I’m sorry A-Z Challenge, I’m so behind. But I’ll try to make up the alphabet soup on Monday. I’m two book reviews behind, too. My brain thinks we have a newborn. And Finishing Friday is sadly behind.
I did finally get to the doctor’s office for my routine physical. Yay, ME! Now for all the follow through.
Shiloh is making herself at home. During my piano/diamond painting time she sleeps on the Yamaha keyboard while Sammie found the bed I set up for him under my hobby-table. Sorry no pics yet but he’s getting braver.
Milo is equally happy with Chris so I can spend time with the cats.
I did make a small dent in the pre-Fleegle heel. The birthday socks will be done on time.
About halfway through sunset beach. I’m going to need to find new projects soon.
I found this on one of my favorite groups on Facebook, Returning Piano Students. This group is inspiring and challenging.
Speaking of piano, I gave myself all Fs a couple days ago. And gave up at 10 minutes. Lack of sleep can make the brain into mush. I couldn’t stay in any key signatures and misread ledger lines. But today all went well. It was fun.
I was going to do a couple of reviews but my back is hurting and I need to blog something a bit easier.
Bottom 1/4th of the beach sunset diamond painting is nearly finished. I’m loving the colors.
Chris’s socks are coming along. I need only a couple more rows of the arch hug and then the heel. It always seems so much faster once the Fleegle Heel is done.
With the furry ones much of my creative ventures are curtailed. But I feel a win. With so much going on finding music time without distractions is impossible. And I need to leave the screen open so Milo doesn’t freak out. So I’ve found myself able to play in spite of an audience or distraction. In fact, I found myself enjoying it. Yes, I will soon record a session or two.
And the bonus… Shiloh is a musical kitty. She hits the ivories with soulful, quiet feelings. Then she lets me know it’s my turn. She stays in my music room while I play.
Though I don’t have as many finished projects, I feel happy and content with our accomplishments of the week.
Not my piano or sheet music. It’s a free source picture.
I pulled out my knitting for the first time this week. So I can only claim a couple of rows in Chris’s socks this morning. So it’s not worth taking a picture. I still have a couple of inches of arch ribbing until the heel. The other two pair, I’ve done nothing.
I did a bit more on the sunset beach.
I did finish more books so over the next few days I’ll post reviews.
I didn’t even get around to playing piano today and the week has been full of short sessions. One day I only managed 15 minutes. Today, none.
I’d love to blame the trio of fuzz but honestly, I drank too much caffeine yesterday so spent my night in bed as a tree full of owls. I’ll try to make up for it over the weekend.
The real progress has been our fur babies.
Milo, oh, by the way, that’s the pup’s new name, finally did his business outside instead of the kitchen and hallway. He rarely barks at us as we come out of other rooms. It was so hard at first. He seemed never to recognize us. And he was over-rambunctious around his black buddy, Shiloh, now he’s calming down.
Sammie is finally joining the rest of us. So it may not be long until he feels his confidence again.
Hopefully, we will all be able to be calm and sleep.
Dude! Crush is nearly finished just stray gems to be placed.
Nearly finished with my hubby’s slipper socks. Toes done, ribbed arch next.
Still just in the toes on the purple Knit Picks
About the same for my watermelon shorties.
The poor basket weave hat hasn’t progressed at all so, no pics. When it can show off on its own, it’ll share the limelight.
I want to start walking, but we woke up to this this morning. Still too cold.
Sammie finally discovered his fun-house.
While Sammie is happy, we got a phone call from my son with good news for us. And I hope for Sammie. I’d tell but I don’t want to jinx it
Today I went back to Phantom of the Opera. I used to play and sing these. Thirty years ago. Not for an audience, just for fun. My friends and I gathered at the grand piano on stage after voice class and sang our hearts out with these. I was surprised at how much my fingers remember, though there was a lot of sight reading. I can’t sing at the same time, yet. Soon. I am doing daily vocal warmups now.
Anyone out there go through this? I find a saturation level on pieces and put them aside for other songs. Those seem to draw my passions and energy.
Here are some of the projects I’ve been working on this week.
I’m nearly finished with Smiling Turtle, my friend named him Crush.
Oops. The needle is pointing to some weird stitches, so I frogged these toes and started again.
I’m caught back up to where I left off.
I had enough watermelon yarn to make another pair. This yarn is easier to work with than those above.
There was leftover yarn from my brother’s socks to try another pair.
Here are a few of the songs I’m enjoying lately.
They are Beau Soir, God Bless The Child, Going Home, Over the Rainbow, Ave Maria, and Just the Way You Are.
Beau Soir is a leftover from my voice lessons with Alis Clausen in the 1990s. And because it showed up now while I’m playing with the Duolingo French language, I decided to start doing my vocal warmups and challenge myself to learn to play and sing the song. A few others I’m playing are fun to sing, too.
