We will get this debt down & the savings up

Makingabobor2

What sort of level are you at on the piano BTW @foxgloves? What sort of things do you play? I am trying a lot of West End musical stuff and some classical. Also got myself a book of Christmas carols from the Bay of E, ready for Christmas.

Sun_Addict

Great news about the refund.

foxgloves

@Makingabobor2 - I am the least proficient out of a family of professional musicians, the only one not to pursue music as a career. I was at uni when I last had lessons. My teacher was going to put me in for Grade 7 or 8 & decided I was up to Grade 8 (which came as a big surprise to me!) I started work on the exam pieces but I bottled it, gave up piano lessons & took the grade in singing instead. I continued to play though, on & off. During Lockdown, I treated myself to a lovely 2nd hand piano which travelled all the way up the A1 from London & I've played regularly since then. I play classical pieces. I do have a lot of music, so I just play what I fancy & sometimes dig out stuff I used to play & work at polishing it up a bit. At the moment I'm playing a Faure piece I've learned this year, some Heller & a couple of Chopin & I'm learning a nocturne by John Field, which is really lovely.....except for some hard bits which I'm struggling with. I have bought a fair amount of music over the years from our local Oxfam Bookshop. If you have a branch nearby, it could be worth a look.

Re your varifocals....I do remember that my Mum, who was a church organist, had 3 pairs of glasses & one pair was specifically for playing the organ! I manage fine with my varifocals but I don't look at my hands much...for better or worse, my eyes are usually on the music.

Anyway, enjoy your playing. It can be a nice relaxing hobby to have x

Makingabobor2

Wow.…not sure I'll ever get to that stage @foxgloves . I was at grade 4 from what I recall, but feel like a beginner again. I think once I get back into it again I won't need to look at my hands so much, but at the moment I'm still searching for notes....lol, especially when a strange chord appears. I will check out Oxfam. I have downloaded a few bits from a site where you can download the first page or 2 for free, then if you like it, you pay for the whole piece. Also got a couple of books from V*nt*d. The one I am practising the most is Music of the Night from Phantom of the Opera. Really love that.

foxgloves

It's so nice finding decent music scores in the charity shops, @makingabobor2, as new music can be expensive. I always have a look through the music boxes when I'm in our local Oxfam Bookshop. Once the manager said they had tons more music 'in the back' if I wanted to look through that too. I was so tempted, but declined as I have more than enough to be getting on with. I think it is much more enjoyable to play stuff that we like. I don't really think about grades now I am out of the piano exam system. I just play what I fancy. I would estimate most of the pieces I go for are between Grade 5 & 7. I have a few Grade 8 pieces but obviously they are harder & take me longer to learn (if I can play them at all!) so the most important thing to me, really, is that I keep playing, that I am able to challenge myself to get my pieces up to a reasonably decent standard & that I continue to enjoy it, which I do very much.

Yes, I think as you have had a very long time away from piano-playing, a few lessons to assess where you are at & get you focused could be a really good idea. I know my sister sometimes has adult pupils in her piano teaching practice in London, so I'm sure you'd find someone locally.

Makingabobor2

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81902333#Comment_81902333

Yes, I did contact a local lady before I bought the piano, she was the one who pointed me in the right direction to purchase one. She also recommended several different music books to get from the Bay of E or V*nt*d, that she thought would help me get back into it. I will message her about going to see her, she said she is very flexible and has some adult pupils who just go once a month, or when ever they think they need help. At £18 for 30 mins….I don't think I will be going often….🤣

Makingabobor2

Quick update as not much to report today really. Stripping the bed and cleaning today. Did some more sorting out for CS and have a big bag ready to take, also a bag of rags that I can't use anywhere else. Was going to take it down this morning, but it started raining hard and by the time it stopped, it was a bit late as they won't take donations after 2pm. Plus I have a library book to return and they close at 1 on Friday. So I will wait till tomorrow, as DH is working in the morning so I can walk down first thing. Looked at the weather forecast and more rain tomorrow, so will have to dodge the showers. Did some washing, as no point leaving it if its still going to rain tomorrow. SO now got it on the airer and trying out the new dehumidifier. Its only bedding and a couple of pairs of pyjamas so hopefully won't take too long.

I have also cut up some old PJs and T shirts to make cleaning cloths. No point putting them in the rag bag if I can make use of them.

The financial manifesting continues. I was clearing out an old drawer and found $15 shoved in a plastic bag with a receipt in DH's name from 2011!!! That was the last time we ever needed US dollars, and then we had our LBM in 2015. So I thought he has obviously forgotten they are there, so I am taking them to get changed back to ££ next time I go past NW or to Mr S where they have a money exchange booth. That will be a bit more to put in the debt pot.

Had just over £6.50 of P/fc studies this afternoon, but none paying out straight away at the moment, so looks like it will all be ready to start March off to a flying start. My pending amount is now up to over £65

Just had a message from DD asking if we can have the 2 youngest GKs 2 weekends in a row for a sleepover in March/April. She says would it be too much? LOL The things we grandparents do….LOL they are 9 & 4, so quite easy to look after TBH. The one weekend has been in the calendar for months, as they had a concert booked that was a Christmas present from her to DSIL. The weekend before though, is her birthday and he wants to take her to London to see a show. The 2 twins are nearly 17 now, so they are ok home alone, for one night, and only live 2 mins down the road anyway.

So that's about it for today. A nice NSD and using up some soup that was in the freezer for dinner. Rain has stopped at last, so need to nip out to the bins.

weenancyinAmerica

About the potholes - one town had such bad potholes that some citizens got together and talked the Volkswagon company to shoot a commercial showing their car coming up to the city limit sign and then disappearing completely into a pothole and then reappearing before driving into town - with name of town prominently displayed the whole time. The potholes were fixed very quickly. Maybe you just need a lot of publicity.

badmemory

We complained about the potholes so much that the council sent someone out to look at them. They went back & said there were no potholes. Which by then was actually true. All the road surface had gone & every time it rained the chips were washing into the drains. I watch that drain very carefully as the water is now only 4 ft down instead of over 6ft, its on a hill thankfully.

Blackcats

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81909919#Comment_81909919

that's a very imaginative way of getting the powers that be to take action