The Skeeter Daddle Diaries

Now that the edict has been passed down requiring us South Enders to quarantine ourselves, concerned friends and relatives call or email to inquire if we’re okay, worried that prolonged isolation down here with nothing but the beach and the woods confining us to a primitive existence, well, it might lead to, oh, mental instability. Or worse.

I tell them we’re fine, we’re all right, we’re really okay, nothing to worry about, we’ll manage just hunky dory. Got plenty to do here, wood to saw and split and haul, repairs to be made, garden to be planted, hardly enough hours in the day to get it all done. Don’t worry about us. Life goes on pretty much the same as always.

What I don’t mention is the guitar in the shack. The one I’m building while I’m also repairing the last one I built. Today I tore apart the first one I made, popped the walnut back and went to work on the guts. Three of them are sitting in various stages of assembly — or disassembly — on the tables down there. Parts are strewn from front door to back, necks are lying around, pickguards are being varnished, tailpieces are drilled, strings are everywhere. I know, it probably looks like the Mad Hatter’s luthier shop. But … nothing to worry about. I’m fine. Busy, as you can see.

Do I need a 5th homemade guitar? Why do you ask? It’s just a harmless hobby. Something to keep myself occupied. No, I don’t think it’s an obsession exactly. An addiction? C’mon. It’s hardly an addiction. Okay, no, I guess I’m not sure why I started this last one. Boredom maybe. One more chance to get it right, this guitar building. You know, learn from the first four mistakes. Improvement through practice. Yeah, I see that the last one was worse than the first three, so what’s your point? I’m repairing that one, aren’t I? Maybe when I’m done, it’ll be better. A lot better. Maybe so much better I’ll wish I hadn’t starting building the fifth one. Okay, I know, that’s what I said about the first one when I was half done with the second and already tearing down the first one but it did sound better and all right, I’m inside that one for the third time and now there are two more not quite done and … what? It seems like I’m going backwards? Does it? No, I don’t agree. I have two that are finished. What? Yeah, I tore those apart too but … what’s your point?

No, I’m perfectly fine. Just got a little hobby to while away the pandemic plague. If you’re interested in purchasing an instrument, just say so, I can probably have one ready by the time the virus has run its course. Got to use your fiscal stimulus money on something, right? I’d make you a deal on multiples. Take the whole lot, big savings. Very big savings. Might even save me.

Hits: 25