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You are here: Home / Archives for piano

Needs Tuning

April 28, 2018 at 10:02 am by Claudia

Oh rain, I know we need your moisture, but can you go away for a bit so I can get some things done? The grass is growing ever longer, the garden beds need a lot of work, I have to plant seeds soon, not to mention more pruning and cutting back.

I can’t do any of these things in the rain. I suppose I could, but it would be frustrating. And wet.

What did I do yesterday? I recycled. In the rain. I wrote out bills and mailed them. I went to the grocery store. I cleaned the bathroom. I cleaned the wood floors. And I oiled and polished the piano, something I haven’t done in a long time.

I should do it more often. It’s old and that wood needs moisture. Maybe I can train myself to do it once a month? Anyway, I felt that my grandma was smiling down on me. But at the same time, she was yelling, “Get it tuned!” You’re right, Grandma. I promise.

I’m not necessarily a fan of mahogany, perhaps because all the furniture in my grandmother’s house, as well as some of the furniture in our house, was that dark color. It was the style at the time. But I love this piano. It’s a family treasure with a lot of history and, as I get older, I appreciate its beauty more and more.

Gosh. I have  to get it tuned. When money has been tight – and let’s face it, it’s been tight a lot for us – tuning it was way down on the list of things to be done. Neither of us plays it that much. Don uses it to tune his guitars sometimes. I’m the one who studied piano for eight years, yet I don’t sit down and play very often even though Don always urges me to. And now that it’s really out of tune, I can’t bear to play it. So, I have to get my act together and have someone come out and tune it. I also know it needs to have some maintenance work. But before that happens, I will get it tuned.

There!

Just a few days ago, but it seems longer. It was sunny. I swear, it was sunny.

Happy Saturday.

 

 

Filed Under: piano 34 Comments

Is it Thursday Already?

January 11, 2018 at 10:30 am by Claudia

Is it Thursday already? The weeks seem to fly by.

Some random photos of the house, taken yesterday afternoon:

My rather cluttered office with the box containing a new modem still unopened after 3 months.

Vintage plant stand (found at my neighbor’s barn sale) in the office. Those two plants – the pothos and the spider plant – were once tiny little grocery store plants that I bought to put in my apartment in Hartford. They have grown so much since then and they’re hassle-free. This little corner houses extra pots and potting soil, waterers and saucers.

Don’s mini studio. That fireplace remains one of my favorite creations – I’m still chuffed when I look at it.

And a look at the piano, a piece that is so filled with family memories that it will always be priceless.

Though it desperately needs a tuning. I can’t even stand to play it, it’s so out of tune.

Coming soon.

Don had a jam session with some local musicians last night and he got to play his dream electric guitar. It’s on his “I’m saving up for it” list. I want him to get it because it’s in my favorite colors, turquoise and white. There’s a picture of it on his Instagram account, which you can find here. His IG account name is: @donsroadtrip.

Tonight? Either Mudbound  or Lady Bird.

Happy Thursday.

Filed Under: Don, houseplants, miniatures, office, piano 24 Comments

Do You Play an Instrument? Monday’s Question.

July 23, 2012 at 7:46 am by Claudia

This particular Monday is dark and stormy. Riley woke me at 6 am with his barking and thank goodness for it. I managed to get him outside before he peed. A little victory, but a victory nonetheless. Picture me: bleary-eyed, hair a mess, coffee-less, trying to lift Riley and head him on out the door.

You can stop laughing now.

Anyway, lots of thunder, lightning and all-around stormy pleasure. I love sitting in my cozy living room, the crack of thunder and flash of lightning all around me, Scoutie in the ‘tunnel’ and Riley on his bed, a nice mug of Peet’s French Roast in my hands. I hope it storms all day long. (Just as long as the dreaded roof doesn’t leak.) We need the rain and I love the atmosphere.

One of my very favorite things in this sweet cottage is this sign. My friend Lori, of Vignettes, had a post on her blog with several photos of shop displays and I spied this beauty in the background of one of the shots. Fast forward a few days and it found a home here at the cottage.

Oh my goodness, how I love it. Sitting here in the living room, at my laptop, I can gaze upon it all day long. The piano was my grandmother’s, then my mother’s and now it’s mine. I took piano lessons starting at the age of 8 and they continued into my high school years. At that point, drama and the theater had become my passions. After a few too many practice sessions that consisted of me playing only my favorite pieces and neglecting anything new, a decision was made by my mom and me to cease and desist piano lessons. I sort of wish I had continued. But hindsight is always 20/20.

Learning to play the piano taught me to sight-read, sharpen my musical ear, learn all about tempo and key signatures and major and minor and scales and staccato and all sorts of wonderful things that served me well when I sang onstage in musicals, in choirs and, later, professionally. I’m so grateful for all of those lessons and my mother’s relentless reminders that it was time for my daily practice session.

I was a bit jealous of my friends who played in the school band and orchestra. They got to carry instruments in cases. I thought that was the neatest thing.

You can’t carry a piano in a case. We didn’t have electronic keyboards in those days.

Here’s my question on this rainy Monday morning: Do you play an instrument? What instrument do you play? I love learning things about all of you; goodness knows you know a lot about me. Tell me all about your musical background.

Happy Monday.

Filed Under: music, piano, rain 27 Comments

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Welcome!

Welcome!

I live in a little cottage in the country with my husband. It's a sweet place, sheltered by old trees and surrounded by gardens. The inside is full of the things we love. I love to write, I love my camera, I love creating, I love gardening. My decorating style is eclectic; full of vintage and a bit of whimsy.

I've worked in the theater for more years than I can count. I'm currently a voice, speech, dialect and text coach freelancing on Broadway, off Broadway, and in regional theater.

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