Team Up Thursday - Books

It's Thursday and we're back with a diptych of Books.

When I think of Books, I automatically see a stack of thick books with titles embossed on the binding for everyone to see. We didn't get any of that this week!



I love how Lee elegantly featured one book in her picture, although The Kirtsy Book is a compilation of many mini-topics. So a stack of books in one big book.
And I arranged a stack of books, but not traditional ones - these are my violin music books, some from my childhood, some from my current violin studies, and three different editions of Beethoven's Romance in F Major. [my favorite piece when I was in high school]

On Thursday, Lee Curie and I create a diptych based on a theme. You can view the other great diptychs at the Team Up Thursday Flickr group.

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The Piano - Here Today, Gone Tomorrow

The family piano is leaving our home and going south to my sister's house. We don't play it enough and my sister's boys are planning to take piano lessons.

I sat down and played it Tuesday afternoon. If only I had more time to practice.



My sister will be receiving this classic book (it will be in the piano bench).


On Wednesday afternoon, the piano movers came, wrapped it up and took it away.


Leaving a big hole in the former piano room.

I admit I miss the piano, but it will be used more at my sister's house.

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The Piano

We said goodbye to the grand piano today, its departure leaving a gaping, empty space in the former "Piano Room". But it's staying in the family, going to my sister's place in North Carolina, where it will be played more frequently than in our home.

Still, its presence will be missed, at least by me. I spent some time yesterday playing some old familiar pieces.





And who can forget the beginner book my youngest sister used when she was 5 years old. Yes, it's ragged and worn, but we still have it (and it's on its way to North Carolina with the rest of the music).



Finally, a piano quote I found on the internet:

“One man gets nothing but discord out of a piano; another gets harmony. No one claims the piano is at fault. Life is about the same. The discord is there, and the harmony is there. Study to play it correctly, and it will give forth the beauty; play it falsely, and it will give forth the ugliness. Life is not at fault.”

I hope my sister's boys find the harmony in the piano.

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Colors of Love

I love hues of pink with white. And they are 50% off today at the local Walgreens.


I told my co-worker Pieter that I would replenish the candy dispenser in his office. Now I have the appropriate goods!

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Saturday Morning

This is how we spent last Saturday morning, before Auntie Teresa arrived:

I woke up early to pick up Brian from the all-night lock in at church. The sunrise coincided with my drive out to church:


A lock in means minimal sleep for all involved and a morning nap:


I worked out at a Cage Fitness class and then hit the road for a nice run in the glistening snow. I tried out another portion of the trail in the neighborhood:

The local neighborhood association must take care of this trail because most of the sidewalks in town are still covered in snow and ice. I greatly appreciate it!

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Roses

The rose speaks of love silently, in a language known only to the heart.

Happy Valentine's Day

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Special Visitor and Dinner

[A bit of a cross-post between this and my photography blog - sorry if you've read both posts]

I learned a week ago that my sister, Teresa, would be traveling to Chicago for work and planned to drive down to visit us! She arrived Saturday afternoon.

The photo taking started almost immediately.


Brian took this picture, using my big camera.

[Hand held at 1/40second exposure time! That's a steady hand!]

I planned to make pasta, but the kids suggested we try out the local sushi/fusion place.

We walked into the restaurant and were transported out of the midwest. We faced an industrial scene with waves of neon and pulsating music. Oh, and the obligatory fish tank in every Asian restaurant, but without the koi:


The wasabi is so pretty, piped into flowers:


We ordered three sushi rolls as an appetizer. I had to fend off the hungry masses for an additional 10 seconds to get this shot. They only gave me one try.

The carnivores also known as my family inhaled the three dishes in less than 2 minutes. Seriously. Poof! All gone.

So we did what any normal sushi loving group does - order more! We ended up consuming 6 sushi rolls between the 5 of us. Again, just as appetizers!

Because after the sushi came the main courses. Since it is a "fusion" type of restaurant, I ordered a very non-Asian duck dish.


Needless to say, we had lots of leftovers to enjoy for Sunday lunch.

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