Showing off Saturday

Ah, a challenge has been issued by Dawn. I figure since I had something to write about that was sort of showing off something new, that this will meet her challenge and then I don’t have to think of it the rest of the month! Signs of Spring in my house actually started with the post below and the sights and sounds of the backyard birds I listed. I don’t do anything around the house and I no longer have time to do any serious springtime gardening. For me, spring has sprung when baseball starts and today was the opening day for Sportsboy’s little league season (officially though they already played a game). Yes, he is under suspension but he participated in the event anyhow. So we have birds and baseball, what else? Well how about the true meaning of spring – rebirth. In our case it is the arrival of the piano that has sparked it. This piano:

Purchased in 1978 it resided with my parents until this week. I finally have room enough for it and my mom was ready to re-decorate that area of her place. So here it is. I’ve not touched in..oh..25 years? I took lessons until I went off to high school and would still fiddle around with it on holiday breaks, but there was certainly quite a bit of burn out. Then I just never had time/room for it. Not that I have oodles of time now, but I do have room. The rebirth is accompanied by a birth as well 🙂 First, it’s me unearthing the memories of playing. My dad had a great self-teaching book which I am using to familiarize myself with reading music. Tonight I sat down with SportsBoy and we cleaned the keys and went over the beginning lessons. My first time through a simple two hand (treble/base middle C) song, I was as choppy and stumbling as he was. But it was interesting, if I just took a deep breath and closed my eyes I could get through the second time with my more ease and fluidity. See, the fingers remember. The birth is seeing Sportsboy get into it. He patiently sat through each lesson and then tried out each song after I did. Luckily he’s had a bit of experience reading music from his two years as a percussionist in his school band. I thought he did really well! So here is my show off photo. Sportsboy in his Little League uniform solemnly playing the piano tonight: