Forum Activity for @robin-thompson

Phil, that is great news. Here's hoping for ya!

oh my gosh that would be wonderful Phil! I will keep my positive karma thoughts and wishes coming your way!

well I have some good news and some bad news.Might as well get the bad news out of the way. I started out with the flu and ended up with bronchitis

Well the good. I am no longer homeless. it gets even better. We been approached with and offer to sell the old house. I know we wont get what i was worth before he fire but if the stars aline we should have a nice little nest egg.

Phil, I hope you hear real soon!

well we went to rent a place today. Just sitting here now waiting to hear if we get it or not. how do you have references when you have lived in the same place for the last 25 years. waiting just makes me nervous.

well we went to rent a place today. Just sitting here now waiting to hear if we get it or not. how do you have references when you have lived in the same place for the last 25 years. waiting just makes me nervous.

Phil, that doesn't surprise me at all about Wal Mart. I used to work for them and they haven't changed at all. It's sad that they have to be the way they are. Too big for their britches. I echo what Geekling and Ken said... Shame on them.

Hang in there Phil. You are hopefully due for a little streak of good luck, I imagine!

Were you able to salvage belongings from your burnt house?

I agree with Geekling; shame on Walmart and/or the employees who made that decision. I am glad to hear that you may have a place to rent. Hang in there Phil. We are all with you.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

I am madder than a wet hornet right now. This week has not been a very good one first we lost our house to a fire, then we gave up our dogs so they would have a place to live. The Red Cross was kind enough to give us a credit card that there is to be no taxes paid even the letter they gave us to show stores say it is a sate law. but do you thank that maters to the people at walmart... NOPE first they where not going to take the card because we did not work for the Red Cross. When we got them to understand we could use the card and they had to use a Tax code number that they have on file for the Red Cross so we would not have to pay Taxes on the clothing we where replacing. a call was mad to the mangers office and they refused to do what the letter said, that we where given by the Red Cross was telling them to do. They wanted them taxes. I looked them in the eyes and said loud enough for everyone to hear. I may have lost my home to a fire and maybe homeless now, but I don't have to stand here and be treated like I am trying to steal something. we took the letters and card and left everything we had sitting on the counter over $200.00 I in new clothing. I don't need walmart they had better wake up to that fact. I know Rule King will honer it and Burlington will also.
Sorry just had to vent.

some good news we have line on a place to rent. we have the paper work done will take it back monday and will know something in a week or so.

Phil, my heart goes out to you on this tragedy. As stated by others, although mateial loss is hard to take, the most important thing is that you, your family, and pets are okay. You are in the thoughts and prayers of many people here.

Ken

Phil, just remember that everyone here at FOTMD is thinking of you and your family at this time. You have certainly gone through a lot this past year. Hopefully you will be able to salvage at least one of your instruments. You and your family will remain in my thoughts and prayers.

I am emberrused to say that we did not have insurance. for unknown reason our insurance had canceled us around this time last year,we had some snow damage that we turned in they came out and looked at it then a couple months later we got a letter saying that we had been canceled.

We have been in touch with the Red Cross and they have been very helpful in getting us moeny to buy cloths and other items we are going to need.

I did get my Dulcimer open today and my little baby is doing ok. So the others I hope will come out ok also.

There are a few kind so try to help us. I wish I had ya'll for neighbors I have not seen hide nor hair of mine even the night of the fire not one came out of their house to offer a place to come out of the cold. I have helped just about everyone there at some point, I am not going to cruse them if they can not find it in their hearts to do the same, hopefully they will help someone else down the line.

We are still homeless for now. but we now have number to call and starting to put a plan together.

I would also like to think everyone here for your prayers and support. that go a long way in a time like this. ( now where is that little hugging smily?)

Sorry to hear that Phil. That sounds devastating. First, it is good that all living creatures made it out alive. Second, I hope that the instruments will be okay...as you say, you may need to go to the street corner, play some tunes and pass the hat. Keep us posted.