Check out how Beau Soir is supposed to sound. You can see why I love it.
Just for review: these were Turkish cast-on. Chiaogoo needles Two at a Time socks. Then arch ribbing. Fleegle Heel, my favorite.
I thought I was finished at a 2″ cuff, but my brother needed a longer one for his boots. Otherwise, I would have been finished on his birthday.
Towards the end I had to rely on Advil and Aspercreme. But now my hands can rest a bit.
I found a bunch of unfinished WIPs. Here are a couple calling me:
Maybe I make me watermelon socks?
Or, should I make another pair from these?
Now I can finish the larger size basket weave hat.
I’m nearly finished with Smiling Turtle!
Just got the top little bit. I like this so much it may go on my bathroom wall. I think the blues will blend or compliment the vague color palette. Besides, that smile will make me happy.
I think next week I’ll record my favorite songs. I’m loving Going Home, God Bless The Child, Just the Way You Are, and a few more. With my new enthusiasm for improv or composition I now have a keyboard within reach of my every perch. (Recliner, bed, Dabbling Den)
I didn’t get ‘Dar’s Dabbling Den’ rearranged yet. I want to make more room for my Yamaha keyboard near my piano. Maybe this weekend?
I’d like to make it easier to switch gears, bring in violin, ukulele, recorders, art challenges, podcast or book narrations.
Since COVID months ago, I’ve not been able to get faster than 5 miles in 35. But I’m still trying. And now that spring may have arrived I need to find walking time. Still a work in progress!
Oh, and I am three book reviews behind.
Duolingo still plugs along. I seem more focused on Italian. It’s easier. I still visit the other languages when the spirit moves me.😉
I’m nearly finished with increased on the heel. My guess is by the end of the weekend the heel will be completed the hope is to finish these before my brother’s birthday.
Finishing the top of the smiling turtle diamond painting. This part is hard to reach on the light pad easel so I have to turn it upside down down. I hope to finish this by next weekend.
My music is coming along. I just don’t know how to quantify or make pics. Some of the times it seemed my eyes and fingers were on different people! So maybe that I got through the week mostly playing with practice hidden in there, and I didn’t kill anyone, I am still in love with the pieces I’m working on, and I look forward to my next sit down should count as progress. Right? I’m working on another Warts and All recording soon.
The beauty out my window takes my breath away. But take a look at the temps through next week. I think I am wishing for summer. I’m finished with winter
Just a couple strays in the middle section. Soon I will turn it upside down to diamond paint the top. Smiling Turtle makes me smile.
Maybe two more knitted rows and I’ll begin the heels. I have to do the heels in one day so I don’t get lost. So maybe in spite of arthritis these will be done by my brother’s birthday.
A bigger basket weave hat. I flat or U-wrap knit as it makes a tighter fabric than e-wrapping. And this CinDWood loom is comfortable to work with. At least my hands don’t hurt while loom knitting. I do miss crocheting.
I’m nearly finished with a couple books. I’ll share the reviews in a couple of days.
Meanwhile, I’ve started
So far it bores me and the font so small and tight it hurts my eyes. But I’m determined to learn all I can about improvising.
I still haven’t touched the violin or ukulele while my hands heal. I miss them and the learning process. Piano will have to keep my passions. Today not so much. Ever have days when you are so tired you just want to stay in bed? Those are rare for me, but today. Ugh. But hey, I still did a little of my routine. A little progress is still progress.
The above two pics are from this morning. My brother and son had to shovel to get out to the store, to take out the trash for tomorrow.
Meanwhile, I was blessed with peaceful hobbies and music.
Tonight the snow flies southwards towards our house building to at least a foot.It’s hard to tell as the porch has been shoveled a couple times.
So, I’m grateful, I guess, that a dog hasn’t found it’s way to my lap yet. I can’t imagine trying to walk a little dog in this without at least working up to this level. I’m exercising on my bike, with yoga, but since COVID I haven’t had that kind of energy. It’s there. I’ll get there. And somewhere a pup is waiting for me.
As much as I hate the ending, I needed some Game of Thrones in the background as I knitted, colored, researched, etc. I’d forgotten how much I love the music.
Hopefully, we remain warm and don’t have to dig our way out. My son reminded me of the stories of such digs in Little House on the Prairie books that I read to my kids when they were young. Cozy snows are best.
Working on my series: Haven.
Doodler (zendoodle.com)
Music major: voice and piano
Mom of four great adults
Reiki II practitioner
I have been on disability/retired for 10 years now from depression, anxiety and fibromyalgia.
Books, games, music, and life — filtered through the mind of a writer, drummer, and philosopher who thinks too deeply about all of it. If it moves something in your chest, I'm interested.
Darswords 
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