Yesterday midday I was sitting in the sunshine on a gravestone (1823) eating chocolate (mint) having just left the hairdresser's (lovely thanks) before going inside to practise the organ and it came to me that right then was complete contentment.
Sunshine, the quiet graveyard, keys to the Church, anticipation of spending a couple of uninterrupted hours working on music and playing our beautifully repaired old organ; all that added up to peace.
Its been a difficult few weeks for various reasons and now is not really a good time or place for me. Gifts come in many shapes and sizes, do they not? And moments of peace are definitely gifts.
How often do I miss those moments of peace or contentment, being too busy perhaps in my head to notice them? When I was a teenager I had the notion that perfect moments had to be savoured, stored and treasured. They came in many shapes and sizes- a day with a friend, Dad visiting me at College, watching hot-air balloons on the Royal Crescent on sunny summer evenings, cherry blossom, snow against lamplight, walking by the sea...just good memories. Its a long time since I added to that collection and longer still since I took them out and examined them, but yesterday's gift is such a one.
Just a moment of peace, a gift beyond price.
Showing posts with label organ. Show all posts
Showing posts with label organ. Show all posts
Thursday, 19 June 2014
Sunday, 2 June 2013
Organ Trouble...AGAIN
Picture Heckety staggering out of the Cathedral's Morning Service just now, wiping sweat from her brow and hiding behind the nearest gravestone to curse loud and long...(blue air)
During the second hymn (quite a short and innocuous hymn, 'Here is Love') with a grumbling rumbling reverberating moan the Organ took off on its own, in a completely different key to that in which I was playing, with the windy weighty discord becoming swiftly louder than my playing. Got to the last chord and I reached to turn it off before rising any of the stops.
It was HORRIBLE.
For the final hymn all that worked was about 18 notes on the upper manual, Middle C upward. No bass, harmonies, and only the shortest pipes, so really high-pitched and whistly. Also no pedals or volume increment. The Choir did a great job, also the Dean, but mortified? Much? Moi?
Next Sunday is the Enthronement of our New Bishop which is a real big deal in the life of the Church, so the Vestry has six days to get that bokety yoke of an instrument up and running.
Nice one, Organ.
Talk about a diva of an Organ, chooses its moments, always.
Aaaargh Grrrrr....
Mars bar solace called for...sssshhh...don't tell....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On a TOTALLY different note (ha ha) read this post about 'The Rooster of Mindfulness'- its ACE! I wish I'd real it before Church and then maybe I would have appreciated the moment and not got me knicks in such a twist?!
During the second hymn (quite a short and innocuous hymn, 'Here is Love') with a grumbling rumbling reverberating moan the Organ took off on its own, in a completely different key to that in which I was playing, with the windy weighty discord becoming swiftly louder than my playing. Got to the last chord and I reached to turn it off before rising any of the stops.
It was HORRIBLE.
For the final hymn all that worked was about 18 notes on the upper manual, Middle C upward. No bass, harmonies, and only the shortest pipes, so really high-pitched and whistly. Also no pedals or volume increment. The Choir did a great job, also the Dean, but mortified? Much? Moi?
Next Sunday is the Enthronement of our New Bishop which is a real big deal in the life of the Church, so the Vestry has six days to get that bokety yoke of an instrument up and running.
Nice one, Organ.
Talk about a diva of an Organ, chooses its moments, always.
Aaaargh Grrrrr....
Mars bar solace called for...sssshhh...don't tell....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On a TOTALLY different note (ha ha) read this post about 'The Rooster of Mindfulness'- its ACE! I wish I'd real it before Church and then maybe I would have appreciated the moment and not got me knicks in such a twist?!
Sunday, 12 May 2013
Pavlov's...Organist?
Now here's a laugh for you (of the 'snigger-snort...pause..giggle...hand-over-mouth-prolonged-giggling' variety):
Picture this:
Sunday Morning Service,
usual congregation various of ages,
organ giving bother, with the lowest octave of the Swell Manual not producing any sound, all the Pedal stops singing alone and unaided, therefore having to really concentrate on the playing...
Got it?
Ok, so we get to the Recessional Voluntary and I'm so working to get a relatively decent sound out of the organ that I become lost in the playing and don't hear the Dean and several congregation members shouting at me from the end of the Nave...
