Julie R Fricke

The other adventure this weekend was mild by comparison to the chicken threat but resulted in more long term enjoyment. We were invited to dinner to some colleague of O's. Since she and her husband are Colombian, the evening included authentic Colombian food and culture.  It was an interesting combination of extremely formal settings and yet completely relaxed and casual visiting.

(For the record we were fed an appetizer of fried oyster mushrooms and another of grilled shrimp. Pre- appetizers included various things, but I went for the fried plantano chips. Then for dinner we had cucumber/tomato/red onion salad; baked, seasoned chicken legs, and small potatoes in a light sauce. Dessert was Maracuja (passion fruit) gelatin and I had brought brownies and coffee ice cream)

Most fun for me was that her husband makes guitars.  I learned that guitars are made out of spruce, a very soft wood, and that it is crucially important to mind the humidity in the workroom. Jose had at least four barometers in there and said that he doesn't even work on the guitars when there is a Santa Ana. He had a chart on the wall  from the days when he used to record the humidity. I don't know how long it takes him to make a guitar, but he sells them for $3200 each. Then he began to show me some of his finished creations.  I was itching to try one as he took first one and then another out of the closet and then replaced them. Think dog watching steak being flipped on a grill! 

Strangely, he seems (and says he is) totally tone deaf. He strummed one of his creations. Though the guitar was completely out of tune, he really didn't seem to notice. Then he got a tuner and tuned it up. Then, miraculously, he asked me to try it, which I did gladly. This one was a small guitar. I own one myself and it is basically a piece of junk and constantly goes out of tune, ie, within minutes. This small guitar was small in overall size but had a wide neck where you do the fingering. I had bought the small one with the idea that a child could learn to play it ,(none did; slackers). This one would have been difficult for a child to get their hands around. However, it played beautifully.

He encouraged me to come outside and play on the patio where the rest of the folks were. Having not played a guitar in literally years, I was a little apprehensive, but the absolute ease of playing that guitar pushed me over my hesitance. I began to play the Hatikvah, the Israeli national anthem, which is a beautiful minor melody. As I was singing I thought,  "Oh no, I'll probably forget the right words!" Then I realised--nobody here KNOWS the words! And so I continued, perhaps repeating a line now and then, but no one was the wiser.

Having already told them that I taught at a private school where people paid big bucks to send their children there, they all then came up with a scheme that I would play his guitars at the school and all the wealthy parents would rush to lay down money to buy their kids excellent guitars!

At any rate, since he had already told me that the guitar I was playing was a prototype (because it was small) but had construction flaws because of a few nicks, I am thinking of working some angle to wrangle myself a good guitar, nicks be damned! He'd probably let me have it for a mere $1500! (choke)


Joke of the evening:
Three brew meisters walk into a restaurant, Mr. Miller, Mr. Budweiser, and Mr. Guinness.
The waitress comes up and asks them for their orders.
Mr Miller says he'd like to have a Miller.
"OK, "she says, and notes that down on her order pad. She turns to Mr. Budweiser. "What would you like, Sir?"
"I'll have a Bud." he replies.
She turns to the third gentleman and asks him, "And what will it be for you?"
"I'll have a Coke," he says.
"WHAT?" the other two say, swivelling their heads to stare at their companion in shocked amazement. "A Coke?!!"
"Well, since neither of you are having a beer, I won't either," he replies.