Yes, I try to make one more lesson before closing Duo.Started Dragon #3I try to do enough in a month to reach the goal a week or so ahead.
With piano, when I feel I’m done, I sneak in one more song or watch piano YouTubes
With my thumbs hurting I am slowing down on yarn projects. But I have set up the goal of at least one row. Still a photo wouldn’t show progress.
Around the house, I’m implementing one thing in each room, even if it’s picking up something on the floor.
The result of this is I seem to have the stamina for a little more everyday. Tomorrow I will finish the corner where the new cat tree will be.
And, I will finally put rocks in the bamboo and change water as the instructions suggested. I had that lucky plant for maybe ten years but it was getting sad. I hope to propagate many plants from this one. Right now the new babies look like this:
I had to change out the beer glass. It’s my son’s. I’m going to need more jars or glasses.
I’m finding myself at loose ends. Yet editing happened in the morning. One hour of Christmas pianoing happened. I finished the balloon diamond painting. Duolingo gave me ad-free time so I spent a lot of time on French, Spanish, and German.
Did NaNo drive me so hard? maybe knitting will settle me down.
Or should I aim to keep writing like a mad person?
Sunset beach diamond painting is nearly finished. Just a little piece of sky. (Why did I suddenly hear Yentl in my head?) And I sealed the smiling turtle. As soon as I can I will hang it in my bathroom.
My fingering weight socks are coming along. Not very fast as thin needles and skinny yarn take more caution, time, eye-strain, nimble fingers.Guess who got a new watch? I’m still learning my way around it. I haven’t figured out how to capture my stationary bike time, distance, or levels. But the work should get reflected in other health numbers.
My new air plants found pinecones for homes.
Some things like the bike are hard to show progress. But my feelings about the tasks should be the quantifiable attainment. The gold star sticker is the happy accomplished feeling.
I’ve been working on “Shilo” on the piano in honor of
Shiloh. She and Sammie find their places in Dar’s Dabbling Den at practice time. I like their company as I stumble through 4 or 5 pieces a day. Once I’m bored with a song it goes by the wayside. But sometimes a song challenges me to the point of playing itself in my sleep.
I keep a practice journal and some pieces shine with my own praise of how well it went, others I actually draw faces sticking out the tongue in raspberries. I keep promising another ‘warts and all’ session. Stagefright keeps stopping me. Soon.
Duolingo is still fun for me. I do it while on the bike as the 11AM local news plays. I think movement while learning helps.
Yay! I’m more than halfway finished. The sea is done. Into the sky.
Birthday socks. The Fleegle Heel increases are nearly finished. There’s a chance I could finish these this weekend.
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 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.ย 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.
So, yeah. That snap, crackle, and pop and trio of groans are from my son, my brother, and I after rearranging Dar’s Dabbling Den. It was a LOT of work. But worth it.
Part of this is for the exciting thing I don’t want to jinx by speaking it.
Also, I wanted my keyboard to work on improv and composition for this year’s goal.
Nothing much changed with the piano. Except in all the music I found one of my favorite songs, Ash Grove. I can play it on my soprano recorder. But this is the one I learned in voice class. It was worming through my head as my family and I gathered when my grandmother was passing. I felt badly when my cousin asked me to sing. I couldn’t remember the words, nor could I come up with another song at the moment.
Oops! I forgot to move the wig stand and vases. Of course, they’ll need a new home. The silver thing at the fold of the keyboard stand is a music stand. His name is Fernand.
This is the diamond painting area, or other art attempts. The little shelf behind stands on our old dining table. It’s still strong but we never use it due to surface damage. For now, it holds bottled water and now my ‘arts’ shelves.
Stepping back, you see my room dividers a bookshelf and an old screen. Sorry, I accidentally left the box of cleaning supplies. Oh, well. You get the idea.
I’m going to be happy with this new room. My body is going to hate me. I’m so blessed to have David and Dana here to help out.
Can I finish 5 more knitted rows and about 7 rows of ribbing before midnight tomorrow night? And not feel crippled for days after? I’m going to try. I rarely am able to present homemade presents on time. This wins closest time.๐
This is last week’s photo as I’ve spent yarning time on the socks. Oh, well, soon this hat will get it’s turn.
Smiling Turtle is nearly finished. This last bit, at the top, but worked upside down, bottom may take a week. I better find a new project, soon! Oops! Found a sunset DP in my project box to open. Yay!
