fiddlin' again

Red River Gorge National Park

Yesterday we met Paul's new violin/fiddle teacher - wow! She lives in a 100 year old farmhouse about an hour east of us and has a studio/recording studio in one of the outbuildings. The walls are lined with instruments from all over, most of which I can't name. Paul really liked her treasure chest full of treats. He picked out a blow-pop at lesson's end. Remember those suckers with bubble gum inside? For me, if it's not chocolate, forget it! Anyway, Ms. Mary as we call her, was trained by one of the singing nuns in the Sound of Music! She's played violin since age 9 but also sings, fiddles, plays piano, coaches drama, and performs with the local symphony and chamber orchestra, etc. She said the kids who are winning all the fiddling contests right now were trained in classical violin. Our goal isn't to win any contests but just play respectably. We have a lot to learn.

Last night we started the Alpha Course at church and it is great! First a wonderful dinner and then the study. Quite a few church members came and then ten new folks. One recovering meth addict who attends our church brought five gnarly-looking, tattoo-sporting friends. I was so impressed! What a testimony he has. I was ashamed I only brought myself.

With all this going on, who has time to write, right? I'm awaiting a book on Kentucky's Red River from Amazon to help me in this next edit of book 2 - Red River Daughter. Being meticulous in researching a book is critical because there will always be a reader out there who knows more about the subject than you do and who will be happy to point out anything inconsistent. I suppose you earn the criticism if you don't get it right though writers do make mistakes:)

I am missing this second book very much and wish I could go back and write it all again. Still stuck on page 82 of book 3, The Scrivener's Daughter, but am researching in the interim. Another writer I know of says she never feels at home with a new book until she climbs past page 100. Then she feels she really knows her characters and where they are headed. Every writer is different. Anyway, enough writing here! Happy Thursday.