Long weekend just about coming to a close. Was supposed to be my first weekend with Katie so sucks quite a bit that it isn't. Actually sucks a lot. Had loads of cool stuff planned, most of which we can do if she gets over later in the year but not all :-( Plus when I came over, with everything that had happened, the light in the distance keeping me going forward was her visit. It is hard, very hard, to not have had that light for the last few weeks.
However I've managed to fill the void with lots of ridiculously unnecessary purchases! Including some that will stretch my skills (and maybe patience) to breaking point. Still, it is much harder to better yourself if you don't challenge yourself. It is much easier to rediscover yourself and get to the real heart of things if you are giving yourself opportunities to grow and develop.
It is still difficult seeing the way things are developing back home and just having to watch (especially when people you care about are really struggling with aspects of it). But you have to have faith and trust that people will do what is necessary, even if hard.
First day on the drum kit was a relative success, until I had to involve my feet. Then it was like an octopus trying to cook a paella blindfolded after a bottle of gin. Limbs everywhere, no rhythm and absolutely zero style. Good job it is electronic otherwise downstairs would have heard the sound of collapsing structures in their ears for weeks. It's all a process though, you don't improve without practising and you don't succeed without some failures along the way. It is learning from those things that don't go your way that is important.
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| Music Corner - where the magic may happen |
Banjo was more successful - once I got it tuned. One evening of practice and I can now play (very roughly and with occasional mis-steps) both Ode to Joy and Auld Lang Syne. Once I feel comfortable enough I may even treat you to a rendition - just promise not to laugh at my concentrating face!! Once my keyboard arrives in a few weeks I may be 50%+ of the way to my own bluegrass band.
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| Bits of The Red Keep |
The floor of my apartment is also a jumbled mess of jigsaw pieces as I try to assemble The Red Keep to join Winterfell. It's a bit easier as not everything is grey (and less of it is red than I expected) but it is still a challenge trying to slot everything together and make it all stand up!.
Add on to that the daily Spanish lessons and the ongoing books/games etc. and it's no wonder the time flies past. Hopefully it'll fly to such an extent that it only feels like days between now and when Katie finally touches down on US soil.
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| A place for contemplation - and the weather for it! |
In other news, does anyone know how much a horse costs? Asking for a friend!
Till tomorrow,
Tom
