Dream gift

Joel and I went grocery shopping yesterday morning, as we do most Saturday or Sunday mornings now. I decided to see what was on the classical station for the drive over. One of my favorite pieces of music was on. Mozart's Sonata #12 in F, heard below. (This wasn't the pianist we heard, but this is a pretty good version).

My mom has an ancient Mozart piano book with a bunch of his sonatas in it, including this one. One day years ago I was just trying to play through some of them and I became hooked on this piece of music from the moment I started playing. I practiced it on and off whenever I had the chance at their house, because we don't have a piano. But I haven't played or thought about this piece for years now. As I was listening to it yesterday morning, I realized how much I miss playing these days. And it dawned on me how much I would love to have a piano in our house.

We bought an electronic keyboard for Gabriel for Christmas and he loves it. He loves to explore the different sounds and rhythms it can make. But he doesn't like for me to play it, and it's just not the same as playing a real piano, at least to me. I realize that I still wouldn't have much time to play it these days, but it would be so wonderful to just sit for a few minutes and just play away. I never realized what a gift my grandparents were giving me with the nine years of lessons until I became an adult. Now I wish I had practiced more, because even though I can read music, I never practiced back then didn't learn many of the technicalities. Which means I don't think I learned enough to actually teach piano to someone else. My nephew is dying to learn, and I'd love to teach Gabriel or Joel, or both, one day. I also wonder if teaching piano would have been a way to earn some extra money. But I'm just not that good.

I just wonder where on earth we would put a piano, anyway. But that's going into a whole 'nother post.