Fiddles and Hearts

Though I haven't mentioned it for a while, I AM still attempting playing and building a fiddle. Problem is, I have noticed a distinct lack of progress as of late. As far as playing, I am still adding songs to my personal song roster. However, I don't feel like my playing ability is much improved. When Violet plays, it's a easily recognizable style...when you hear it, your brain automatically exclaimes, "Good golly! This is a fiddler!" But I feel when I play, anyone's brain within ear range is exclaiming, "Good golly! Who is torturing a baby seal?"

*sigh*

I know...perserverence and all that crap. I'd give it up (goodness knows I've got plenty of other things to do), but playing is just so darn fun. I just make sure to play when nobody is within hearing, lest they suffer bleeding from the ears.

As far as building my fiddle, I am STILL working on the back. The only bright spot is that I've moved from the outside of the back to the inside of the back (the dark spot is where I had to add water to make the cherry wood only slightly less hard than hardened lava). Looks like I may have to keep at it for a good long while. This past "Fiddle Day" Violet played one of her fiddles while we students worked. Show off.

By the way, I hope everyone had a Happy Valentine's Day. Once I arrived in "Adult Land" , way past the days of elementary school and conversation hearts, I used to abhor this contrived "holiday" as just a regular mundane day that some idiot got the bright idea to make into a "special" day to make anyone single to feel like absolute worthless dirt, and to pressure "coupled" people to waste money on flowers and cards.

Side note: money on chocolate is NEVER wasted.

Now I just sigh, smile, and follow the herd. It IS nice to get flowers and gifts, even if hubby's traditional Valentine's Day gift is usually firearms. Maybe not romantic to the hilt, but we're not exactly that typical romantic couple. However, in a rare show of romanticism on my part, I baked The Mr. this Valentine's cherry pie. Sometimes, I even amaze myself.