I think I might have got that virus at some point in the past!!!

So you have got it!! How do you feel?

Don't think Juniper's going to be back online for quite some time!

I'm working

I have had a phonecall from hubby to say it's in and he did play a C chord for me (after I explained which keys to press ) and it sounded as good as possible over a mobile earpiece

However, you are quite correct, once I get home I won't be online

I have a brand new Hanson T5 clarinet with specially-made-for-me barrel sitting on my desk.


Can't wait to go home.

another new instrument

Enjoy tonight

An excellent clari : hope you enjoy playing it!

Gosh must be so tempting to take it out and have a go, can you have a go at lunch time?

Oh WOW to both of those - I'm very envious!! Have fun both of you



My metronome has made me happy today

Why? Everything clicked, did it?

Have had a little go, but will have to wait till later to have a proper play.

Can't play it for more than 15 minutes a day at first, though.

My mum made me happy today!
I had such a nightmare about her last night, I was so tempted to get up during the night to go through and see if she was okay.
But seeing her face this morning made me happy knowing it was just a dream!
Also I got milky stars chocolate
PSL

I LOVE MAGIC STARS!
Especially the old packets that used to say "Help Clever Star do her sums: what is 2+2?". Awesome.

Home Time!!!!!

A friend's 18th birthday party last night, and having an extremely illuminating conversation with a friend's mother during said party

Indulging in extended piano practice starting new material! Bach, Beethoven and Chopin.

The last two hours have been amazing The piano is better than I could have imagined. It feels fantastic and sounds beautiful I had a great couple of hours grabbing books off the shelf and having a play. Everything from Disney to Beethoven.

mean husband made me eat some dinner which is why I've stopped for a minute

Back to it again soon though

Making fairy cakes with my friend's daughter.

One of the flautists in the band asked me if I'd be interested in joining (a) a flute choir which she runs, and (b) a quartet - assorted flute, clarinet, saxophones - which plays for weddings and other events

'You'll have to learn the saxophone,' she said, 'sometimes it's purely a sax quartet.'
So next week she is bringing an alto sax for me to try

So pleased to hear that you're having such a great time on your new piano, Juniper.

My "happy" today was our staff end-of-year do at the home of my Head of Physics. I'm so lucky to work with such a great bunch of people.

That's great Juniper!!! Was looking forward to reading a post from you like that!

And your new signature is really good!!!

I've just seen this : jazzycat!

Having heard you, I think you'll be fine on sax. It requires a 'rounder' embouchure than the clarinet, but I think you'll get used to that very quickly.

Thanks b-c! I'll let you know how I get on.

Cool and it'd be good to hear you sometime!

Ahh that is so lovely.

Getting child no 3 safely home from County Youth Orch Tour and having fantastic care from the local Minor Injuries Unit for her.... and finding out quickly, that she has not broken her foot (phew- the idea of a whole summer holiday in plaster=not good!!!!!) and getting her crutches!

Now off to a hog roast for a silver wedding party- where we'll see some friends who emigrated to Canada at Easter- they just got back today for 3 weeks! My youngest should have been at gym but isn't due to not being able to walk- so she'll get to see them too (she's good friends with one of their children and she would have missed them due to clashes of camps etc)

Hearing that my lovely student JudithJ got a merit for her Grade 5 voice exam, to add to the merit she got for her Kodály Intermediate exam in June! (Not sure if she has her Theory Grade 6 result yet..???)

She SO deserves her success - she is such a worker!

No work this weekend which means lots and lots of and time

Except hopefully you'll look happier playing your violin than the smiley does!

Last bit of teaching today until August 8th...

*mops brow*

When I first pick it up, yes, once I add bow and start screeching the smile disappears and a grimace appears ditto the neighbours smiles

My neighbours like my high note practice on clarinet

I'm sure my neighbours would rather have you practicing next door than me Mind you the noise that other neighbours dog is making at the moment will make my practice sound rather good, and you can switch me off, not as easy to shut the dog up.

They wouldn't like my top B and top C, over and over again...

I'm willing to bet your practice is better than you believe it is, Louise...

Has its good days and not so good days but, ok, generally good days (still positive see!)

Absolutely Louise! Positive! You do make a very nice sound on the clarinet.

My happy for the day is a wonderful, very intense ballet class! Show tomorrow, and then off for six weeks!!

I have a new baby. In ebony, and it sounds and feels beautiful. Shame I can't play it for more than a few minutes as it needs playing in.

Excellent You do realise recorders are addictive, don't you...

I've only got 3 descants now. (plus my sopranino, trebles and tenor) It's only a small collection...

It is so beautiful. None of the others came even close to matching its sound and the way it played...

Enjoy, I love the recorder, are you taking any to summer school with you?

Managing to get through my last bit of teaching until August 8th!

My daughter has been signing "The Ants go marching" recently, so looked up the chords on t'internet and have been playing it on guitar! It's such a fun song, I think I enjoy singing it more than my daughter does.

Here's the chords if you fancy a go:

Am C
The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah

Am C
The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah

G Am E
The ants go marching one by one, the little one stops to suck his thumb

C G Am E Am (run E, F# G#)
And they all go marching down to the ground to get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

I believe you...

Improvised 'Watermelon Man' in front of an audience at today's Woodford workshop, and didn't laugh, cry, crack up or get lost.

Well done! I'd forgotten you had that event today, muffinmonster! Sounds like it went well!

My laptop crashed yesterday! It didn't like me connecting with the internet whilst playing a composition on Real Player, for some reason. I wondered if I'd lost all my data, but fortunately when I took it round to the local Computer Centre (just round the corner) it was fairly straightforward to remedy. Phew!

My neighbour knocking at the door to ask for something, and also mentioning that she thought I was playing a CD!