Piano in my mind?

After a twenty or maybe fewer or so years, I have returned to playing the piano - at the end of my hiatus- not sure

First I am cleaning up the keys and running up and down the keyboard playing scales- just major at present - it's amazing how your fingers kinda know where to go although working out the three or four finger change sure works the brain




My left hand is having trouble keeping up with my right but with serious words it will get there




One of my favourites to be re mastered - just slowly slowly




And lots of favourites in here too

Not sure why I have been in this hiatus - intellectual break or what ? Anyway for a 4 year old who was anxious to learn to play the piano and who did pretty well over the years, it is time to get back. Music has and always will be so important to me. Watch this space!

Back to stitching though.

it's mid july

 

July seems to have been a very busy month with plenty of traumas - Ian's computer went on the blink in the middle of producing issue 9 of the e-mag which kinda slowed everything down while his new one was being built. I became his online secretary and for a while we couldn't do printed receipts etc and a few of his important had to be loaded onto my computer and I had to share.... Meant we started July about 10 days late. on the catch up once more.  But a treat - I went off to the Kiwi shop - there is ones a long way north and the other a long way south so I rewarded myself with a purchase or two of beautiful New Zealand whitebait. Before any Aussies tell me they are crunchy and fishy, they are indeed not. Them most delicate flavour - and yes - you eat the lot. When I was a little girl - 1000s of years ago - I used to bike to beach to the mouth of the Manawatu River with my whitebait net and bring home a bucket full (I really think the whitebaiters probably helped get them but I did go pretty often) and my mother cooked whitebait fritters. I have a slight penchant for them.

I cooked us up whitebait fritters with basically eggs and whitebait and because I read on the net that kiwis love mint with their whitebait, I made a salad with cos lettuce, avocado, persian fetta and mint, and dressed it with lemon and honey - and we had it with a good kiwi chard.

I am off to teach in Berry at the end of August at Berry Quilt Retreat - Ian is trading and we are taking lots of our yummy stuff - but I don't really have work to hang which might sell so I have started  working on a number of pieces on canvas frames - this is one of my little red wovens and stitched pieces. I am hoping to do quite a few but this one took rather a lot of time so who knows. I have three ready so far and had planned 20. Let's see how we go. I don't normally sell my work - it is personal stuff so this is an adventure for me. Probably no one will buy them anyway - the commission goes to charity.

But this is a section of my piece for the Red Obsession exhibition  - I have also started on  World of Texture and trust me this is not hand stitching like this. I love doing it but boy does it take some time. I have also got a few half done bits and pieces for the Perth show in 3 weeks for my Stitching Station spot. I guess that is why I am busy - this really is our only show of a decent size and I have a long list and slowly working through all the packaging and ticking things off. Hand stitching whilst watching the Tour de France in the evening.

I got this wonderful book - have spent time poring through it. i haven't read as much lately - go to bed and read a couple of pages and fall asleep. But I have three really good books I am reading - really should read one and then move on.

 Love Shonagh Koea - have read all of her books - she has a way with words

 and Margaret Drabble's latest - been reading her since university days

and Hannie Rayson - I listened to Margaret Throsby interviewing her and ordered it straight away - read two chapters and loving it.

We have found some great new restaurants lately - this is Shadow Wine Bar in William Streets under a new boutique hotel - Alex - we went for a drink last Saturday becasue we had been working all day and went back to eat the other night. Great addition to the Perth scene.

Sauma Indian basically opposite - fabulous little post - been there a few times - great Indian food
Northbridge is so much better these days.

And this is our favourite of course - Three Coins in Mt Lawley - such lovely people as well as fabulous Italian food - shame people keep writing such super reviews becasue sometimes we can't get in.

All this sounds as though we eat out every day but I do love cooking as well.

I have started work on my family work - i am working on a paper journal as well as textiles and i have extended from just my grannie to the family as there is so much to add - lots of frustrations with my printer and programme but I will get here - it might take me ages to do this one - lots of notes so I don't forget what I keep deciding to do.

Sadly the Hurricanes didn't win the final of the Super Rugby after such a wonderful season but it was a fabulous game - next year!  We enjoyed seeing the All Blacks win against the Pumas last night.