February 19, 2013

Mom seems to be status quo. Still listening to Django. Just got a double CD of him delivered today. Reading "Django" by Michael Dregni.

February 18, 2013

Started watching the Denis Chang video last night. Interesting. Mom's breathing is short and strained and she was put on oxygen.

February 17, 2013

Listening to Django Reinhardt and picking some favorites Regarding mom, we are losing her, but I spoke with the doctor today which was helpful. I our Gypsy Band, we are thinking of adding another guitarist, and we have two specific guitarists in mind.

February 16, 2013

Went to visit mom in hospice last night. The hospice itself was impressive. When I arrived, they were bathing mom; when I was permitted to spend time with her, she looked very clean and well cared for. She is reportedly sleeping deeply, but I talked to her for a bit. Will spend the rest of today and at least part of tomorrow here away from home. I feel bad because it's my daughter's birthday today, and I am missing her party. But I think she understands. Listened to Django in car.
ADDENDUM:
Feeling a little better about helping mom. It doesn't hurt being assertive at times. Will
meet with her doctor tomorrow to have him assess her and have our questions addressed; he seemed to be a good guy with some ideas of his own to help mom die more naturally.

February 15, 2013

Status quo with mom.

February 14, 2013

Listening to Django a lot. Mom is in hospice, on morphine drip. Told her my goodbye yesterday.

February 13, 2013

Mom as a teen

February 13, 2013

It does not seem as if my mother has long to live.

The New Guitar!

Gypsy Jazz guitar arrived today!

February 7, 2013

Guitar to arrive in a few days . . . Been listening to Django, Pearl Django, some Romane, and a "Django Reinhardt" station I made in Pandora.

February 4, 2013

A day to spend money. Ordered:

1) Gypsy guitar with case

2) Denis Chang's Volume I about learning gypsy jazz

3) A biography of Django

4) A CD of Django that I was missing from when I bought a box set years ago

5) Another CD of Django playing solo and on duets

6) A Gypsy Jazz Instructional book "Getting Into Gypsy Jazz"

I got a lot of this stuff "used" to save some cash.

Picture taken a little time ago

February 3, 2014

Had the guitar in my hands what seemed like most of the day, working on Conti's "Assembly Line."

February 2, 2013

Nice relaxing day. Watched a disturbing movie about Jim Jones (actually I'm reading a book about him too). Practiced and played guitar throughout the day, using Conti's "Assembly Line" which is turning out to be very illuminating as well as challenging. Went to Church with my son and had some good bonding time with him too....A little snow on the ground.....Really am glad to have kept my Epiphone Casino; I would hardly practice plugged into the amp, and the Casino is just loud enough to practice. I like the bigger body of it, too, as compared to a Les Paul Body. A friend talked to me about possibly changing the pickups to humbuckers. A plus to that is that feedback problems would be lessened if not eliminated, and the sound would probably be deeper, thus suiting my current style. A drawback, though, might be that it might not sound like a Beatles machine anymore! Looks like the gypsy guitar stuff is right around the corner...my refund may come through Monday or Tuesday....