Just when I was starting to see the light at the end of the wooden tube,  feeling that rush of pleasure from a job nearly complete and a new instrument to add into the orchestra, along comes adversity to kick my ass.

Some self-congratulatory photos carefully edited for your pleasure.

Two coats of varnish on the inside, and whammo – the seam on my maple ‘up-pipe’ starts to split open!

The difference between heaven and hell is one millimeter.

Despite my large inner turmoil (the possibility that half of the horn would need to be replaced, a setback of several months), I mentioned this to nobody, certainly not my client,  for a week and a half while the horn went under serious binding measures and the introduction of oak bands that should have been in place before I varnished.  Word to the wise.

Do I make you horny, baby?

Nine days later, the crack is closed up, and we’re back on track.  Friggin’ maple.  I shoulda known.

Sweet relief.  What else could possibly go wrong?  If you’ve managed to read this far I question your time management skills, but still feel compelled to reward you, good surfer.  To that end, here is the Clown Parade image for this year’s event happening on December 17th starting around 6pm at my place.  Send me a message and I’ll add you to the list of Inner, Inner Sanctum Legionnaires (following a short, painless criminal background check, naturally.  You understand, right?)

This year, similar to last, it is a semi-private event with the before and after-parade at our house.  So don’t go blabbing about it on the innertube, if it’s all the same to you.  Thanks for looking.