Sunday, February 12, 2012

Sunday with the Lifes

Son came down today from the north to have lunch with us and reconnected with his nephew.
They went for a little walk in the garden and sat on the seat in the sitooterie (the place where one sits oot). Now that I look at this picture, I'm reminded that the sitooterie could do with being painted. Add it to your list of retirement tasks, Mr Life... .
Grandson's a cuddly boy who loves his mum. (This photo makes it look as if one of his ears is enormous, a bit like that mouse with an ear shape grafted on. Not so.)
Someone asked how my piano learning was going. Well, I can play these things above fairly well - the right-hand page was this week's homework.
I had a little try of this - the following page - this afternoon and found it surprisingly difficult, though it looks easier at a casual glance. In fact it looks simple. But I didn't find it so. I suppose that after five lessons I can't expect to be tremendously good but it's a pity. Effortless brilliance would be very pleasant. My dad was the sort of pianist who could play anything at sight or without music and could transpose things into a different key on request. But I suppose that I'm remembering him when he'd been playing for 40 years. So maybe when I'm 101 I'll be able to do that.
I do enjoy it, though.
(Oh no, the paragraph spaces have gone again. Shame on you, Blogger!)

8 comments:

  1. that little boy gets cuter with each photo! He always looks so very happy. Doesn't he ever cry??

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  2. Actually, the photo of the buy with the enormous ear is quite funny! Keep up with your piano.

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  3. I feel it is time we thanked Daughter 1 for sharing lovely Grandson with you, his uncle and aunt, and with us, his virtual public. We do appreciate his smiley face!

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  4. Although I can (could?) play the piano passably well I have never been as skilled and relaxed as my father either. He can play a huge repertoire of tricky classical pieces which is wonderful to hear. But even better he can accompany singalongs or carol singing evenings with aplomb.

    If he doesnt know the song he'll listen for a verse then pick out the tune with his right hand before adding in a left hand next time round. And, as with your father, he can shift up and down the keys to accommodate singers at will. It is a marvellous gift of which I'm deeply jealous...

    Then again he does play EVERY day and has done for 60 years...

    Lesley x

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  5. Son and grandson don't have jackets on -- is it that warm in Edinburgh? If only we could all have such big smiles to brighten every day -- thanks for sharing that happy baby with us!

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  6. My husband started playing guitar at the same time I started playing piano, about 5-6 years ago. We both play fairly well not, except he can play without music and make stuff up, I can't, I have to have the music.

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  7. Those pieces look too difficult to me, although my sight reading for singing and ability to learn have improved. Just as well.But long florid bits take a while.
    One of my cousins has perfect pitch. His mother was a music teacher and she could tell when he had not practised, as he just played it all perfectly in a different key.

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  8. Do you know, just yesterday I sat down and attempted some of my very easy pieces, one of which was a gavotte! And I found to my dismay I even had trouble reading the NOTES let alone play them. I must have advanced brain rot. Huh.


    Gorgeous baby boy, so happy and lovely!

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