Suddenly I hear my name and stop, an announcement had been forgotten.
The point of the story is the person whose voice reached me......it was the lady who taught me in Senior Infants!
Can you believe it? Nearly fifty years old and the Bani Higgie can still stop me in my tracks...
A good thing, sez you.
Not so much, sez I.
Picture this:
Sunday Morning Service,
usual congregation various of ages,
organ giving bother, with the lowest octave of the Swell Manual not producing any sound, all the Pedal stops singing alone and unaided, therefore having to really concentrate on the playing...
Got it?
Ok, so we get to the Recessional Voluntary and I'm so working to get a relatively decent sound out of the organ that I become lost in the playing and don't hear the Dean and several congregation members shouting at me from the end of the Nave...
Suddenly I hear my name and stop, an announcement had been forgotten.
The point of the story is the person whose voice reached me......it was the lady who taught me in Senior Infants!
Can you believe it? Nearly fifty years old and the Bani Higgie can still stop me in my tracks...
A good thing, sez you.
Not so much, sez I.
Sunday, 15 January 2012
Been A While...
Its been a while since I posted, let alone posted regularly. How have you been keeping? Missed yez, missed yez lots and thought of you individually often, wondering how things were going?
During the Autumn I was getting to grips with the new job- just FYI, School Secretary is not for the faint- hearted! I love the children to bits, I even really like all the staff and the principal, but boy! for each lovely parent it seems you get one who couldn't care less and one who is as obnoxious as bedamned! Its truly another world out there folks! As a teacher you may receive a little respect, as secretary there is NONE!
Over Christmas the Hub, Middlest and Youngest went to East Africa for three weeks to see all his family and catch up. His Dad has not been well, and is taking ill health and age very badly- well why shouldn't he, I guess? He's probably only being the way most people would like to act??!!
Eldest stayed in Ireland and was up and down to Dublin. With the mild winter that's been in it her health has been much improved, as well as being prescribed new and much more suitable medication. The last few days she has crashed again but luckily she is at home so she can lie on the sofa and grump all she likes! Over the Christmas week she had all sorts of friends to stay and it was fun seeing how they are all growing into such lovely adults- if they are a sign of things to come, its lookin' good!!
To say that I have found things difficult over the last while would be rather an understatement. But at the same time I've been seeing someone as part of a CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) program, and I feel as though I am mentally beginning to get my feet under me once more. The idea (excuse me if you know this) is to change one's own thinking and reactions, to be more proactive and not reactive in life's ups and down....I think....
Its HARD WORK!!!!!!
And learning to stand my ground and think afresh is difficult too, but so far, worth it. I'm very, very lucky to be getting any help at all as the mental health services are over-run with demands. I'm also really lucky in the friends who are still standing by me as I grapple with the inside of my head!
I really need to get back to writing regularly. I also need to get back to visiting all of you because that too keeps me sane, and out of my own head- to say nothing of really enjoying your company, of course!!!
I'm playing for Church this morning, guess they might be a little shocked if the organist rocked up in her pyjamas and her hair all on end clutching a mug of tea...or maybe they'd take it in their stride, they know my foibles well enough by this time!!
Have a peaceful, restful day, folks and I hope to chat again soon!
PS I got a camera phone for Christmas and I've been taking some photos around the place; when I figure how to upload them here I'll share!
During the Autumn I was getting to grips with the new job- just FYI, School Secretary is not for the faint- hearted! I love the children to bits, I even really like all the staff and the principal, but boy! for each lovely parent it seems you get one who couldn't care less and one who is as obnoxious as bedamned! Its truly another world out there folks! As a teacher you may receive a little respect, as secretary there is NONE!
Over Christmas the Hub, Middlest and Youngest went to East Africa for three weeks to see all his family and catch up. His Dad has not been well, and is taking ill health and age very badly- well why shouldn't he, I guess? He's probably only being the way most people would like to act??!!
Eldest stayed in Ireland and was up and down to Dublin. With the mild winter that's been in it her health has been much improved, as well as being prescribed new and much more suitable medication. The last few days she has crashed again but luckily she is at home so she can lie on the sofa and grump all she likes! Over the Christmas week she had all sorts of friends to stay and it was fun seeing how they are all growing into such lovely adults- if they are a sign of things to come, its lookin' good!!
