Author: akooyer

Up North

Last weekend we visited Grand Marais on the north shore of Minnesota.  I’ve always known that the North Shore was a MN hot-spot, what I didn’t know is how many times I would say, “I can’t believe this beautiful place is in my own state!”  Our friends Adam and Dena have frequented Grand Marais and invited Heather and I along with friends Tom and Gwen to join them in a weekend of outdoor recreation and fun in the sun.  The weather was simply amazing all weekend long–we didn’t even need our warm clothes! The sites, food and friendship were even better!  We would spend all day walking around, retire for refreshments and then a game of Catchphrase.

Anyway, I just posted my photos early this morning.  Have a gander here!

New Fiddlestick II

You say it’s your birthday?  Na na na na! It’s my birthday too!

I arrived home yesterday to this:

The Martin Mini LXM.  It’s the second Martin I’ve owned in my life.  It’s also my second brand new guitar.  It was a gift from my beautiful wife, Heather!  She rocks!

This thing has such enormous sound for a little guitar and will be awesome for traveling.  I plan to bring it to Hawaii and play it on the beach this fall.

Specifications:

  • Modified 0-14 Martin body
  • Wood-pattern HPL top
  • “1-style” Sitka spruce bracing
  • Micarta fretboard and bridge
  • 23″ scale
  • Stratabond modified low-oval neck
  • Martin’s patented neck mortise
  • Gotoh nickel-plated tuners
  • C.F. Martin script logo on headstock
Back Wood Mahogany Pattern
Body Size Mini
Finish Lacquer
Fretboard Wood Other
Has Pickup No
Laminate or Solid Back Laminate
Laminate or Solid Sides Laminate
Laminate or Solid Top Solid
Neck Joint Mortise & Tenon
Neck Wood Other
Number of Strings 6
Nut Width 1.69″ (42.9 mm)
Nylon or Steel String Steel
Scale Length Other
Side Wood Mahogany Pattern
Top Material Solid Sitka Spruce
With Case Gig Bag

Out Sick

We had a very busy weekend last weekend. To top it off, sometime between Friday and Sunday I managed to get very sick. I don’t know if it was the Whopper Jr. I had at BK Friday afternoon or something else I ate over the weekend. I think it may have been Friday at Buca di Bepo in St. Paul. I’m not sure if I got a bad tomato or what–but for the rest of the weekend I started to feel bloated and sick. Sunday I cleaned the cat-boxes and fixed my Tron Arcade machine and shortly after started to feel very sick. I made it through my Sister-In-Law’s Wedding Shower/Groom’s Dinner at Mancini’s OK but then it was a downward spiral. Yesterday was the worst. I ended up staying home all day and sleeping for most of it (between trips to the bathroom). I spent most of the day watching “V” the television series. I’m not sure that helped my health at all. I had no appetite. I ate very little. Heather went to the store and bought me bananas and yogurt. (She’s so sweet) And I pretty much was miserable even through the night. Today I seem to have more energy but my stomach and everything else still gurgles a bit. Bleh.