4th April 2017
Hi everyone. Thanks to all the folk who have helped or visited the shop in the last couple of days. And thanks to all of you that have called or emailed.
My little shop survived.
Got pretty wet, and lost a few of its bits, but is generally in much better shape than a lot of other businesses and homes in Lismore.
Revised river height after more accurate measuring (including secondary tidal flow): it reached 955mm above floor level. Benches are at 1050mm. Small shelf that holds polishes and potions, and my weird old converted valve record-player amp, is at 970mm. A close shave. I'll list a few other quite remarkable survival measurements in the next post.
I spent the today cleaning out the mud, and disinfecting the floors and wall, and all of the benches etc. We've got jet-dryers running all night, and all of tomorrow, to dry the place out. A bit more bleaching to do tomorrow, and some more cleaning and drying, but we're getting there.
Eskimos apparently have 50 words for snow. Lismore folk probably have at least 50 words for mud.
As you may be aware, I lost all of my guitar-books. It was a pretty comprehensive collection of most of the important books that have been published on the subject of the history of guitars. People sometimes use to come into the shop just to read the books! I've had almost as many worried calls about the books as I've had about the guitars!
I've already had several folk offer me their copies of some of these books - that is a real and touching offer. My collection was always there for you all to come in and read. A community chest, if you like. It wasn't a huge library, but it was a library of sorts. If anyone would like to lend their copies of any guitar books they may have, then you are most welcome to add them to the bookshelves (which, I promise you, will not be chipboard this time!). It will be a community library for the community of local guitar players. And, if we do this, you can take yours back any time you like!
I lost quite a few parts too, but most of these are replaceable. Some of the rare ones might be tricky. It'll also take me a while to re-stock, but if you have a repair that needs a particular part that I don't have, then I'll order it ASAP. The wholesalers are going to help me out with this.
I'll include a few photos in tomorrow's post.
Please support the poor Lismore businesses, many of whom won't survive without our help. This is a fine town, and if we all stick together we'll all get through this and be stronger than ever.
I'll keep posting these notes. Please keep in touch.
Andrew
