Was it something I said?

I know I have a few faithful readers, and even a few faithful commenters, and I appreciate those people more than you can imagine. However, I've been distressed in the past couple of weeks by an approximate 25% drop in my readership, according to my Stat Counter. So of course that starts me to wondering if I've simply become boring, or perhaps too off-topic, or if maybe I've been offensive in some way. I'd love to know the answer to this so I can do some self-correcting. As winter approaches, there's not as much going on at Afton Station, so I've been filling in around the edges with other thoughts and observations. I try to keep them somewhat Route 66-related, but occasionally I stray. Is this a problem? Or, am I being too self-centered? I don't want this to be a ego-driven blog in any way that can be prevented. All I do is record my thoughts and activities that relate to my life at the museum. Or, perhaps everyone is off doing other things right now? Just let me know, please, if I'm doing something wrong. I'm feeling a little paranoid and would like to be critiqued.
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My Native American flute arrived in the mail yesterday, so this morning, while there are few visitors (actually, none!) I'm taking the time to start learning to play it. It came with an instruction book, thank goodness. I haven't played a wind instrument since 4th grade when we were all subjected to mandatory "song flute" lessons. But I just love the plaintive sound of the Indian flute, and I'm hoping that playing it will relax me.
My new Native American flute

Meanwhile, at Afton Station. . . Tattoo Man paid a short visit this morning, but since we had no visitors, he left to go to an auction. As soon as he left, as often happens, the travelers started to arrive. I ended up with 15 visitors, which is really great for a November day. They were a couple from Pittsburgh, KS, five folks on motorcycles from Stark City, Springfield, and Fairview, MO on their way to a poker run around Grand Lake, people from Friday Harbor WA, Catoosa OK, and finally Erie, KS. The couple from Erie is doing some preliminary scouting for a motor cruise next spring, and we're on the itinerary.

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By the end of the day, I could get a few usable notes out of the flute. It came with a CD of songs recorded by Odell Borg, the maker of the flute and one of the best players in the country. http://www.highspirits.com/. I'm so mesmerized by his music that I'm already discouraged by my own. It's not as easy as it looks! But I can play the first three notes of "Inkpata", the first song in the book. It's a traditional Sioux melody. It's a start. :-)Picture on the front of the flute instruction book. I'd sure like to be playing there right now.