Snow! It's making me happy because the temperature is so high and the ground so wet that it's not going to be able to settle - but it's nice to look out of the window and see it falling


Yesterday - total Bach-fest! I got lots and lots of work done, mostly while listening to my iPod with a selection of Bach on it (misc. organ works, cello suites on cello, cello suites on recorder, Brandenburgs, bits of Art of Fugue on harpsichord, bits of Art of Fugue by recorder quartet...) I then got to my music lesson, and remembered that there was some solo Bach in one of the books I had with me that also happens to be a list C piece, so I was glancing at that while my teacher was sorting out what date next term starts for me...and then I noticed on his music stand was a book of Bach cantatas for recorders. So, we played the list C piece a couple of times through just to get me started, and then had our end-of-term traditional duets lesson, Bach cantatas...darn, can't remember the numbers. But they were lovely. So now I have to go and buy more Bach to add to my massive Bach playlist on my iPod!

I am happy to hear your seem to feel a lot better.

The builder finally finished repairs to our roof following the damage wreaked by the recent storm. We are weathertight again!

Carol singing around college with my music class - 4 or 5 girls had to sightread the tenor parts, as our class consists of 4 basses and 18 girls! Descants were fun though

I looked at today's snow and thought 'if you stop me from going to my diploma, I shall squeam and squeam and squeam until I'm sick'

Surely that should be 'thqueam until I'm thick'?

You should be so lucky! See aaarrrrggg thread.....

Ah, you remember Miss Langford too...

Yay!!!

Looking forward to 4 hours of carolling with the band this morning at Morrisons (Army Mess dress, santa hats and fairy lights!!)...just hope its a little less windy than last night or my music on my lyre is going to be interesting! Oh well who needs music for carols in 6 flats anyway???

I got distinctions in both grade 8 cello and grade 1 viola (taken on the same day with the same examiner, yes he was a bit bemused by it!). I'm over the moon!!!

Many congratulations!

Congratulations! Did he mention it at all?

Thank you! Yes - when we were about to start the aural for the cello (which I did first) he said 'grade 1 aural must be a bit easier than this!' and the same with the sight reading. He clearly thought it was hilarious! It made the exams much more fun than usual so in turn I was quite relaxed, so I think it actually helped my playing.

Great It is always good to get examiners with a sense of humour. And probably nicer to do a grade 8, then grade 1, than the other way round.

Well, yes, exactly!

Congratulations

Seeing Niece 1 and Niece 2 has made me happy, especially a 'well' Niece 2 (well, as well as she can be)

Very well done!!

My happy...Our band raised around ?700 (waiting for final count) outside the supermarket this morning!

Bought some new sax reeds yesterday

Survived a four hour orchestra rehearsal yesterday then a 25 mile dash to choir rehearsal followed by choir concert in the evening.

I tend to think, when I buy new reeds 'oh deep joy, I have to break in a couple of new reeds, and they might be like floorboards '

*remembers, need some clari reeds*

lots of sunshine and no snow = happy Louise

Sainsbury's having a rather nice 11.99 bottle of wine in a two-for-ten-pounds offer. Yes, cheaper to buy two bottles than one! With a couple of offers and using our Nectar points, we now have a nicely stocked wine rack ready for Christmas

a very nice Sunday roast and then a brisk walk back home

ah me too and daughter .....

Learning, via facebook, what an English cadence is

Ah, the joys of English Renaissance music... and false relations!

Well, 4 Christmas concerts down now, two to go! One is a first - I'm playing my 'cello in public for the first time with the sort-of beginner's orchestra I've joined (if you call opening movement of Mozart 40 beginners ).

Hope everyone's concerts are going well. Why do we go through this pain every year - more concerts in 6 weeks than in the next 6 months?

Well done! Which charity did you choose?

Ooh, indeed!

Thank you both! Baby had to be delivered by section at 35 weeks, but after a few days in intensive care she has now moved over to special care and is doing well. Mum much happier now she's been told she can stay in hospital to get feeding established. Fingers crossed both will be home by Christmas.

My 'Happy' is/was last night's 'Nine Lessons and Carols' service.