To say that I have found things difficult over the last while would be rather an understatement. But at the same time I've been seeing someone as part of a CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) program, and I feel as though I am mentally beginning to get my feet under me once more. The idea (excuse me if you know this) is to change one's own thinking and reactions, to be more proactive and not reactive in life's ups and down....I think....
Its HARD WORK!!!!!!
And learning to stand my ground and think afresh is difficult too, but so far, worth it. I'm very, very lucky to be getting any help at all as the mental health services are over-run with demands. I'm also really lucky in the friends who are still standing by me as I grapple with the inside of my head!
I really need to get back to writing regularly. I also need to get back to visiting all of you because that too keeps me sane, and out of my own head- to say nothing of really enjoying your company, of course!!!
I'm playing for Church this morning, guess they might be a little shocked if the organist rocked up in her pyjamas and her hair all on end clutching a mug of tea...or maybe they'd take it in their stride, they know my foibles well enough by this time!!
Have a peaceful, restful day, folks and I hope to chat again soon!
PS I got a camera phone for Christmas and I've been taking some photos around the place; when I figure how to upload them here I'll share!
Tuesday, 14 June 2011
Of Computer Scans (lost) and Head-Days...
Onyhoos…as the aunt from Belfast used to say…
I was over at the folks on Friday using their scanner to copy some crochet patterns before passing on my old magazines, and found I’d forgotten how to file the scans once done. As a result, I had to hunt through Dad’s documents to recover everything, and even now I know I didn’t get them all.
I did warn him to watch out for stray crochet patterns, and he promised to check any reports in progress before emailing them off…can you imagine some big corporation mogul somewhere opening the latest report on European Medical Devices and finding a couple of crochet patterns included. Would that count as a twoferone d’you suppose?
On a good head-day I can get in the car for three destinations: the folks’ house, our Church, and ‘my’ School.
On a very good day I can teach in School, and I can also do the grocery shopping. So far this year I haven’t been able to teach which is a bummer as I do so enjoy the children; all I’ve done is play the piano once a week for Assembly, and many weeks, not even that. Playing the Organ on Sundays is mostly possible as well as a lifeline, as people come round and chat to me, whereas I could not go to them.
Also on a good head-day I can go out to the garden and do stuff, or even sit outside. Unless you’ve ever had the problem of going through a door, you wouldn’t believe the sheer frustration of watching all the weeds in the flowerbeds wave and snigger at you while at the same time growing taller and taller…
Mind you, if you’d had our weather lately you’d be thinking it was still winter! Not only has it rained constantly, and sometimes hail too, but it’s a rare day when the temperature gets to even 10 degrees! I’ve had the fire in for days in a row- and this is JUNE! And to add insult to injury, the Hub’s Aunt rang and was saying that where she is (in Surrey, I think) they are about to be having a hosepipe ban! I offered to post her a bucket of water, but like all of our extended family, she refused to accept any post from yours truly here…Spoil sport…
I was over at the folks on Friday using their scanner to copy some crochet patterns before passing on my old magazines, and found I’d forgotten how to file the scans once done. As a result, I had to hunt through Dad’s documents to recover everything, and even now I know I didn’t get them all.
I did warn him to watch out for stray crochet patterns, and he promised to check any reports in progress before emailing them off…can you imagine some big corporation mogul somewhere opening the latest report on European Medical Devices and finding a couple of crochet patterns included. Would that count as a twoferone d’you suppose?
On a good head-day I can get in the car for three destinations: the folks’ house, our Church, and ‘my’ School.
On a very good day I can teach in School, and I can also do the grocery shopping. So far this year I haven’t been able to teach which is a bummer as I do so enjoy the children; all I’ve done is play the piano once a week for Assembly, and many weeks, not even that. Playing the Organ on Sundays is mostly possible as well as a lifeline, as people come round and chat to me, whereas I could not go to them.
