april 6, 2012

this weekend, n.h. and i are housesitting for a friend. we met up in ottawa and, as i was packing to head over here, he asked if he could bring my guitar. i said sure. he asked where it was. i said, "in the basement." he gave me a curious look i couldn't quite read and went to grab it from downstairs. i just put it down there yesterday, in fact, because it was hanging around, not being used - basically gathering dust.

it's a beautiful guitar - a norman that was made in quebec. it has such a sweet, full sound...i'm not sure why i don't play it anymore. sadly, n is the only one who even takes it out of its case.

music has always been important to me but, in the last couple of years, it's been a waning presence in my life. i've been singing less, writing less music and it's rare that i listen to music or the radio. i don't even know where my ipod is these days. it's been missing for a while, but i haven't bothered to look for it. it's in a box somewhere, probably?

anyway, tonight, in an idle moment after n had gone to bed, i looked at the guitar case to see if it needed to be repaired. like an apt metaphor for how much i've been neglecting my music, the case was in absolutely terrible shape. as you can see from the pics below, there were all these loose threads and worn parts and frayed bits...

...and a gap in one of the seams where the edging had pulled away from the original stitching:

i started by trimming all the threads and frayed bits with a pair of scissors...

...and then i took this handy barbecue lighter to the nubs that were left, to prevent more fraying.

once that was done, i stitched up the gap in the seam and called it a night.

here's hoping this gesture opens a door - i think music has been at arm's length for long enough.