Communication works

WE HAD A part replaced on the blower unit of our HVAC at the house this morning. We are actually getting a whole new air conditioner installed next week. Sheryl called three different companies requesting quotes, and made the decision based on who got quotes back to her. Simple.

The company we hired is not the company that does our yearly maintenance and to whom we are loyal. The manager that does quotes came to the house about 3 months ago and promised us a quote for the AC replacement and vent rework. He has also been to the house before that and promised a quote.... Sheryl finally figured that she should get quotes from other companies and see if any of them wanted the work. The other companies sent people to inspected the house and AC, and both companies got right back to us with quotes. It is easy to choose an AC install when you have quotes in front of you. Congrats! The job is planned.

We will still have our regular company do the yearly maintenance and any repair work. They are great at answering trouble calls and planning the twice yearly system checks. They even put in the furnace 7 years ago. We really are loyal to them. Except we REALLY needed a new AC this year.

That's one thing I learned in journalism - always return the call. Always. If people can't get a hold of you, it's bad for your reputation. It went the other way, too - many times when I'd have to track down a lawyer or a guy who owned a certain property and had no clue how to take care of it. When the calls didn't get returned, it would be reflected in the story. THEN they'd call back.


Returning calls may not seem like a big deal, but it's all part of customer service. We'll call you back, promise!

Sick is sick

SAD TO HEAR The Who had to cancel several dates and cut short a concert in Houston Wednesday. Seems Roger Daltrey has bronchitis. Pete Townshend took to social media to address the canceled shows here. There's also an excellent blow-by-blow account of what led up to The Who calling it quits in Houston here from Brian Kehew's Backstage Blog.

If I'm a Who fan in those cities, I'd be ticked off. There's a lot more than just going to the show - it's the enormous cost of tickets, getting to and from the venue, and even finding people to watch the kids as Townshend jokingly (not really) says. Then again, these are human beings and we fail to appreciate the grind of the road. And at least give The Who credit for coming right out and explaining the situation. There wasn't some vague press release or rumors flying around about somebody dying. At least that we know.

I don't play in a traveling and touring band. Yet being a Weekend Warrior can be challenging enough. I don't recall ever canceling a show because I was sick, but I remember losing my voice before a show in Keokuk about 10 years ago and croaking my way through it. "Nobody cared," Sheryl reminds me. She's right because it was all about the party, though we do want to sound good.

Last Friday after work I wanted to hole up and watch lousy college football after a long week in the store. Cori and I had a gig at Red Light and it turned out to be a great night with our friend Kyle Trudell. There was a small but enthusiastic crowd and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. It was a great example of an audience pulling us through and making it fun.

The next night The Cheeseburgers were back at the South Side Boat Club in Keokuk. Now we love Keokuk and the SSBC, and we've always had good shows there, and Saturday night was no exception. But it was just one of those nights, for a lot of reasons. I felt like crap all day Saturday, mostly from being up too late the night before. It's not an excuse and I should have behaved myself a little better, so that's on me.

When we showed up, we couldn't set up because there was a massive steak dinner taking place. Do you think The Who ever has to wait until people are done eating? The SSBC folks wanted us to play outside, but it was muggy and buggy and there was still a threat of rain, and last time we were up there we got hit with a violent storm an hour into the gig and had to tear down and set back up inside.

This made some of us crabby. Then somebody (I won't mention his name but his initials are Rodney) plugged a cord into a monitor the wrong way. Then something else didn't work. Then we got rushed to start on time. Then the monitor mix was way too loud and was screaming back at Kirk Gribler, our drummer. I had to turn down my guitar amp and never did hear it the rest of the night. Our energy was low and I thought we struggled.

The crowd at SSBC thought otherwise. They danced the night away and repeatedly told us how much fun they were having. When we were done the bartender was very complimentary, as were several others. We had an off night but we still sounded good and we still put on a show, and that has to say something about us.

When you are hired to play, you are hired to work, and we take it seriously and bust our collective asses to be the best band or duo we can be, no matter how we feel or the circumstances.

Saturday night HartLyss is back at Bricks in Hannibal, one of our favorite places to play. A week from Saturday HartLyss plays in the afternoon at State Street Bar, and the Cheeseburgers have a huge show that night at Red Light, the one-year anniversary party.

I'll make sure I behave and make the shows the best they can be.

Summer fades, fall colors

Looking straight west into West Quincy.

