The second week

Hello,

So. What did I achieve? Well....

Piano:

I have a lovely guy teaching me piano and I'm going for my second lesson today. He tells me he believes he can help me to achieve my goal......and maybe more.

I do have some small history of music that I should share that with you. While I never studied an instrument or learnt music as such I did complete a one year course in musical theatre in 2008 in which I learnt to sing, jazz and tap and a little music theory. The lesson was a good reminder and covered pretty much all the theory that I had left in my head. So - Loving the lessons, on course to achieving my goal, happy.

Salsa :

I contacted Picante Dance on their website and wrote a letter informing them of my goal and asking for their help and whether they thought it was realistic. They haven't replied yet but I'm sure they will.

I told my friend about my Salsa goal and she laughed at my ambition - which has made me more determined. There is one problem however, I plan to conceive a baby in two or three months. I doubt that I can dance Salsa while heavily pregnant and given that in the last pregnancy I had pubic symphisitis I doubt its wise. So - the stakes are even higher. I have to achieve my goal by the end of my first trimester which I am hoping will be in five or six months. do they allow women with rounded tum tums into the public arena in salsa culture? Let's see......

Vegetarian Cooking:

I dug up an old favourite I haven't made in months and my daughter gobbled it up. My meat eating husband saw what was for tea and quickly had a big snack unbeknownst to me while I was putting her to bed. So I thought it all went well.......

Recipe:

Mushrooms, capsicum, zuchini chopped finely (or whatever you fancy)

2 x 400g can of Lentils

potatoes (about three or four)

cumin

salt and pepper to taste

Cook veges in frypan in a small amount of water.

When soft enough add lentils and cumin and stir.

Cut and peel potatoes and boil. Mash

Place veges and lentils in a baking dish

Place mashed potato on the top

Place in oven to warm until ready to serve.

Novel:

I'm actually already up to chapter six and was up to chapter five before I started this blog. I've completed my layout and synopsis and character breakdown etc etc.

I don't think that this disqualifies me from giving myself this challenge as finishing the chapters, editing once or twice and actually finding an agent is still a really big deal. I completed one chapter this week.

The story of my Piano - For those who want to know more.

My husband is a very kind and considerate man and is very good at buying generous and well thought out presents. Unfortunately this birthday he completely screwed up.

I have been saying for the past five years that if I don't have a piano by the time I'm forty I want one and I want to learn to play. He did have a look around for me and told me that they were all quite expensive and given that we live in a rented home that it probably wasn't a good idea. I conceded this but stated that I would like a keyboard so I could 'skill up' and play nursery rhymes with my two year old. Around the same time I was also complaining about the many old and varied computers we have around the house. I didn't like what we could and couldn't do on them. I hated that I had to take down the noisy and rickety attic stairs to access our table top computer, I hated that the old mac was so out of date it couldn't even open hotmail properly, I hated that the laptop he'd bought for trading on was not being put to good use and didn't have word or good internet access. I hated it all. He said, 'would you like me to buy you a laptop?"

'NO', I said. (with great vehemence and very clearly I thought).

The day of my birthday came ( it followed the week of the surprise weekend with a bunch of my friends in a lakehouse that my husband had kindly organised) and I was seated in bed about to receive my present. My daughter was brought in to witness the great opening and my husband proudly pulled from underneath the bed - a laptop.

My face dropped and.....I started to cry.

'I was hoping for a keyboard", I said.

The atmosphere was awkward, we were all embarrased, we wern't looking at each other....and then my husband happily started downloading software and music from itunes.

I lost it.

The weekend after, without discussing finances or any such thing I went off to buy myself a keyboard. I had the keyboard, the amp, the stool and other what not all loaded up in front of the checkout and was wandering around the store until they got to me.

'STOP", I yelled out.

'I'll take that'. I was pointing to a darky and shiny upright real live piano.

'um, alright', said the salesguy. I'd complained my story to him already.

I rushed off to the bank and came back with three thousand dollars in cash, (it was reduced for the end of financial year clearance) and booked a delivery for thursday.

I didn't tell my husband.

I sweated, I lay awake at night, I had stomach cramp......

finally, the day before it was due to arrive I decided having him walk in to an expensive 'surprise' was not a good idea.

I came clean. He got cross....then laughed....and last weekend he and Imogen were happily banging away on the piano while I made a vegetarian casserole.

Nice.

Moral of the story - I absolutely refuse to forego things I really want and sit in animosity. I feel great. We're all happy. End of story.....except for the lessons and the challenge in which I believe there is still a tale to tell.....

Best wishes

Susannah