Oh, Phil, what a horrible start to 2014! You don't mention insurance covering anything. I hope some of that is possible, even though I know first-hand that can be a long miserable process.

Back in 2010 we came home from a music festival to a house flooded by a broken plumbing part. ServPro was great getting us to as close to normal as possible in the early stages. I knew at the time our flood was nowhere near as bad as a fire would have been, because then you have both smoke and water on anything left. We also, unlike you, were able to stay in our home, even though it was under reconstruction. The whole thing happened the day I was starting a very demanding play plus continuing my storytelling business. Our flood was bad enough even though your situation definitely is worse. As a result, back then I went to my storytelling community for advise on coping with disasters. It led to a multi-part series on my blog. Go to Storytelling + Research series on disaster -- the blog format puts everything in reverse order unfortunately and the first thing you'll see is a much later article on libraries coping with "Superstorm Sandy." To make sense of it, go to the bottom of the series and work your way backwards through it. By the way, a year later I was resolving to finish the paperwork, but there just was some -- books and clothing -- that I finally skipped for a variety of reasons.

Life starts all over after disaster. If any of my thoughts in the wake of my own lesser disaster can help you, Phil, it will be worth my offering it and your taking whatever might work for you.

As others said, I'm so sorry for you and hope things start to improve even if it feels like too little.

I'm so sorry to hear this Phil- how awful for you and your family. Just doesn't seem fair!

As others have said, the only good thing is that none of your family was hurt or lost, your doggies included.

Perhaps the fire dept can help you get some instruments out if they were in cases. If you do find any frozen cases, be sure to let them slowly come to room temperature for several hours BEFORE you open them, as it's a rapid change in temp that damages more than the freezing itself...like when you open a case that's been frozen and suddenly expose the instrument to warm air or vice versa. We had a village resident here lose his house too in a fire a few months ago, and the fire dept helped him go in and recover some guitars in their cases which were salvaged.

I'm so sorry you are going through this difficult time.

We'll all be thinking of you Phil, and sending good wishes. Update us when you can.

Phil this is really sad news, Know that it is a blessing that you all are all right. If I can do anything let me know.

Phil, the most important thing is that you all are okay and no loss of life. Things can be replaced. We've had several fires in my neighborhood. One too many if you ask me. I hate to see it. The insurance did come through and each of the houses got rebuilt...better than what they were before. Red Cross came in to help and so did my neighbors. I have to say I have a great bunch of neighbors. You'll get through this. I'll be keeping you and your family in my prayers.

Sad news, Phil. Good luck and check in when you can.

Phil, this is very sad news. Do check in as you can and let us know what is happening. You have my deepest sympathy on your loss.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Sorry, Phil. But y'all are ok and that means a lot!

Last night we lost our house, what way to start. We had an electric fire that started in the attic. The firemen told me last night it looked like it had smolder for several hours. We didn't know anything until it was already to late. Something woke us up and we kept hearing a popping sound. when we went in to the living room I knew what the sound was, it was coming from an outlet. smoke had started to feel the room. at that time we had no ideal we had a fire above our heads.

I called 911 and they where there I a very short time. all kinds of police, sheriff, state police, ambulance and three fire trucks. My heart felt thanks go out to all of them.

We where able to save our dogs, as of now they have a new home with my sister-in-law. I don't know yet if any of my musical instruments have survived or not they where in the case and gig bags all had been cover in water turned to ice. I hate to think of my poor Dulcimer being gone.mandolins,guitars. I don't know what I will do if any of them a ruined. I am already homeless I might need them to make mony playing on the street corner.

I going to go for now I will be back when I can we a staying with family for now.

Good luck Teri! I'm always willing to talk further about the subject.

Another thing I'd like to mention is I believe the fretless dulcimer is capable of much more than what little I've done with it.

Teri

A couple of thoughts in no particular order:

-I sort of eased into the fretless by learning how to play across the strings with a noter, and that may be the easiest way to get started.

