Sunday, March 19, 2023

Gem & Mineral Show

 I had had only 4 hours of sleep before yesterday, so I went to sleep at 3AM instead or something like 8AM. I woke up at 5AM or so and had trouble going back to sleep but eventually did, and woke up at 11:30. 

I've said to Ken a few times that I'd really like to go to one of the gem and mineral shows and how, years ago, I'd even tried to go to one in Hayward and could not find it for the life of me. So on a whim yesterday I did a search and what do you know, the big gem and mineral show for this county is this weekend. So I'm going to catch some of the 2nd day. 

I practiced last night needless to say. Just on the shakuhachi though. I want to go over my two Yamaha student flutes with *very* careful applications of key oil, and go over their pads with some stuff called "pad juice". I think "The Complete Flute Player" by John Sands is just the kind of course of study I need to get out there busking. And I really want/need to, because my bank account has been taking a beating lately. Not only my spending, but if Ken won't get off his duff and pay the $900 we owe the landlord by the end of this week I'll go and pay it myself to keep us out of the dog house and he can just pay me back. But I'll need to be paid back before April 15th so I can pay my taxes. I'm really hoping it doesn't come to that.

I'm amazed to see it dry outside. Not sunny, but at least not raining. I got going around 1:30 or 2, rode over to Whole Foods and got some roast beef and a near beer, then started for the bus stop (didn't want to take my bike down there) and got almost to Cahill street before I remembered I needed to put some money on my clipper card so I doubled back, did that, then headed out again where I had to wait 15 or 20 minutes for the bus that was there to head out. 

Once I got to the right stop I had to walk maybe a mile in, then it was pretty easy to find. It really only took me an hour to go through the thing. Among other things I saw lots of peridot (the stuff my childhood green beach was made of) from the Middle East that appears to be water worn, like from a river, and some faceted pieces. And I saw a fair amount of malachite, my older sister's favorite mineral. But none that jumped out at me as beautiful-gotta-have-it. 

I was actually hoping to find more people selling tools and things, and thought maybe I'd find some neat thing for drilling little holes in seashells. I guess all that's online now. I didn't buy anything except for a little "Dodge Trucks" coin for 50c I think Ken might get a kick out of since he drives a Dodge. 

I stopped at Walmart on the way home and got a bunch of things, then rode the bus back to Diridon Station. I walked back through the station for a change and there were big banners up saying there's no weekend CalTrain service because they're working on the electrification. 

By this time I was hungry again and went into Whole Foods for another near beer and some chicken wings. Then I just rode back here, getting very lightly sprinkled on at times. 


No comments:

Post a Comment

Heavy, man.

 Last night I got the Connstellation cornet out and put the screw for the 1st valve trigger back on, and installed new water key corks too. ...