A sneak preview and keeping the mosquitoes out!

I hope this post finds you well and enjoying the start to your weekend.

This week has been a good one for me in many respects. If you’ve been reading my previous posts then you’ll know that I’ve started once again working with Mike Raine to record and write new material.

It’s always a long journey from the start of a recording project to a completed album – many months in fact – but I enjoy the process very much.

There are days when I question my abilities (particularly when I’m not singing well or when I’m going through a bit of writers block) but on those days I try to grit my teeth and keep going, knowing from experience that I always come out the other side smiling.

And, it’s on those days particularly that I think of you, my wonderful supporters, who keep me going with your encouragement and kind words – I never seem to be able to thank you enough for your this – it means so much to me! So, thank you, once again!

So, how are we progressing ? Well, to date we have draft recordings of 4 songs. I absolutely love Mike’s production on all of them and I’m really stoked about 2 of the songs (is that a word where you live ? It means really, really happy ? ). The other 2 songs I think I would benefit from better vocals, so I need to work a bit more on those.

Anyway, I’ll keep you in the loop as we’re going along and next time we get together in the studio I’ll take some footage to share with you. In the meantime, here’s a teaser of one of the tracks we’re working on:

So, what else has been going on in my world ?

Well, as summer is on it’s way here (hence the snow on Mt Wellington this morning! ) I’ve pulled the sewing machine out (an industrial Sailrite) and I’m busily making mosquito nets and sun blinds for all the hatches and ports on Dream Catcher.

This might sound easy, but nothing is ever square on a boat and I’m having to try to make a template of every single hatch/port (which is a challenge in it’s own right).

I confess to not being the best seamstress and most of my sewing tasks are accompanied by quite a bit of cussing and cursing, but I eventually get there in my rough and ready way (and over the years, having the sewing machine has saved us a fortune on bags, sail covers and all the canvas work on the boat – although I draw the line at sails themselves).

Here’s my trusty machine and a couple of the nets I’ve made so far. The machine doesn’t have much finesse – a bit like a tractor – but it’s strong and does the job. You’ll notice on the first image, the really scrappy cabin flooring – well, that’s going to be our big project for next winter, to lay a new floor – I’m really looking forward to that!