so woohoo!

February I've got called up for two more local shows. Both are club dates so I'm really looking forward to them. So much fun to be on small stage with a minimal grab-and-go rig again! Mike will mic me and run FOH and monitor for me so all I have to do is play my guitar. Best of both worlds, small club and I still have someone doing my guitar sound. How cool is that?

Auditioning a bass player (we tend to platoon there as availability can be an issue as we all have so many irons in the fire) Tuesday. Auditioned a really great young guy last week and he was impressive, well beyond his experience level. Showed up prepared and didn't miss a thing all audition and locked with the drummer. I told him I would help him find more work because he's ready. Suggested we put him in rotation and see how it goes.

Cold here last night, the old house was creaking and groaning so that means it was below 0?F. Going to go to the Boat Show this afternoon.

Been down with the flu for a while. I'm just getting over the yacking up furballs stage. Wife ended up with pneumonia but that's under control now. After a year of chemo, radiation and immunotherapy she's pretty compromised. She's been diagnosed now as cancer free, but stuff like this is still hard on her. She's a trouper though.

Chuck

Sunny and quite cold, still single digits two hours after I got up. Think I'm going to sashay to the grocery stores while folks are at church, get the fixings to make chili ... with beans mwuahahahaha. Got new benefits this year that include 50 dollars a month towards groceries. I'll take it, better than a sharp stick in the eye, as my dad would say. Got more snow on the way tomorrow then mid week and possibly a substantial accumulation on Super Bowl Sunday. Seems to be the pattern, snowing 3 times a week.

Family drama arose suddenly, as in yesterday afternoon. Youngest nephew had to move out of his mother's house with no place to go and no job. Take a wild guess where he's sleeping? In the basement in the room under construction. The situation is allegedly temporary but for all intents and purposes, no more music room for me. Until the bathroom and kitchenette are built, then I'll have a space I can build, albeit smaller than the room under construction but still more than twice what I ever had. The biggest difference will be not having room for a drum kit but I'm ok with that. Probably much to the relief of everybody within earshot anyway.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tele-Bob

Decided I am definitely selling a few guitars. There's a very nice store in Northampton where I plan to drop the kids off and see what happens.
Time to start parting with the case dwellers. Fortunately I don't develop strong bonds with things I don't use. They've all had their time at the top of the heap. Now it's time for them to become someone else's new favorite.

Moving a couple towns over for March 1st. Found a really sweet deal on house with 6 acres and a music room! Enough space for a small workshop as well!
Long-term lease. Looking forward to the new digs!

Stay warm everyone. I'm hoping winter is just getting all its cold and bluster out of the way early and we'll have long, warm, spring!

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Would that store in Northampton be Downtown Sounds? I made the journey out there to pick up my '90s Fender Super Amp.

It snowed a little bit overnight here behind the Cheddar Curtain on the Wisconsin Lake Michigan shore so I got out with the shovel and cleared walks and driveway. I maybe didn’t have to do that because it’s supposed to be in the mid 40 degree range today, but I’d rather be safe than sorry if everything would freeze tonight.

Hope all have a great week!.