Kat's "Secret Santa Mudcat Magic Christmas Flood" began here shortly after I got the Hammered Dulcimer.
Something clicked in me during that flood....just everything positive combined.....that had been happening here. The way the house welcomed the sounds of the autoharp and the HD in it;....the colors in the "utensil" ornaments;... the ornaments themselves;....the kindnesses of the "Santas" in giving them and THEN thanking ME for the giggles they had in giving them;......the simplicity and "honesty" of the children's tree;....Jon's delight and excitement at seeing it all;...... the giggles that were so contagious in my home to anyone who entered;..... the peacefulness of my new home itself;......the carpenter's delight in being able to straighten the barn without it falling down on us;.....positive comments from people in the neighborhood on the work we were trying to do here;.....Paul's continuity, after three years, finally convincing me that his hand was there whenever I needed to grab hold to steady myself;....the deepening of a friendship with kat that I treasure;...and continuing to find DAILY resources, giggles and links in Mudcat threads that I need here.

It's a loooong list, and I could go on with more on the list......BUT all I'm trying to say...is.....that I turned a corner here.......and I felt it.

And then, reading threads one night, surrounded by potato peelers, measuring spoons, cookie cutters, jello molds etc. and with a moose in elk-drag smiling down at me from its perch on top of my computor, I found a thread Rick Fielding had started about a new guitar he had bought. And somewhere in there, he mentioned that it meant he would have to sell his old guitar.

I spent a couple of days trying NOT to think about it, reminded myself that I had spent my guitar money on the HD, and convinced myself that he wasn't REALLY serious anyway.

The "gnawing" wouldn't leave my head....and had quickly turned into a shout. I mentioned the thread to Paul... who read it...reduced it to its lowest common denominator and simply said:

"no harm in asking".

So, .....with the goofy smile of an elk-moose in front of me....and a funny looking BUT dignified green thing behind me standing among ALL the potato peelers on the table...I took a looong deep breath and sent Rick a Mudcat's personal message which said something like. ...."Just Curious here...were you serious about selling a guitar, and if so...how much are you asking???"

I received an immediate response from Rick.....and pm'd him RIGHT back and said SOLD!!!!

There was a quick flurry of phone calls.....to catch Jeri.....who lives kinda/sorta near me....and was leaving any minute to go visit Rick and Heather for the Holidays.

Within days, with my brain twirling, I was in New Hampshire (somewhere).....sitting at a restaurant..in a daze..... talking with Jeri, looking at what to my eye was the most beautiful guitar I'd seen...with the "right" color tones in the wood. And when I picked her up and strummed, it was CLEARLY a match. Her tones were clear..and deep...and full......and she FIT!!!! I had ignored ALL those rules about making sure your hand fits the neck, the body isn't too big or too small to be comfortable before buying etc. I had worried about all of it...BUT she fit....my eyes, my ears, my body and my fingers..she FIT!!!!!!

And I began the New Year, with my new guitar.

;o)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

I didn't get much sleep for the next few days.....I rushed home from work to play her..and we played, and played.....and she played soft......and she played LOUD....and she taught me that she wouldn't allow my fingers to get sloppy on her neck...and that I'm a better guitarist than I thought I was.......and that I've a LOT to learn....and that she's a patient and responsive teacher....and that she'll help me learn more!!!

And best of all.....she's given me back my JOY in playing a guitar.


The words fall FAR short....but.....


THANK-YOU RICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I HOPE you don't miss her too much...cuz .... HONEST ... she loves it here...and the feeling's VERY mutual.

And, with your approval,...in the process of writing all this "stuff" in this thread...I know that I want to name her "Mary-Ellen" .


THANK-YOU JERI....for bringing her "home" safely and for being the musician/person you are, that understood SO much that night!!