A couple emails asking if I was ok, and where I been. I been poking in and out, but haven't been as active on the forum for a few weeks. Yes, there is a reason, but to be honest, a good one.
Some changes in our life here are changing. Actually an opertunity has risen that can really be the next cool chapter in my families lives. We have listed to sell our old house in this small town. We love this place, but, like I said an opertunity has pretty much been dropped in my lap.
This is my 14 year old daughter's frosh year in HS. We transfered her to another school district in the area for a few reasons no need to go in here. But, bottom line, she is happier than ever with the new school, and sports program. Yes, she is not only a musician, she is also an athlete. It's another small town just 4 miles from our current town. We have always been very involved with our local community, but frankly that has suffered due to the transfer of my daughter. Many friends understood, and are ok with it, but others refer to us as "traders" even tho we did what we felt we had to for the happiness and betterment of my daughter's teen years. Our sense of community here in the small town has suffered, and we don't like that. So, we started considering looking for a home 4 miles away in this other small town where my daughter now goes to school.
At the same time, most of you know my daughter is also a musician. She is an awesome guitarist, & vocalist, especially for her age. Not only that, she has filled in part time as a guitar tech at a local guitar shop. She loved the guitar, not just playing it, but everything from working on them, and now she has been in the process of designing her own. She aspires to be a musician, and maybe even as a living, but is realistic in knowing small percentage of musicians actually support their familes with just gigging. She wants to make her living as a luthier, and the performance thing as a side thing as well.
Anyway... We are in the process of purchasing a property that fits our dream property. My wife and I collect antiques, and love 19th-early 20th century American culture. This property is the coolest storefront building built in 1848. It was the original "General Store" of the little town, and a part of a historic district down town of the small town. It has a 1700 sf 1st floor and storefront. A 1700 sq ft apartment living quarters on the 2nd floor. It even has a 1700 sq foot full basement. Beautiful building... Below is a picture of it.
What we want to do with this, is not only live in it, but also use the store and set up a ukulele/guitar shop. Split the 1st floor into a storefront up front with a shop in the back half. The basement we plan to use for a wood shop.
I am not a luthier, but plan to build up "Dük" as a real label. I don't plan to be a manufacture, I am not good enough right now. But I do want to start to build on a name. This will also be a learning enviornment for my daughter. Some day, after high school, I want to be able to send her to a school of Lutheri, and maybe apprentice under a real luthier. Some day, this shop will be her baby. By the time she makes a name for herself, she will be set up with her own Luthier shop, and music store in a historic district. I can see my baby with her own shop, and being one of just a few woman Luthiers with a reputation in the industry. This is very exciting for us, and we look forward to a pretty cool new chapter of a day in the life... Send up prayers, and some good juju that things pan out like we hope.
Here is our soon to be new life...
Here it is on a row of the historic buildings. The other side of the main street is just as impressive.
Ours is the 3rd from the right.
Some changes in our life here are changing. Actually an opertunity has risen that can really be the next cool chapter in my families lives. We have listed to sell our old house in this small town. We love this place, but, like I said an opertunity has pretty much been dropped in my lap.
This is my 14 year old daughter's frosh year in HS. We transfered her to another school district in the area for a few reasons no need to go in here. But, bottom line, she is happier than ever with the new school, and sports program. Yes, she is not only a musician, she is also an athlete. It's another small town just 4 miles from our current town. We have always been very involved with our local community, but frankly that has suffered due to the transfer of my daughter. Many friends understood, and are ok with it, but others refer to us as "traders" even tho we did what we felt we had to for the happiness and betterment of my daughter's teen years. Our sense of community here in the small town has suffered, and we don't like that. So, we started considering looking for a home 4 miles away in this other small town where my daughter now goes to school.
At the same time, most of you know my daughter is also a musician. She is an awesome guitarist, & vocalist, especially for her age. Not only that, she has filled in part time as a guitar tech at a local guitar shop. She loved the guitar, not just playing it, but everything from working on them, and now she has been in the process of designing her own. She aspires to be a musician, and maybe even as a living, but is realistic in knowing small percentage of musicians actually support their familes with just gigging. She wants to make her living as a luthier, and the performance thing as a side thing as well.
Anyway... We are in the process of purchasing a property that fits our dream property. My wife and I collect antiques, and love 19th-early 20th century American culture. This property is the coolest storefront building built in 1848. It was the original "General Store" of the little town, and a part of a historic district down town of the small town. It has a 1700 sf 1st floor and storefront. A 1700 sq ft apartment living quarters on the 2nd floor. It even has a 1700 sq foot full basement. Beautiful building... Below is a picture of it.
What we want to do with this, is not only live in it, but also use the store and set up a ukulele/guitar shop. Split the 1st floor into a storefront up front with a shop in the back half. The basement we plan to use for a wood shop.
I am not a luthier, but plan to build up "Dük" as a real label. I don't plan to be a manufacture, I am not good enough right now. But I do want to start to build on a name. This will also be a learning enviornment for my daughter. Some day, after high school, I want to be able to send her to a school of Lutheri, and maybe apprentice under a real luthier. Some day, this shop will be her baby. By the time she makes a name for herself, she will be set up with her own Luthier shop, and music store in a historic district. I can see my baby with her own shop, and being one of just a few woman Luthiers with a reputation in the industry. This is very exciting for us, and we look forward to a pretty cool new chapter of a day in the life... Send up prayers, and some good juju that things pan out like we hope.
Here is our soon to be new life...
Here it is on a row of the historic buildings. The other side of the main street is just as impressive.
Ours is the 3rd from the right.