No shoulder rest.

 

What tune is this improvisation from?

Yep, the shoulder rest has gone again. That video was a solo from Oh Lady Be Good. I was just doing a warmup. However, you can see that there is no shoulder rest. 

Still warming up here.

I'm off to work soon. (Though these videos are from last night. Maybe I was warming down?)

After that there will be time for a bit more practice, then it's grandson minding time. 

I'm still looking after my hands. They are sometimes good and sometimes not so good. I guess that's just part of getting old. Peter will know about that because he is older than me.

There is not much happening around the blogs this morning. TC is evidently getting into the harmonica and has found a new friend in the Cuba Mall. Ah well, that keeps him out of trouble. 

Robert has written a post. Same shit, different day. It seems that Gsus has given up on becoming a shepherd and is now becoming a gardener. Silly bugger.

I'd better leave you there for today. I'll get into work early so that I can do some violin practice before the troops arrive.

Ciao tutti.

Evah Pirazzi Gold

 

Gsus Kryst!

Good morning.

Rob left a comment on my last post.

"The shepherd knows his sheep by name and calls them. The goats are stupid and ignore him."

It's all to do with Gsus being compared to a shepherd. The blame has all been put on goats, though it's a known fact that they don't eat sheep. Shepherds do. What, did you think that all shepherds are vegetarians? Ask yourself, why are sheep kept in flocks? They supply wool and meat. That's not rocket science.

No promised post from Peter yet, but Rob has posted. He finishes with this statement.

"If you sin, repent and go to confession to a Catholic priest. Though you probabaly have to be Catholic, which everyone should be anyway." Sorry about the spelling of 'probably'. It seems that Catholics don't proofread. I wonder how many mistakes there are in the Bible?

Most Catholics (or, at least, many) are baptized as babies, before they are old enough to have a say in the matter. That happens in all religions. When you see a guy wearing a turban, there's a very good chance he was born into that religion. Everyone who belongs to a religion is convinced that their religion is the one true religion. Some have to be wrong! In fact, everyone but one religion has to be wrong. Rob is sure that he has picked the right one. The odds are not in his favour. 

Anyway, where is Peter's promised post? Maybe I need to write it for him?

He'll probably wear this hat.

"Lynn and I went to do volunteer work at Zealandia yesterday. We did a predator-free fence inspection. The fences turned out to be fine. We didn't see any rats or mice. A sparrow had flown in, but how do you stop that happening? I mean, a lot of birds fly. We get them in Thorndon. They sometimes shit on our car. Little buggers! That's it for this morning. I'll have a bath, dry my phone, then I'm off for a walk."

That could have been a bit longer, Peter!

[Bathroom visit, and I hadn't eaten or drunk anything. That's a bit cruel!]

Maybe I need a couple of little pies? There are four in the fridge. I bet Peter hasn't had an eclair this morning. Definitely not a little pie or a coffee! He'll have to ring for a cuppa with oatmeal milk.

Well, that's it from me for this morning. 

Ciao tutti.

Who will post this morning?

Heater on, banana toast. I will post.

Peter will be squiggling around in bed thinking about bowls.

Robert will be thinking about his shepherd because he is a sheep.

 

I'm thinking about my practice. It's going pretty well. The shoulder rest is feeling more comfortable too. I think I'll add a slice of peanut butter toast to my breakfast. Done. If the old boys both take up or return to bowls, will they take their golf gear to op shops? They'll both need to get white outfits too.

[To bathroom.]

Toast sent to the coast.

[Back.]

I suppose that Robert could wear his white outfit to mass. Peter will be up and dressed now, in white, and drying his phone. I think he will have dropped it in the bath again. I'm pretty sure he will have. He'll be ringing Lynn for a cup of tea about now. With oatmeal milk.

As usual I'll start my practice with some long notes and then some chords. I need to do work on my double bass tunes too. It's nice to be near the heater. I'll make a trip to the Hutt today. Lower Hutt. I want to pop into a couple of music shops. I'm looking for some music for a violin student. 

The sun has shown a face in the Nui. All the carparks will now be full in Thorndon but there will be some spare ones in Moera. I don't know what the parking will be like at mass. It probably depends on how many church shop people turn up.

I think that's all I have to say this morning.

Bye to the boys dressed in white, for now.

Be careful if you're taking orders from a shepherd. He may finish up eating you.

BOTH.

 

I did 2 1/2 hours of practice yesterday. Half an hour on the double bass and two hours on the violin. I kept getting the shoulder rest out of my drawer to try it one more time. Then I finally made a decision and put it in my violin case. I did one hour of violin without it and one hour with it. Why not go both ways? That way I'll see what works best for my hand. Both ways were successful yesterday. There you go.

* * *

Good morning. I'm not long up (the same height really) and the heater is on. I think I might even commit the sin of having a coffee [and then a trip to the bathroom]. I have no pies left. Damn! My daughter flies to Melbourne today, so at 11am we head to the airport. It is her intention to get a job and a flat over there. It could be good for her. I guess that time will tell. Shelley and I are thinking of moving to Thorndon.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

You are not allowed to eat things containing chocolate and cream there. Pies are probably off the Thorndon menu too. 

I see there's a post from Robert this morning. I had a quick read but I kept thinking of that song 'The Lord Is My Shepherd'. You often hear about Jesus being compared to a shepherd. Shepherds look after herds of sheep but, when the time is right, they also join in the procedure of eating them. I wonder if Gsus will end up eating Robert?

Robert in Heaven?

I'm drinking that coffee now. Boy, I'd love a pie!

Never mind, the coffee is nice. Maybe I could get a pie at the airport?

It seems that both Peter and Robert are finding golf hard going at the moment. Maybe they should try rugby? No, I don't think that would work. Robert mentioned the possibility of bowls in a comment. That could work. 

You don't hear much about lawn bowls these days.

[Bathroom.]

[Back.]

Maybe Peter should take up the cello and the boys could work on those Haydn concertos together? Or maybe violin? He could use his golf trundler and bag to push the violin around.

Yes, that would work. They could take their violins to Berhampore Golf Course and play duets. Probably best if they memorised the music and didn't need music stands. Sheet music would be a nuisance if there was a bit of wind.

Boy, I certainly solve problems for the two old boys!

I wonder if Robert would let Peter use a shoulder rest?

Would that stop the sound travelling to Peter's body via his collar bone?

I guess the boys will have to work that out between themselves. Hey, they might decide to both wear skirts kilts.

I'll leave you there for today.

Ciao tutti.

Another very cold morning. That's why I'm up and by the heater.

 

A7b9

I might even have a couple of little pies for breakfast (I have three). I'm sure that Peter will understand. He came around yesterday and ate some things that he's not allowed to eat at home. 

Breaking all the rules.

I watched Rob's latest video this morning. It had funny sound and he spend the first part trying to convert us to the Catholic religion. Personally, I've been there and there is NO WAY I'm going back.

So, I'm back without a shoulder rest on my violin. That didn't last for long! Peter made some snide remark about not using one on his bagpipes. Well, I think he does wear a dress when he plays them. Peter was once asked what's worn under the kilt. He replied that it's all in perfect working order. (Old Spike Milligan joke there!) I did quite a bit of practice yesterday. The little bass snippets on this post are really just me experimenting with recording myself. Short snippets are easy to load onto the blog.

The three little pies will be ready soon. 

Then I guess it'll be bathroom time.

That's about all I have to tell you.

Ciao tutti.

The shoulder rest is gone!

 

BACK TO NO SHOULDER REST!