The progress reports
Each week we update this page with new photos of instruments in progress. The updates will usually be sometime on Monday, which is the end of our work week.
We hope that you enjoy seeing the progress on your instrument and those of others who have them on order.
Week ending July 28, 2003
There are several sections to this week's posting: the belated Colorado trip photos, the wedding pictures, and the shop photos.
I spent a week in the mountains of Colorado, at about 8000 feet elevation, hosted by my brother and sister-in-law at my mother's cabin, which was built by my grandfather and grandmother. I haven't been to the cabin for about 15 years, so it was great to spend a little time there.
My wonderful hosts, Philip and Leslie, at Jenny Lake near Rollins Pass. Elevation: 11000 ft. Good thing we didn't need to move very fast or carry very much...
A family gathering on the deck of the cabin. Philip rebuilt the deck a few years ago - nice job, bro!
The front entrance of the cabin. Philip and I felled the tree which is currently supporting the roof at right, and removed the rotting section of the porch. An expanded porch is planned for the future.
It's not all reading, drinking wine and playing backgammon - Philip kept me busy while I was there (by my choice, let me emphasize.) Here I embark on some sweating some copper pipe for moving a faucet.
Leslie, Philip and me in front of the northern rock.
On the last day we visited the Denver Botanical Gardens with our dear friend Phyliss, who luckily lives just a few blocks away from the gardens. Afterwards we went to a fabulous bookstore, also within walking distance, and a great noodle shop, ALSO within walking distance. Thank you, Phyliss!
The red corner of the Monet Garden.
Leslie, Phylis, and Philip at the gardens.
We had the honor to be invited to a Sikh wedding last weekend, in Vancouver BC. We were invited by Kiran Dhillon's family - Kiran is a graduate student in my lab at the UW, and invited everyone from the lab for her brother Gupreet's wedding. For more information on Sihk wedding traditions, I'll recommend the Sihk wedding page, which has a whole lot more information then I can give here.
The arrival of the groom at the temple. Gupreet is in the limo, with the drummer sitting on top.
This was the largest wedding I've every been to - there were perhaps 500 guests. Here everyone is gathered outside the temple for a meeting of the families of the bride and groom. The men who don't usually wear the classic Sihk headcloth were given scarves for the occasion: red for the groom's family and friends, and gold for the bride's. At left on the other side of the circle is a group of the male relatives of the bride, and at right are their opposite numbers from Gupreet's family. One family member from each side from each side would come to the center of the circle, they would greet each other and exchange garlands, and be photographed. This process went on for about an hour.
Next was tea and a small snack, eaten in the communal dining hall. Here's Gupreet, who sat down almost right across from us. Kiran is at the right, in light purple. For the most part, the women sat together to eat and the men sat together.
Our first glimpse of Ravi - I don't know what ceremony attended her arrival, because we were in the dining hall when she arrived. Here she's being escorted into the temple by her family. In the temple, the women sit on one side and the men on the other.
Gupreet and Ravi made four circuits around the shrine in the temple, helped by members of Ravi's family. This journey was accompanied by music each time, and with recitations in between. One of the three musicians can be seen at right, playing the harmonium. The officiate, sitting in the shrine, can be seen just behind Ravi, wearing a white turban.
The ceremony is over, and the couple sit for the "receiving line". The format is different than the Western tradition: Gupreet and Ravi are facing the shrine, and the guests line up behind them to make offerings of money for their new life. After offering congratulations, photos are taken with each guest or family. It's all very relaxed, so the line moves slowly.
Some of the Monnat Lab guests: Meg, Jen, and Mariko with Kiran
Yep, that's me, complete with the crimson headcloth.
Here we are at the reception, which was held on Sunday night. That's Brad, Elijah, me and Cali sitting, with Mariko, Jen and Kiran standing. If anything, the reception was larger than the wedding.
Cali and I both enjoyed the wedding and reception very much. The families and community were very welcoming, and they know how to have a good time! Our deepest thanks to the Dhillon family for their invitation.
For our trip, we stayed at the house of Angie, Gary, and Katie. I missed getting a picture of Gary, silly me, but here's one of me with the ladies. Thank you all for the gracious invitation to your house!
On the homefront - Here's the foundation form and rebar for the dust collector addition. Thanks to Justin for completing the rebar, and for wielding the angle grinder - we couldn't have gotten it done in anywhere close to the time we did without your help.
The Pajot - making new pegs
Yes, that's a guitar, getting new binding.
See last week, or yesterday, or next week, or see the index for more pictures from other weeks and months.
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Alden and Cali Hackmann
Olympic Musical Instruments
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