Yay! Yarn! Yet more projects are waiting, yearning for attention.
Category: Diamond Painting
(R)eviewing the creative week.
I’ve finally added vocal warmups to my music time. And as of today I actually accompanied myself to Somewhere Over the Rainbow, and God Bless The Child. True my voice was weak as my concentration was on playing. But I take the win that I sang the words. That’s one more line to keep track of.
I seem to only have a half hour on the piano. I’m working increasing my time. I think I’ll try a few quarter hours in the evening.
This is working on the exercise bike. Increasing time or mileage in one sitting. But then grab a ride here and there helps.
And now the daily walks around the yard with Milo, I’m feeling healthier.
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.
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.
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.
Already? This week is a blur. A fuzzy blur.
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 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.
Thing is… We’re “baby proofing”. 🤞🤞🤞The new fuzzy kiddos are coming up tomorrow. So we’re busy around here.😀
I’ll try to ‘stream’ the babies in if I can, tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Sammie doesn’t seem very worried.
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.
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.
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.
YAY! My brother likes his socks!
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:
I’m nearly finished with Smiling Turtle!
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.😉
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.
Oh, and by the way…
Darswords 
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