THE VIEW FROM our Second String Music building roof is amazing. I went up last night to check it out after a recent rain - it's holding up pretty well but there are still a few minor leaky spots. As the sun was setting I took a couple of photos with my cell phone, and it's amazing what you can get today with these little buggers.

To the south the blinking lights of Hannibal were clearly visible, and there was a faint glow from the other direction near Canton. Way off to the north there were more lights, and I wonder if they aren't all the way up to Keokuk.

Summer is hanging on and it's still warm in the Q-Town, but you can start to feel the change of season in the air now. I welcome the cooler weather and the oppressive heat can stay away forever. Well, at least until next summer.

So here's to fall and colors and living in the Midwest. It's a beautiful thing!

The view north, with the railroad bridge visible in the river.

Dog sirens cure blues

TODAY IS ONE of those days where reading the headlines just makes you cringe and there seems to be bad and crazy news everywhere.

So, I give you this. It makes me feel better every time I watch it, and I've watched it about 10 times in a row. Sometimes dogs making police siren noises trumps all.

Angus and Tucker like to howl and I bet we could teach them how to do it like this. Maybe Malcolm will learn, too.

You are welcome.

Visiting the new puppy

IT WAS A rainy Sunday morning, a good time to visit the new puppy. Angus was excited and the other dogs and cats were disappointed they couldn't go. "I get it," said Tucker, between hacking and wheezing fits. "Angus was born at the farm. He should go back and visit his momma."

So we headed out to the Echternkamp's lovely horse farm in Columbus, Illinois. When we got there, Sheryl was promptly handed our newest addition, Malcolm, a true Corgi and Cattle Dog mix.

Boom. Instant love.

"Yeah. I guess he's cute. But he's not as handsome as me," said Angus. Then we spotted Mae, the gigantic Pyreneese, and Angus started drooling. "Now THAT is a handsome gal," Angus said. "And she wants to play!"

Hello Malcolm!

While Mae and Angus went off the explore the barn, we met Malcolm's six brothers and sisters. One of them is still up for adoption (hint hint, Brianne Campbell). Jess, Angus' sister and the proud mama, is in great shape for a dog that just had her second litter. She is weaning the puppies and while she's been a great mom, I think she's ready for them to find homes soon and to get back to proper farm living without a bunch of hungry kids nipping at her all the time.

This one is still for sale!

 Jess and Angus greeted each other with a sniff or two, but that was it. "Yeah, well, one of your kids is coming to live with us and I'm not sure how I feel about that. But I guess he will get used to me," Angus told her.

Angus and I took a short walk in the rain to meet the horses and stretch our legs. "This is where I grew up, right?" he said. Well, you were only here for about 10 weeks. "Ah. That's why it's so fuzzy. And I can't remember what I did yesterday, which is why you and I get along so well," Angus said.

The puppies are now five weeks old and Malcolm won't come to live with us for another month or so. We are preparing for a "Meet the Puppies" day at Second String Music on Saturday, Oct. 12 from 1 - 3 pm. We will put up an event on the Second String Music page when it is official. We plan on Malcolm being a music store dog and it will be a great way to introduce him to his new life.

Michelle and her family have a beautiful farm and we are so grateful the puppies are being raised right. We can't wait for you all to meet Malcolm. Even Angus agrees!

Jess (left) and Angus, sister and brother.

Crazy days

I CAME OUT of giving a guitar lesson at 5:30 yesterday afternoon. Sheryl was helping two moms fill out violin rental paperwork at the counter. Another guy was waiting to exchange drum sticks. Another guy was buying a school band book. And another guy was playing guitar.

Welcome to mid-September at Second String Music and the culmination of school band rental season. It's going to be insane in here for the next couple of days. The most common thing we hear is "My child didn't tell me they needed this until the last minute." True, and that's why we are here.

We have help. Jean Murray is working for The Music Shoppe and will be in the store the next three days to help rent instruments. Steve Rees does his usual fine job with repairs, restrings and answering questions. I have a boatload of lessons today but I'm free most of tomorrow and Saturday to help.

Most of it falls on Sheryl because it involves paperwork and entering stuff into the computer. When I'm in the back giving lessons and she's alone on the floor, she takes it one person at a time and methodically ticks off the things needed to be done.

We are leaving the dogs at home in the afternoons because it's just too crazy. In fact, we might have to leave them home all day for the next few days, depending on how it goes. You know it's nutty around here when the dogs have to stay home.

We'll get through the next few days. We thank our loyal Second String Music customers and our school band parents for their business and patience during a hectic time. Let's have a great school year in band and orchestra!