Also on a good head-day I can go out to the garden and do stuff, or even sit outside. Unless you’ve ever had the problem of going through a door, you wouldn’t believe the sheer frustration of watching all the weeds in the flowerbeds wave and snigger at you while at the same time growing taller and taller…
Mind you, if you’d had our weather lately you’d be thinking it was still winter! Not only has it rained constantly, and sometimes hail too, but it’s a rare day when the temperature gets to even 10 degrees! I’ve had the fire in for days in a row- and this is JUNE! And to add insult to injury, the Hub’s Aunt rang and was saying that where she is (in Surrey, I think) they are about to be having a hosepipe ban! I offered to post her a bucket of water, but like all of our extended family, she refused to accept any post from yours truly here…Spoil sport…
Friday, 6 August 2010
Haphazard Week
The title says it all, I'm afraid...its just been one of those 'what day is it?' sort of weeks. Cool dark grey, wet weather isn't helping either...
Come back, Summer!
All is forgiven!
We love ya Miss Hannigan!!
(I'm sorry, but the SpellCheck won't work so please excuse the poor spelling? Its not my gift...)
Thank you all for your comments and input on the posts about 'Stuff'; I will reply presently and you have given me some more to think about too.
Just to put a complete spanner in the 'accepted' works: personally I remain sceptical that the present Climate Change has been completely brought about by our mis-use of this Planet's resources.
Historically, and I'm talking centuries and millennia here, our planet has undergone huge shifts in temperature, leading to vast erosion, tectonic plate shift, and the dispersal of ice to water and back again.
Tony Robinson did a really interesting programmen about it awhile back, if I find it online I'll give you the link. But any scientifiacally minded Historian can look at the facts- mind you, its the interpretation which can be dodgy, isn't it?
Something exciting: Hazel says I won her Book Club Giveaway and is sending me the next book to read! I hope I get to the post before my daughters; new books are fought over in this household! So, thank you Hazel!!
Eldest returned late last night from yet another 'work's meetings' trip to Dublin, in quite a lot of pain. She had a great time, met an olf friend unexpectedly, and impressed the various people she is doing jobs for, so is well delighted with herself!
I've cleared the Workroom for her now, and put the bed up as the stairs are giving her a lot of trouble, so that's one thing...but the layer of junk which now coats several other rooms now requires a solution!!
I'm conducting experiments, ok, stinks, on home brewed liquid fertilizers, alternatively called compost teas, or Dynamic Accumulators. (Actually, Dynamic Accumulator sounds more like a rising Crescendo in Music, doesn't it??) Youngest is horrified but its great fun, and the more I read, the more I discover that there is usefulness and nutrition in all plants...well, if you are a plant!...or perhaps a cow?
And now another weekend? Not much to show for this week- better luck next? I doubt, since July and August is drift-and-think time!
Last Sunday I was visiting Organist in another Church, and, I regret to say, the Service was more of a Disaster Zone than a Worship Zone- most of it my fault. Its surprisingly difficult to produce a cohesive, contemplative Service, music-wise, when one doesn't know the Rector very well.
Well, for me.
This Sunday I'm playing at Home, so's to speak, for which relief give thanks!!
Heckety played the Organ...the Organ won!
Well actually, God did, luckily!
Come back, Summer!
All is forgiven!
We love ya Miss Hannigan!!
(I'm sorry, but the SpellCheck won't work so please excuse the poor spelling? Its not my gift...)
Thank you all for your comments and input on the posts about 'Stuff'; I will reply presently and you have given me some more to think about too.
Just to put a complete spanner in the 'accepted' works: personally I remain sceptical that the present Climate Change has been completely brought about by our mis-use of this Planet's resources.
Historically, and I'm talking centuries and millennia here, our planet has undergone huge shifts in temperature, leading to vast erosion, tectonic plate shift, and the dispersal of ice to water and back again.
Tony Robinson did a really interesting programmen about it awhile back, if I find it online I'll give you the link. But any scientifiacally minded Historian can look at the facts- mind you, its the interpretation which can be dodgy, isn't it?
Something exciting: Hazel says I won her Book Club Giveaway and is sending me the next book to read! I hope I get to the post before my daughters; new books are fought over in this household! So, thank you Hazel!!
Eldest returned late last night from yet another 'work's meetings' trip to Dublin, in quite a lot of pain. She had a great time, met an olf friend unexpectedly, and impressed the various people she is doing jobs for, so is well delighted with herself!
