Keep on Strummin'

We are rockin'! Yesterday afternoon I took my eldest to buy his electric guitar. We went to a specialist shop in Castelnau le Lez - a wonderful emporium dedicated to everything guitar-shaped string.

I explained our mission - sent from the guitar teacher, and needing the full caboodle: guitar, bag, tuner, ampli, struts, strap, connecting bits and bobs. A rather delicious (too young) guy with lively eyes took us into the depths of the back. There were guitars of all sorts hanging up from every available spot. On one side were the acoustic guitars (guitare sèche...!) and in a little enclave were the electric ones, together with a pile of amplifiers.

The guy sat on a stool having fished a guitar off the wall explaining that it was the one they recommended for beginners as it has an excellent sound, and is very good value. It's an Ibanez GRG170 (so now you know...).

He then took an ampli and proceeded to give a demonstration of the various sounds it could produce, playing some appropriate song for each type. I'm a sucker for musicians, especially young handsome ones, and so I had a ball. My eldest was going "Oh, c'est cool" and pretended to strum along too, and the guy definitely appreciated our enthusiasm because he gave us 10% off and threw the case in for nuffink.

Of course, I nearly passed out at the bill - it'll have to come off the boys' inheritance, but it's also an investment. I'm now hoping my eldest will be a real whizz at the electric guitar, become a terribly famous drug-free guitarist and make so much money he can keep his mother in the style to which she intends to become accustomed...

Plan B is still that he does well at school and further education, and becomes the marvellous vet he's talking about wanting to be at the moment.

Our house has been full of electrically-saturated twangs since yesterday. My youngest has been getting on the digital piano and joining in with as many different sounds as possible but especially the ones that keep a sustained note, like the 'organ' and 'synth'. All we need now is a drum kit... on second thoughts, maybe we don't!