Summertime Blues

So, this isn't going to be about the song from the 50s by Eddie Cochran, which was also covered by Alan Jackson, and also by The Who... 

But the hook of the song "There ain't no cure for the summertime blues," is something I'm working on disproving...

Why? you ask. I managed to crash my rented electric bike while on vacation in South Lake Tahoe at the end of June, and fractured my tibial plateau, which is the top of one of the shin bones that goes into the knee joint. 😖  Yes, there is a cure for the fracture: No weight on the leg for 6 weeks, then gradual weight once PT starts until it's finally completely mended in 3 to 4 months... 

Whenever I start feeling blue about how long this is going to take, I turn my thoughts to gratitude that I didn't break or even scrape or bruise my hands or arms. As a musician, I can actually continue to play all my instruments. Someone asked me, "Aren't you glad you don't play pedal harp?" Yep, or organ or drum kit. No need to use my leg for any of my instruments. 

So, yes, this fracture limits my ability to get around but I am grateful also for my husband who is between the busy seasons of tax accounting and providing loving care and doing all my chores, and my sister who is willing to relieve Jon from time to time. And I'm very grateful to my bandmates who are going to be helping me with transporting me and my gear to our gigs this weekend and help me with set up. 

I will not be playing harp at the cancer center until I can walk on both legs, but I'm able to teach both private students and my Saturday classes on Zoom. 

So, "It coulda been worse" is the song I've been singing (is there a song with that lyric? If not maybe I should write one!) 

My last blog shared some of the photos I took on that fun Swedish gig on the tall ship (check out that post if you didn't see it). Since then, the host of the party sent more photos and a few short video clips. Here are two short (11 & 12 seconds) videos of us on deck playing Flodens Död:

And here's a 13 second video from below deck playing Lördagsvisa:

Here are a few of the photos she took: 

The gig was fun, and the gigs this coming weekend with Gaelic Muses will also be fun (check my website calendar or the Gaelic Muses website for info and join us if you are in the San Francisco Bay area. Both are in San Jose. Tomorrow is at the Celtic Tea Shoppe for a celebration of both Harry Potter's birthday and Lughnasa!

Wishing you all a happy Lughnasa and wonderful rest of the summer!