- It's easier to play across the strings with a noter w/o frets

- you don't have to smash the strings down, just barely push them to the frets

- with a fretless I don't push the strings clear to the fretboard, simply make a connection between the noter, string and fretboard

- I can't make the fretless dulcimer work with my fingers....hard to explain... the ergonomics don't work out. I have to use a noter.

- I have to play across the strings with the fretless b/c too many notes in a row on the melody string starts to sound like one of those cheap tin whistles.

- I play fiddle tunes and only a small % of the tunes really fit the fretless playing style, but when I find one that works it's fun!

I'm glad you like the tunes on a fretless dulcimer!... : )...

One of the first tunes I played across the strings with a noter is Drunken Hiccups....3 strings with frets.

By using more force pressing the string down it will buzz less than you will expect. The vibrating of the string will be much shorter, so there is only little sustain. To overcome this effect feeding more energy into the string is used, mostly by a bow (violin). Also the differences of which material string and board are made off is of great importance (Ebony is very popular).

Fretless instruments can play all tones possible within its range. The difference of a F# and a Gb can be made and is important, special when playing a double bass. Fretted instruments are always slightly out of tune, but it takes a trained ear to hear this. Sometimes perfect tuned instruments are used, but some people will find it strange sounding, because they are used to hear only equal tuned melodies.

About Randy's frettles playing, he uses a noter and not his fingers. A noter can deliver much more force on the string and stop it down almost like a fret. He is able to play all tones possible (not that he does) and can make perfect glides. Surely he needs a good muscle memory to play it. I believe not the entire frettboard is frettles, only the lower part?

Teri, you should watch some of Randy Adams videos here on FOTMD. He has posted many playing fretless dulcimers and even a couple with fretless banjo. His technique will teach you a lot and probably provide some of the answers to your questions.

Ellen, we have drool bibs for that....

It really is like shoes. One wouldn't wear snow boots on the tennis court -- or sandals out in the February slush. I had a chance to visit new dulcimer friends and had to remind myself of that commandment "Thou shalt not covet" as I saw their dulcimer collection. I don't think I left drool marks on the carpet . . .

My dad had 9 siblings Rice's must of believed in large families! lol

Ellen Rice said:

Rice is my hubby's name - somewhere there's ancestor paperwork about a grandpa that says "Pell Rice had 12 children" -- always makes me think, "Hmm, and MRS Rice had nothing to do with that?"

But I'm glad to see that dulcimer collecting is in a healthy state . . .

Dana R. McCall said:

Hey Ellen I'm a Rice too! My maiden name

Rice is my hubby's name - somewhere there's ancestor paperwork about a grandpa that says "Pell Rice had 12 children" -- always makes me think, "Hmm, and MRS Rice had nothing to do with that?"

But I'm glad to see that dulcimer collecting is in a healthy state . . .

Dana R. McCall said:

Hey Ellen I'm a Rice too! My maiden name

I'm not an "Imelda" but I currently have 17 playable dulcimers. 4 others needing repairs of one sort or another.

Dana, I'm certainly going to try my best to be there! I had a great time there.

Hope you come back this year and play some again. Looking forward to the 2nd annual J.A.R. Jam at my house.

R N Lackey said:

Well, Dana, in your case it's quality as well as quantity. You got a bunch of good uns! That's what makes yours so special. Thanks for letting me see and play some of them!

Hey Ellen I'm a Rice too! My maiden name

It is Maryann it isincurableandvery contagious

Maryann Lang said:

And floor space too! I have cleaned out what was once the craft corner of my office and now I am visualizing a music corner with achair, music stand and plethra of dulcimers -- and I have only been playing for a month or so -- DAd hits fast and hard and seems to be incurrable!

Well, Dana, in your case it's quality as well as quantity. You got a bunch of good uns! That's what makes yours so special. Thanks for letting me see and play some of them!