Day Fourteen.

No time to take photos again today. Woke up with a really positive attitude, feeling good, and we laid down SIX tracks in the morning! Brilliant. The afternoon was harder as I am down to the hard stuff now, and I only managed to add one tune. I really need to perfect my other tunes before I can play them onto a CD. And I also did some very high singing this morning, and my voice only just made it, I could feel the old quivering problem. I have really stretched it, and must look after it again now.

Fortunately, I am able to. I have 20 tracks laid down with voice and Autoharp, or just Autoharp on the instrumentals, which are very few. I could add a few more instrumentals - maybe one of my contest tracks - but that can wait till I get home. I tried Albatross, for instance, but we couldn't find a cymbal track that I liked - needs a soft beater that can crescendo on the cymbal, not just a strike. And I just could not play George Brabazon or Dylan's Dopvals to my satisfaction. I need a good hours practice just on those tunes before I can record them, and here is not the time to be practicing. Managed to get some funny tracks in as well to lighten the unmitigated misery of my usual repertoire!

The lovely Coleen added bass parts to four tracks this afternoon, and I have six more tomorrow that I am asking for bass on. Not only is she a lovely person and bass player, but she is also a great cook! I am being spoiled rotten with her food! Very healthy and very tasty. I am eating very well, enjoying the American diet. I have not weighed myself since leaving home, but feel sure that I must have lost a few pounds. It s a very low carb diet, and low sugar, with lots of water. Tomorrow and Monday we should get done the rest of what needs recording - some bass, a few harmonies, and some instruments from Neal. Tuesday, Holly and Neils should be here, I hope in time to harmonise three tracks. I hope Neal can get at least some of the mixing and balancing done before I go on Wednesday evening. Getting close now