My new den

All the builders are gone. The house is clean and much more peaceful. I have had quite a few good days recently, which explains why I haven’t looked in here so much for a while. I’m enjoying using our new bathroom because I can easily wheel in and out, and there is just enough room for me to turn around in there, and get onto the loo with a slide board (Ruth helps me ).

But the best thing is my new den, between the bedroom and the bathroom. I have my digital piano set up on wall brackets so I can get my knees underneath it, and tinkle away whenever I want- though I am not a piano player at all, it’s lovely to make music again. And I have some of my guitars, my fiddle and my mandolin to hand. I haven’t played them for over a year, but I must start again. I’m a bit afraid to, because I know how weak my left hand is becoming ( losing feeling in my left thumb).

Best of all, I can look out on half of the garden. Just sit and think, and watch the birds and the weather. Makes a change from being stuck in my armchair downstairs looking out at the road.

So things aren’t so bad for the moment. I look forward to getting up in the morning much more, and it will soon be spring!

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Sounds lovely and well worth your wait for the work to be finished. It’ll be spring soon you will be able to watch the garden wake up while making your music. I’m not exactly sure what the term tone deaf means but I’m afraid I can’t sing and I don’t play an instrument so I’m sure the term applies to me, I envy you the ability to enjoy and create music.

Jan x

Wow Kev, sounds bliss. Enjoy your man cave you deserve it.

Must be lovely to make music. Saw Ray Davis on Andrew Marr show this morning. Loved the Kinks.

Hope you enjoyed your wine. We need our treats.

Mags xx

Kev, the music thing is such good therapy. I can’t really do the piano now because my left hand won’t work. It also killed off the cello and the guitar. But when I look at a piece of piano music, I can feel my fingers playing. I can even feel the vibrations. I still have the piano on the off chance my daughter may take it up. She’s only 2 and a quarter and she’s just starting to sing with some sense of pitch. I still get this visceral reaction to all music I listen to and it’s still possible to get to concerts.

We’ve just got the ok for our bathroom as well,

Steve

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Kev it’s great hearing that life’s settling down and you’ve got your den now. I don’t have a musical bone in my body sadly. The only thing I ever managed was a very clunky version of the first line in Happy Birthday. And it’s not the best, I played that like hitting keys on an old fashioned typewriter. Not good!! I love listening to so many different types of music though. I wish I’d been able to play.

I have the spare bedroom as a sewing room, something I started really enjoying when I first got ill. It’s packed with fabric and loads of bits and pieces I’ve picked up in charity shops, car boot sales and donations from friends and family. I’ve learnt so make curtains, cushions, dog beds and bags. It’s a real escape and I can lose many hours in there. I wish everyone could have hobbies.

My room overlooks farmers fields and the lambs should start appearing out there soon so I’ll probably spend more hours gazing at them rather than doing anything constructive but as you say, it’s better than the arm chair and road.

Enjoy it.

Cath x

Before I took up my beloved fiddle again after a long break, I knew I was going to hate how my playing would sound. (I did.) So I took the attitude of looking at it purely as a hand / coordination exercise in the beginning, and I told myself that I don’t care what it sounds like, I’m just doing it for my poor brain’s sake. I played only 5 minutes or so at a time at first and gradually increased this. And lo and behold, I started enjoying it again, and being happy with the sound of it. But I take a lot of warming up at the start of each session!

Enjoy your den, music & birds!

Hi KeV

Your den sounds great, bet you love it, and are glad now all the builders have finished.

I would loved to be able to play an instrument, so you enjoy.

Bulbs are poking their heads through the soil, so we have almost cracked it, spring is just around the corner, thank goodness.

Pam x

Music has always had the power to move me to tears. Now I’ll weep at the most unlikely piece, with all its associated memories and what with having a skin too few because of MS.

We are lucky to have had the joy of playing, Steve, as some of the others have pointed out. And Lapwing, I’m sure you’re right about the way to get back into playing again. I aim to start on the nylon strung guitar which I began on in my teens.

By the way, Jan, I don’t believe in tone deafness, except in the rarest and most exceptional cases. We all have music in us to some degree or other.