I’m so far from finishing anything. And I am proud to say I’m starting something new.

Next to my Enya Ukulele is what looks big enough to be a guitar. But Enya is small.
Isn’t she pretty?

Way back in my 40s I was gifted a violin that a friend found on a wall. It was a planter. She took it to a violin maker and he was able to make it perfect for a first violin.

My daughter and son wanted to join and soon we had a 1/2 for my daughter and a 3/4 violin for my son.

At the time I was teaching keyboard at a couple elementary schools. I was introduced to the violin teacher in the same schools. She kindly allowed my trio to come to her classes to learn.

I got to learn Twinkle, Twinkle before the program ended. My son didn’t seem to like violin at all (though he grew up to be in a band as a guitarist, so maybe he did like strings?). My daughter was probably too young. She would lay the violin on the floor and saw with the bow. Sadly, hers was the best of the three instruments.

Somehow the violins left our lives. I’ve been wanting to try again but never could find one at a price I could afford.

Then I saw this during Amazon’s last sale. Even $46 seemed too much but my husband said I should go ahead.

The set up per the free YouTube tutorials went okay. Then, tuning. I was sad I couldn’t tune a couple strings.  More tutorials. I finally found one about loose pegs. The fix was easy.

The book that came with my Mendini by Cecilio violin instructed new students to spend time holding the fiddle, tuning, and rosening the bow every day. So I know this will be a slower learning experience than the Ukulele. But I am excited to learn my first song!

Well, that is, after I learn the holding, tuning and putting rosen on the bow properly. So I’ll just enjoy how pretty it is and the four notes I can play from the properly tuned new baby.

Meanwhile, I’m trying to memorize Imagine, Amazing Grace, Auld Lang Syne, and Edelweiss on my Enya. It might take a while.

One ponytail holder finished. The next one nearly finished. Crocheted.
Finally on the heel of these slipper socks.

See the wrap-around yarn? All tinked and ready to try again.

A few more rows until the heel.

Piano scheduling had difficulties this week but I started attacking Succession and Dexter measure by measure.

Oh and the sunset beach

Stepping into the foam.

Okay. Despite the Olympics, time to do strings!