Monday State of the Bill

[mapsedge]

It is well and truly Autumn: I have a slight sinus headache, the hills of the Missouri River Valley are a bright patchwork, and I drove to work in a light, cool rain. Ahhhh. It's the kind of day where I open my windows and listen to the rain while I work...'cept that my office doesn't have windows, of course.

It was a good weekend, and not at all what I expected going into the weekend on Friday.

Danny and family came over Friday night to retrieve their camper, which had been in "storage" for a couple weeks while the NASCAR people took over their normal campground. Getting it out was dicey, as I had to ride of the roof and lift branches out of the way to keep from damaging the top. (It was already damaged from pulling in.)

I've been fighting coming down sick for a week and a half, the threatened infection manifesting as a knifing pain in my hips and back. Climbing the ladder, struggling with a tree that didn't want to budge while not falling off the camper, made for a miserable rest of my evening, so much so that I took a vicodin, something I very rarely do.

It was because I was afraid of coming down truly ill that I canceled my plans to go to KCRF this weekend and work for Danny and Beth. I didn't want to start coughing up my respiratory system the night before and have to cancel last minute, so I canceled mid-week.  I'm still on the schedule for this weekend, though, and well looking forward to it. I might toss my guitar in the car, and see if there's someone about I can make music with.

I had big plans for Saturday, and thanks to an extended afternoon nap, got little of them done.

Katie had swim practice in the morning, and the rest of us did "open" swim in the other half of the pool. I came away with water in my ear, which has still not gone away - I am deaf on the right side. It's really messing with me: I realize I navigate using my ears as well as my eyes, and I feel like I'm blind as well as deaf on that side. If it was just silence, I might be better with it, but the pressure of the water is causing a bit of tinnitis, and my left ear, alone in the hearing department, feels bombarded.

Yes, I tried the "swimmer's ear" drops. I've tried (repeatedly) popping my ears. I've tried digging out the water with a swab. I've tried sleeping on the affected side to let gravity do the work. I'm feeling some "motion" (so to speak) when I yawn or swallow hard, so I'm hopeful this will clear up on its own. I don't want to have to go see a doctor.

The kids had "Mad Scientist" night at the YMCA, giving Michelle and I a surprise evening together. Dinner and quiet time, including a fire sitting out on the deck, a much needed break; it was very, very nice. (The one downside was the deafness - merely annoying now, it really screwed with me the first several hours.)

---

Sunday, got two dye jobs in. Dyeing our fabric has been the biggest challenge with the "new" Seamlyne. It adds about 2-1/2 hours to the process of making tights that used to take forty-five minutes. (...and some people wonder why we charge so much. I wonder why we charge so little.)

It's worth it, I must say, being able to predict with some certainty what color we'll get, having to keep only one color in stock (white), and it makes storing the fabric easier (one bolt instead of twelve or fourteen.)

Got an inquiry from someone in Britain, but he's got his "reply-to" address screwed up, so I can't reply to him. So, if you read this, anonymous British dude, yes, we ship internationally...and, fix your email address would ya?

I placed our Autumn logo on the site. That was nice to do.

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As I noted in my last post, Stone Bridge Coffee House is closed. I drove past the place this weekend, just to see if anything had changed. It was dark - not unexpected - and there was a sign in the window saying,

Closed until further notice. Thanks for your patronage. Re-opening soon under new management.

I doubt that very much - even if Russ manages to find someone to run the business for him, he won't be able to find musicians to play there, not any of the good ones, any way. He also has quite a few debts to pay off - including utilities - before the place can ever re-open. Lots of bridges burned there.

Comments

[duane-kc.livejournal.com]

Try a heat pad on the ear, on low, or a warm, dry washcloth (warmed over a light bulb, but don't leave it here more than a minute). I have that kind of ear problems all the time.

[hurricanedeck.livejournal.com]

I've always just used rubbing alcohol - pour a capful into your ear while lying on your side and when you feel the alcohol go all the way down your ear, tilt your head to the side and let it all drain out.

I used to get swimmer's ear all the time - this was the only thing that worked to get the water out.

[bleuberi21.livejournal.com]

I do the same thing, but with peroxide.

[jehosefatz.livejournal.com]

Invite all your friends over. Have them draw straws. Whoever gets the short straw has to suck the water out of your ear. Offer a stiff drink a as a reward/thank you. Problem solved.

- J

[billthetailor.livejournal.com]

I can envision the queue forming even now...

[billthetailor.livejournal.com]

That's pretty much what the "swimmer's ear" drops are: 95% alcohol, with 5% glycerin added in to reduce the burn. Odd part is, they don't tell you on the packaging how to use them. Just, "4 or 5 drops in the affected ear." Not, "...while lying on your side and when you feel the alcohol go all the way down your ear, tilt your head to the side and let it all drain out." That would be some useful information, don't you think?

Hi!

[jody milholland (from livejournal.com)]

I like your new picture on here....great image of you playing the guitar. My kids and I and Dwight still talk about the fun we had at your house in June. So, with the closing of Stonebridge, do you have any other venues lined up? I hate to think of you not continuing to sing your songs for people.

Re: Hi!

[billthetailor.livejournal.com]

Stone Bridge's story is more of a saga. I'll happily email you the gossipy details. The short version is that Sandy got tired of trying to purchase Stone Bridge from Russ and is opening her own place. Last I heard, she was picking up on a shop at the other end of Winner Road - not ideal, but a much better location, relatively speaking: that corner where Lexington, Winner and Crysler all come together just west of The Auditorium.

I've also contacted a company that does musical bookings for, among other places, Spin! Pizza. There are several wineries in the area that I'm looking into, and this place: http://www.shopthemercantile.com/ , where I've had several friends try to get me to send a demo.

Re: Hi!

[jody milholland (from livejournal.com)]

William, I just looked over the shopthemercantile site, wow....love it! I might have to visit there whenever i get back to KC next. Too bad about the business crap surrounding Stone Bridge, but that does happen. Maybe Sandy will find the new place better anyway? Is that where there is a junk shop, painted purple I think? If so,that was where a health food store was for years.

Thanks for replying....I was curious what was up and what your next move would be.