SB Junior did absolutely brilliantly, and despite his young age had done a really good job with the choir.

There were just eleven regular choir members when he started the post just before Easter, and they had barely sung in four-part for several years. There were twenty-one of us in the choir stalls last night, all robed, including members of the music group, who wouldn't usually want to be seen in such attire!

There was a congregation of around 200 who all seemend to enjoy a good sing, whilst the ladies and youngsters in the choir sang some really good descants, so I think everyone went home happy.

Who says that things never get better?

SB

It was ?742 at the final count, and the Brass group went round thelocal pubs, playing in one for 30 mins for ?50 from the landlord the day before, and raised about the same. That was going to RICC (Research into Childhood Cancer) and the full band was going to the military charities - Help for Heroes and another local one. Good couple of day's work...

I was brave today and actually went busking on my own with my violin for 3 hours. Did OK, all helps at the moment... Going back out tomorrow, with a promise of help from a trombonist!!

My last pupe of the term gave me a wrapped gift today. When I got home I saw it had written instructions to open it today. So I just have (all be it in fear and trepidation of the Curse of Santa). I am now the proud owner of a set of stickers that say :

"Flutes are shiny, ohhhh shiny"
"I'm an elephant - yay!" (that'll come in handy won't it?)
"Flutes should always be rested on shoulders" (as if little me would criticise a pupe for doing so.... )
"Scales are rubbish and should never be learned" (this pupe really SHOULD value its spleen more....)
"Rubber chickens are stretchy like pineapples" (well, another jolly useful one there then. This pupe regularly utters the word "pineapple" at random intervals during lessons....)

I really DID laugh when I opened them. I am actually quite touched as these are things we've laughed about in the course of the term and said pupe has had fun doing this for little me.

Faith in the Youth of Today happily restored.

Smiling-Bag x

Nice! great when you share a sense of humour. My last one presented me with a large, flat, box-shaped parcel. At least 2ft by 4 ft, and about an inch deep. Can't possibly imagine how many calories this contains

I had one that size last year - full of naughty, wicked chocolate seashells. When I thanked the pupil for the large box, she said, "Oh, that's OK. They were reduced to the same price as the smaller boxes so I thought I'd get the large one".

This year's box is rather smaller, so I assume the sales weren't on.

I'm sure I can wangle you both stickers that say "sorry I am too fat/stuffed full of chocolate to be able to teach you today"



Bx

Lovely support from Bag and Baz just when I need it the most.

Like a good bra, sis, like a good bra (plenty of support!)

Titter-Ye-Not-Bag x

I'll go on ahead, if you'll give these two a lift.

(as the hat said to the bra).

Lol, go maggiemay! An old boyfriend of mine (old as in past, not past it! ) once said if he believed in reincarnation he'd like to come back as my bra.....

Anything-more-than-a-handful-is-wasted-Bag x

Had a lovely day in York, trip to Banks (was good and only bought essential reeds) and spent a very pleasant few hours wandering, all very relaxing

You must be so pleased to have found this church, Swell Box. It's so good for your son to be appreciated instead of taken for granted, and he must be happy to have a choir of a good size. Having shared your frustration with the set-up in the previous church, it's lovely to hear that things are going well now.

Thanks Berskshiremum.

It has taken us a while, but we have recently come to the view that for all its 'faults', (using Sing Glory for one ), this is one church which exists for all the right reasons, and genuinely believes that teaching and encouraging young people is a central part of it's mission. I also think the fact that the music group is now happy to join the robed choir in worship says a great deal about what is going on there.


SB

About to go and get packed. Tomorrow I'm going here...

Nice.... I'm pleased for a pupil who got a Gr 3 distinction today- his first distinction!

aw

I can't quite tell - is it Skegness or Whitby?

*is puzzled as to what a non-essential reed might be*

was tired, should have put 'only bought essentials - reeds'

My manager has not got round to writing Christmas cards this year, so instead he has brought the three of us actually working this week a box of Thorntons chocolates each. I made the mistake of opening mine. Don't need lunch now, suspect not many chocs will make it home