A Musical Christmas in April

Sure, it's April but this is our cold time of the year, having spent our winter in Mexico. I guess this is a music blog because today we are visiting Lynnwood and staying in a motel for two nights while we spend today at the Petosa accordion studio. I hope and expect to pick out an accordion today and I feel like I did on Christmas morning 1960 when I was eight years old and woke up with One of the new portable  tiny transistor radio in bed with me. The radio did not need to be plugged into the wall and was the size of the cell phone I'm holding in my hand right now! A new life of opportunities awaits me!

Well, I have picked out an accordion and will have to wait until it comes to me because he's going to do some fancy tuning on it. Someone might find this interesting, it features four reeds (LMMM) in the right hand. One low reed and three medium reeds. Of the three medium reeds one will be at the actual pitch to match the low reed but an octave higher. One the other two reeds will be tuned 8 cents low and the other 18 cents high. With the ability to use any combination of those reeds I will be able to play in many styles. I hope to demonstrate some tunes on this blog after I get the accordion and record some pieces. By the way, I do have a microphone in the instrument for an amplifier!

Now, to wait!

Taking a break from the embarrassing U.S. news

Tuesday Night

I began the "Our Lives in Oaxaca" page today - and I hope you all enjoy it. It is just framed out for now, but I'll soon be filling in the sections. Be sure to return to see more.  ...and drop me a comment, if you please.

Adjusting to the Northern Climate

Monday Night

Short entry: It's been a slow week adjusting to the climate (colder, wetter) and recovering from the almost obligatory head colds we caught on the train. My mistake was to let myself be compromised riding with the passengers in the chilly observation car through the beautiful Siskiyou mountains. (It's a gorgeous trip, but you won't see the mountains unless you are on the Coast Starlighter northbound.)

Hopefully, we'll feel more perky in a couple of days. Laying low for now.

Flying North Thursday

Sunday

Cleaning up the apartment, getting ready to fly early Thursday morning to Tijuana, cross to San Diego and board the AMTRAK Coastal Starlighter for Portland. Then it's the Tillamook Wave to bring us back to Lee's Camp where our cat and hummingbird friends await our arrival (and the rain shall continue until at least the end of June).

Orizaba to Oaxaca, Mexico

Saturday

Returned from the beautiful city of Orizaba, Mexico last night by bus. Rolled into Oaxaca at 11:45 PM saddle stiff and ready for the taxi back to Casa Sur. Got home to no power, no water, and no fux to give before a good night's sleep.
-It's been a long day getting things straightened out, but that's a story for another time. This week we are returning home and to witness the mess from the source.

We leave for the States Thursday. Lots of cleaning and organizing to do 'til then. So for ttfn. -Drop us a line send us your fav links.