I've cleared the Workroom for her now, and put the bed up as the stairs are giving her a lot of trouble, so that's one thing...but the layer of junk which now coats several other rooms now requires a solution!!
I'm conducting experiments, ok, stinks, on home brewed liquid fertilizers, alternatively called compost teas, or Dynamic Accumulators. (Actually, Dynamic Accumulator sounds more like a rising Crescendo in Music, doesn't it??) Youngest is horrified but its great fun, and the more I read, the more I discover that there is usefulness and nutrition in all plants...well, if you are a plant!...or perhaps a cow?
And now another weekend? Not much to show for this week- better luck next? I doubt, since July and August is drift-and-think time!
Last Sunday I was visiting Organist in another Church, and, I regret to say, the Service was more of a Disaster Zone than a Worship Zone- most of it my fault. Its surprisingly difficult to produce a cohesive, contemplative Service, music-wise, when one doesn't know the Rector very well.
Well, for me.
This Sunday I'm playing at Home, so's to speak, for which relief give thanks!!
Heckety played the Organ...the Organ won!
Well actually, God did, luckily!
Thursday, 18 March 2010
Thankful Thursday
Yesterday was a holiday here, being St Patrick's Day, and 'here' being the home of the Saint!1. Thankful for the Holiday- I love a good holiday!
2. Thankful that St. Patrick heeded the call of God and returned to Ireland to convert the heathen and tell out God's Holy Word. Where would we be if he hadn't?
3. Thankful that aspects of our national character (hospitality, generosity to strangers, welcome) still owes a lot to the centuries of Christianity which was the result of Patrick's Missionary zeal. We're still enough of a rebellious, bigoted, murdering nation as it is, so I guess God's intervention through His Saint was timely!
4. Thankful that the Cathedral Organ behaved yesterday for the Service- as several of you said it likely would! We belted out the hymns in rare style...sure weren't we competing against the Pipe Bands gathering for the Parade?
5. This is utterly different: Thankful for the courage to go the next step and start a 'facebook' site for my Shop. Dilly and Sos have leapt at the chance to add to and play with it and its turning into a fun thing already...once I had reassured them that it was ONLY for my shop, and not to spy on them all...
And there you have it!
Monday, 15 March 2010
Iffy Monday...
Regardez vous les page links at the top of the page! Who's a clever girl then??? And if you follow this link you too can impress your readers!!!
Now its much easier (I hope?) to check the status of the Barter/Swap, by going to the page title above, then choosing the link you want. Obviously you're all too busy to read at the moment though!
I'm skipping the Challenge Check today as I've nothing to report- wicked lazy, yeah! yeah!
For your amusement, here's the Hub impersonating Rhydian for the Charity Concert on Saturday:
And BBug impersonating Idina Menzel!
They both sang well and had great fun. The Hub had dyed his hair 'blond' (actually red!) and had to try to dye it back to its normal colour before Church- he wasn't very successful so you can imagine the ribbing he got!
And talking of Church, yesterday we had a group of visitors from TEXAS, no less!
Unfortunately the Organ was on a roll, playing by itself every opportunity it got...I was a wreck by the end of the Service, the Church wardens were mortified, and the congregation dispersed with their fingers in their ears. Something is seriously wrong with it. I offered to go up the Loft and kick some pipes but my fellow Organist suggested I take a hatchet to the 8' D Swell 'Open Diasporan' pipe and fix it permanently...
We've a Service on Wednesday as it's St Patrick's Day so I've left the Loft heater on. It'll be a real shame if I can't open all the stops Wednesday as it's the one day in the Church calendar when we can unashamedly roar all our favourite Irish Hymns and no one complains about us being Nationalist!
Nearly finished the quilt from the 'Trunk That Time Forgot' and hallelujah to THAT! One flower to quilt and the binding to attach.
Since there is hazy sunshine out and the ground is dry I intend to re-take several of my Etsy photographs as I feel they could be better. Also I discovered several items I'd forgotten to post so need to put them in the shop. Organised, amn't I?
I'm presently listening to the real Rhydian's CD and enjoying it after a week of impersonations...a powerful pair of lungs has the Hub, but he's not always in tune...ditto BBug, but she is in tune more often, and can also sing quietly! The Hub has no volume control!
