Keep on Strummin'

We are rockin'! Yesterday afternoon I took my eldest to buy his electric guitar. We went to a specialist shop in Castelnau le Lez - a wonderful emporium dedicated to everything guitar-shaped string.

I explained our mission - sent from the guitar teacher, and needing the full caboodle: guitar, bag, tuner, ampli, struts, strap, connecting bits and bobs. A rather delicious (too young) guy with lively eyes took us into the depths of the back. There were guitars of all sorts hanging up from every available spot. On one side were the acoustic guitars (guitare sèche...!) and in a little enclave were the electric ones, together with a pile of amplifiers.

The guy sat on a stool having fished a guitar off the wall explaining that it was the one they recommended for beginners as it has an excellent sound, and is very good value. It's an Ibanez GRG170 (so now you know...).

He then took an ampli and proceeded to give a demonstration of the various sounds it could produce, playing some appropriate song for each type. I'm a sucker for musicians, especially young handsome ones, and so I had a ball. My eldest was going "Oh, c'est cool" and pretended to strum along too, and the guy definitely appreciated our enthusiasm because he gave us 10% off and threw the case in for nuffink.

Of course, I nearly passed out at the bill - it'll have to come off the boys' inheritance, but it's also an investment. I'm now hoping my eldest will be a real whizz at the electric guitar, become a terribly famous drug-free guitarist and make so much money he can keep his mother in the style to which she intends to become accustomed...

Plan B is still that he does well at school and further education, and becomes the marvellous vet he's talking about wanting to be at the moment.

Our house has been full of electrically-saturated twangs since yesterday. My youngest has been getting on the digital piano and joining in with as many different sounds as possible but especially the ones that keep a sustained note, like the 'organ' and 'synth'. All we need now is a drum kit... on second thoughts, maybe we don't!

Artistic Endeavors

This is a self-portrait of my youngest doing what he loves best. Please note the happy smile and active demeanor; the blue sky and casual sun. The picture formed part of an 'identity booklet' which he produced at school. On the cover was a photocopied, blown-up photo of himself which he had partly coloured in, and inside the same picture, traced and reproduced - bit like artistic Chinese whispers.

There was also a piece of string representing his height, a hand print and footprint. It was such an adorable ensemble, and artistic, I was really proud of his school and the work they enabled him to produce.

It is nearly half-term which is why we are getting all the artwork to take home. I was also given a roll of a number of paintings he had done since September. I noticed that other bundles were thicker than his, which had a mere 3 pictures inside, but I suppose it's quality, not quantity which counts... I think, thus, it would be fair to say that as an artist, he is not exactly prolific, but he aint half cute!

He and his brother had a jolly time this evening, as did the RA, as we had a DIY supper. Saturday last saw us not in Intermarche, but in Carrefour, with all that that implies: more choice, higher spending...

One of the jolly items we fell for was a packet of 'lavash' which seem to be some sort of oriental flat bread which you fill and make into a pancake-like sausage. Last night we had a roast chicken, so today, we had the leftovers presented in a little bowl together with bowls of corn, apple, onion, white cabbage, and mayonnaise, peanut butter, ketchup and banana.

We all took a square of lavash and filled it as we wished. My eldest, renowned for his picky ways, ate 5 sausage sandwiches stuffed with peanut butter, chicken, corn and apple. My youngest was not so keen, so he was tonight's Captain Picky. They like to rotate the title, my two.

I would, however, consider the evening meal a roaring success as doing it DIY leant a wonderfully spontaneous aspect to everything and brought out laughter, good humour and a lovely atmosphere. To be recommended!

Previously, the RA and my eldest had both been practising their violins at the same time, and it sounded exactly like a music school. I had been playing the piano - I must buy some more music - on which I am making gradual but steady progress. I am using old piano books that I had when I was my eldest's age - grade 3 and various exercise books, plus some grade 5 music, which is where I stopped to concentrate on the viola.

Mind you, it's much more amusing on a digital piano. There's so much more you can do what with all the different instrument sounds, a metronome, possibility to record and listen and even play along the musical selection already programmed in, either with both hands or one. Plus the advantage of earphones means you can make as awful a noise as you like and no one near is wincing privately.

By gum it's all such fun!