We have had a lull.  I was in Japan for a week, then Oregon, and after two weeks we finally had part of a weekend to catch up.  Unfortunately, we won’t make much progress for another week.  Tuesday night Paul is playing a solo in the Wind Symphony concert. Paul earned his solo spot by winning the best percussion solo at Naperville North’s solo and ensemble contest with Musser’s Etude in C major.  He has since recorded his solo, so he can use it for his audition tape that will be sent to Birch Creek summer music camp.  Then… Jazz Band leaves Wednesday for New Orleans.  He won’t return until 3:00pm Sunday.  He is learning the life of a musician all quickly.

The QuickTime video below takes a while to download.  Patience?  The video clearly answers the question “Why build a marimba?”.  Despite the look of total intensity in Paul’s eyes, he absolutely loves playing it. He cannot imagine going the summer without one.  He plays the school marimba each day at lunch and 2 or 3 times a week after school.  He has also started imagining putting together an album of Chopin Nocturne pieces over the summer.

So the only thing we had time for today was a quick trip to Owl Hardwood and planning for what we hope will be the last set of cuts. The 2 last piece of African Padauk totaled $119.  That brings the tropical wood bill to about $320.  Paul exclaimed, “my money is disapperating!”.

Pulling into Owl, Paul quickly woke up and flung open the door.  A fresh spring breeze met us and Paul looked at the dull warehouse-style building and told me “I Love This Place”.  Too true.  Some people go to grocery stores on the weekend to eat the bite-sized samples served up the cheery ladies at the end of each aisle.  We go to Owl and rub our hands over richly grained wood until we get splinters and occasionally sneak a small sniff of the aromatic woods.  Ahhh.  Wood is so simple, and so beautiful. Computer geek turned Amish furniture maker?  Hmmm….

Owl Hardwood in Lombard

American woods on the right….

Tropicals on the left

11 more keys to cut.

We can begin to imagine the sounds of Africa coming from our Padauk. 11 more keys to cut, then 22 keys left to shape, and finally 61 keys to tune, drill, and finish. Patience?