Look what I found in a box last week- a SILK quilt top!
It was made from a bundle of old silk shirts I was given many years ago, but what I was thinking I have no idea, and its not backed or anything. I must have been desperate to sew and used every scrap as there are even button holes and shirt pocket flaps included!
Now its much easier (I hope?) to check the status of the Barter/Swap, by going to the page title above, then choosing the link you want. Obviously you're all too busy to read at the moment though!
I'm skipping the Challenge Check today as I've nothing to report- wicked lazy, yeah! yeah!
For your amusement, here's the Hub impersonating Rhydian for the Charity Concert on Saturday:
And BBug impersonating Idina Menzel!
They both sang well and had great fun. The Hub had dyed his hair 'blond' (actually red!) and had to try to dye it back to its normal colour before Church- he wasn't very successful so you can imagine the ribbing he got!And talking of Church, yesterday we had a group of visitors from TEXAS, no less!
Unfortunately the Organ was on a roll, playing by itself every opportunity it got...I was a wreck by the end of the Service, the Church wardens were mortified, and the congregation dispersed with their fingers in their ears. Something is seriously wrong with it. I offered to go up the Loft and kick some pipes but my fellow Organist suggested I take a hatchet to the 8' D Swell 'Open Diasporan' pipe and fix it permanently...
We've a Service on Wednesday as it's St Patrick's Day so I've left the Loft heater on. It'll be a real shame if I can't open all the stops Wednesday as it's the one day in the Church calendar when we can unashamedly roar all our favourite Irish Hymns and no one complains about us being Nationalist!
Nearly finished the quilt from the 'Trunk That Time Forgot' and hallelujah to THAT! One flower to quilt and the binding to attach.
Since there is hazy sunshine out and the ground is dry I intend to re-take several of my Etsy photographs as I feel they could be better. Also I discovered several items I'd forgotten to post so need to put them in the shop. Organised, amn't I?I'm presently listening to the real Rhydian's CD and enjoying it after a week of impersonations...a powerful pair of lungs has the Hub, but he's not always in tune...ditto BBug, but she is in tune more often, and can also sing quietly! The Hub has no volume control!
Look what I found in a box last week- a SILK quilt top!
It was made from a bundle of old silk shirts I was given many years ago, but what I was thinking I have no idea, and its not backed or anything. I must have been desperate to sew and used every scrap as there are even button holes and shirt pocket flaps included!I'm reading a fascinating book at present- 'Hospitality in Medieval Ireland 900-1500' by Catherine Marie O'Sullivan. The more I read about Medieval times here the more it seems to me that many of our social and national characteristics have their roots from then. Only the surface has changed. Perhaps its partly due to living on the west coast where things change notoriously slowly.
Saturday, 15 August 2009
New books!
During the week I received a package from Amazon containing two books I was really looking forward to studying:
Fearless Design for every Quilter- L. Torrence and JB Mills
Aurora- Jane Kirkpatrick
The 'Fearless Design' book will have to wait until September, but I have been dipping into 'Aurora' and it is a lovely collection of quilts, photos, and writing. Last year I read Jane Kirkpatrick's book 'A Clearing in the Wild' which is the beginning of the story of Emma Wagner Giesy and her trek from Bethel, Missouri across to the Oregon Territory, and eventually, Aurora. Emma was a real person and in the 'Aurora' book she becomes even more tangible as we can see her quilts, and her daughter's. Its like spending time with family, or in your Grandmother's linen chest, just lovely!
Another thing I came across today in a magazine is a website for rural women enterprisers...enterprising women?...entrepreneurs, that's the word! http://www.farmtasticwomen.com/ , I'm going to download one of the free documents and have a look.
Apart from that I cleaned the house, very boring, sewed on the one border of the quilt I'd put together, progress, read most of a Georghette Heyer novel I haven't read in years, yummy, made two lots of soup and boiled the chicken bones for broth. The trunks were delivered today and Dilly came home for a few days to be mollycoddled! This evening I had a call from a previous parishioner of our Church asking whether I would play the Organ for her daughter's Wedding in October. The hymns for tomorrow are prepared: the Hub is taking the Service in another Church tomorrow as their Rector is on holiday, and as his portable Organist, I'm playing.
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