In my musical world…
Big changes coming this weekend, I hope.
Main attraction
Protected diamond painting area.
Hobby shelves
My weekend project is to move that hobby shelving unit will go on the old dining table behind my DP table. It’ll work as a room divider, so folks in the kitchen don’t distract me as I play the piano or Diamond Paint. That empties the spot under the window to put up my keyboard. More help towards the improving/composition goal for the year.
Along those lines I pulled out my Miracle Keyboard to play chords and such while in the living room. Now, no matter where I land there are ivories to play (okay, no elephants were harmed for these–unless they are plastic pachyderms ๐). At least with the keyboards, I can don earphones.
By the way, did any of you have the Miracle Keyboard that attached to your computer. The lessons were games. My daughter learned to play using that system. I looked all over to show you the cute games it came with, but it took a deep dive for very little enjoyment.
Anyway, that’s what’s finishing me this Friday. How are you all doing?
Please visitย Juneโs blogย to read her posts and say hello. And follow her while youโre there if youโre not already. Your prompt for JusJoJan January 24th, 2025ย is โhobbies.โ Use it any way youโd like. Enjoy!
One of my hobbies is diamond painting. My ‘smiling turtle’ is coming along. I’d say about halfway.
Because crochet has been hurting my thumb, elbow, and shoulder, I went back to loom knitting. The ribbing is two-by-two knit/purl. I am not a fan of e-wrapping. It seems too bulky. But it’ll be warm for someone out there. I’ll make a top-knot puff to finish it.
My second loom knit hat is a basket weave. I only e-wrapped the cast-on. I’m using the green, 36-peg loom. The weave look is three knits, three purls, and alternating the order every three rows. This one needs a top-knot, too.
My brother’s socks are coming along. I hope he likes the ribbed arch like I do. Once the arch is done, the rest of the sock seems to come along quickly. Hopefully, they will be done soon.
My other hobbies are musical in nature. Having gotten back to piano this past summer, starting at one song or five minutes, only as long as it was fun. Now I can go as long as an hour but seem to average half an hour to 5 minutes.
After summer and fall, working on classical, suddenly winter brought some fun carols. I loved some of the more modern rhythms. So when I had to put them away, I made a bit of a resolution or goal to learn more modern beats. I want to be able to improvise and even compose my own music. So I started working through a few books like
Much of it is elementary. I assume I am of intermediate level. But my rhythm is horrid. Especially modern beats, blues, or jazz.
I pulled out another book and started at the beginning with the song, Just the Way You Are, from this book:
Version 1.0.0
It seems easy enough, but it sounded nothing like the beloved Billy Joel’s golden hit when I started. But gradually, the beat is growing in my soul.
I was trying other instruments to get back into music. Recorder, soprano, alto, and tenor. Ukulele. And finally, a violin. When my thumb, elbow, and shoulder started hurting, these also had to go by the wayside. I miss them, but the piano doesn’t hurt my arms or hands. My back, yes. But I am working on posture and yoga to help with that. Hence the shorter sessions.
I love being 75. Retired. Older than my piano teacher was when I was 12, older than my mother, who never got to play for fun. I’m trying to play for them now. And my inner sprites and muses.
Sadly not many diamonds reached the beach this week. This and my piano on the south side of the house are too hot to sit for long. Succession is coming along. The first page is starting to sound like it has promise.
The scrunchie is done. Yay! Time to start a new one. It’s an easy crochet pattern I found on Etsy.
Empty needles called for more socks so toes are nearly finished.
Huggable Arch is coming along.
Ready to do heel increases.
I had to get peg drops for my violin ๐ป. I’m learning basics like tuning and putting rosin on the bow. Finally making notes sound halfway like notes. So much so that I’ve managed the first line of Twinkle, Twinkle.
I’ve nearly memorized Imagine on the uke.
With smoke the recorders aren’t getting attention because deep breaths and scratchy throat make this a bad choice for now.
With smoke and heat the only exercise I get is on the stationary bike.
It is getting cooler. And September seems closer. Let’s pray we all make it. Fires on our coast, floods to the east. I hope we all make it to Fall.
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.
Hi! my name is Sebastian (You can call me Seb!) ...welcome to my Blog. I'm a photographer from Worcester, Worcestershire, England. Thanks for dropping by! I hope you enjoy my work.
Books, games, music, and life โ 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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