ARGHHHH! I can't sew anymore - what was I thinking?
My house is a mess. There are stacks of things waiting to put away on every horizontal surface (except the grand piano, duh). And there is dirt everywhere; real dirt, not pretend "oh, don't look at my house it's such a mess" dirt. We ate out for 4 days until I finally bought groceries. My bedding plants are still in their little plastic squares drying out.
Why? Because I'm sewing, yes I am. I had forgotten how sewing takes over my whole life and I can't think of anything until the project is finished. I almost forgot about Mother's Day and I'm the mother, for crying out loud.
And here's the best part. My sewing now officially stinks. I've sewn 4 out of 5 pants so far. I've altered the pattern 3 times and need to do it again. Each time the pants fit wrong and I think I can fix it. The last pair were close, but no cigar. I've changed the leg 3 times and now need to create a facing, as hemming is no longer a possibility as I have hacked off any hope of a hem. When I'm done the next pair, I need to go back and completely remake the first pair.
Sometime before I die there will be a picture on this blog of the 5 pairs of pants I made that fit me perfectly. I swear.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Monday, April 25, 2011
5 Pants in 5 Days
As I am approaching my 60th birthday, one of the things I'm trying to do is decide what things in my life it's time to lay down, and what things in my life are worth investing in. I can do a lot of things but I can't do them all at the same time, and if I try to keep doing everything I can't take on anything new, which I also want to do.
Sewing is one of those things I need to decide about. I started sewing when I was in 5th grade, creating Barbie outfits by hand, using a pattern even. I learned how to use a treadle sewing machine at my Auntie Viola's house, I took sewing lessons in the summer between Gr. 7 & 8 at the Singer store at Granville and 7th and made a navy blue wool double breasted coat dress lined with a suit collar, set in sleeves and a full lining - I still can't believe it.
After that, I made most of my own clothes until just a few years ago. I made clothes for Dave, sewed for all the kids, made my girls party dresses, Hannah's wedding dress, Sarah and Maria's bridesmaids dresses. But in the last few years, I'm sewing less and less - stylish clothes are less expensive and available in a greater range of sizes, and I've been working full time and travelling to see my kids every chance I get. Then what happens is that I'll try to sew something for myself and it ends up unwearable - ARGH!
Do you remember the movie Julie and Julia? For 365 days, Julie blogged as she cooked her way through Julia Child's encyclopaedic French cookbook, one recipe a day. I'm not gonna do that. BUT I am going to make a pair of pants every day for 5 days this week with a pattern I made myself.
Oh, yeah I just said that. In fact, I just finished the first pair - light grey linen. It took me forever, I put the zipper in 3 times and I put the yoke on backwards. They're OK, but a little big. I just finished altering the pattern, I bought 4 other fabrics, organized my sewing room and I'm ready to roll. This week I'll be working, attending a funeral, teaching 5 piano lessons and going to a home-school conference on Friday. But before I go, I'll have 5 brand new pairs of pants.
It's Monday evening, I gotta go sew.....
Sewing is one of those things I need to decide about. I started sewing when I was in 5th grade, creating Barbie outfits by hand, using a pattern even. I learned how to use a treadle sewing machine at my Auntie Viola's house, I took sewing lessons in the summer between Gr. 7 & 8 at the Singer store at Granville and 7th and made a navy blue wool double breasted coat dress lined with a suit collar, set in sleeves and a full lining - I still can't believe it.
After that, I made most of my own clothes until just a few years ago. I made clothes for Dave, sewed for all the kids, made my girls party dresses, Hannah's wedding dress, Sarah and Maria's bridesmaids dresses. But in the last few years, I'm sewing less and less - stylish clothes are less expensive and available in a greater range of sizes, and I've been working full time and travelling to see my kids every chance I get. Then what happens is that I'll try to sew something for myself and it ends up unwearable - ARGH!
Do you remember the movie Julie and Julia? For 365 days, Julie blogged as she cooked her way through Julia Child's encyclopaedic French cookbook, one recipe a day. I'm not gonna do that. BUT I am going to make a pair of pants every day for 5 days this week with a pattern I made myself.
Oh, yeah I just said that. In fact, I just finished the first pair - light grey linen. It took me forever, I put the zipper in 3 times and I put the yoke on backwards. They're OK, but a little big. I just finished altering the pattern, I bought 4 other fabrics, organized my sewing room and I'm ready to roll. This week I'll be working, attending a funeral, teaching 5 piano lessons and going to a home-school conference on Friday. But before I go, I'll have 5 brand new pairs of pants.
It's Monday evening, I gotta go sew.....
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Music education it is achangin'
Last Friday I attended an honour concert for the local music festival and was plunged again into the world of classical music competition. Except for one or two, the performances were solid, some even brilliant. There were kids who you could tell had a great practice ethic and an enjoyment of the end result.
I was disappointed at the difficulty level and the technique of the performer who was supposed to be the best of the oldest age group, but as I thought about it I wondered if there was just not that much competition any more at that level.
I'm seeing a change in the attitude of families toward their children learning music. I know I'm stating the obvious, but most of the students who performed Friday were from families that had immigrated from Europe or Asia in this generation and had brought their cultural music learning ethic with them.
In our school, we just closed down our band program. Now, my husband started and sustained the band program and is a fantastic band instructor, besides being the principal of the school. He has taught prize winning bands for 37 years, and started bands in every school he taught in to great success. But now we find that parents are not willing (or possibly even are not able) to insist their kids practice consistently, so the young instrumentalists never get to the place where they are no longer struggling with the instrument and just enjoying it.
However, when digging a little deeper we found many of these kids not practicing their flute or trombone were taking drum, guitar, bass or piano lessons on the side, and were practicing those instruments with vigor. So we changed this year to a worship band format for our instrumental instruction, and the participation is full and enthusiastic.
Inside of me, I feel we have lost something; the experience of being part of a big, loud, moving music machine that carries the players and the audience to a different place inside. That was my band experience.
But look what we have gained; players who are enthusiastic, more likely to get together and make music with their friends, gaining skill on instruments they will play until they die, having fun, making new friends and worshiping God.
I'm thankful that piano students still walk through my picket fence, up the path, knock on the door and come into my living room for a private lesson on my mother's walnut grand piano. Somedays I wonder if I've time traveled back to the 1930's. But these days, I better make sure that the lesson is an enjoyable experience, that my practice expectations for them are realistic and that the music is relatable to their lives, or this too shall pass.
I was disappointed at the difficulty level and the technique of the performer who was supposed to be the best of the oldest age group, but as I thought about it I wondered if there was just not that much competition any more at that level.
I'm seeing a change in the attitude of families toward their children learning music. I know I'm stating the obvious, but most of the students who performed Friday were from families that had immigrated from Europe or Asia in this generation and had brought their cultural music learning ethic with them.
In our school, we just closed down our band program. Now, my husband started and sustained the band program and is a fantastic band instructor, besides being the principal of the school. He has taught prize winning bands for 37 years, and started bands in every school he taught in to great success. But now we find that parents are not willing (or possibly even are not able) to insist their kids practice consistently, so the young instrumentalists never get to the place where they are no longer struggling with the instrument and just enjoying it.
However, when digging a little deeper we found many of these kids not practicing their flute or trombone were taking drum, guitar, bass or piano lessons on the side, and were practicing those instruments with vigor. So we changed this year to a worship band format for our instrumental instruction, and the participation is full and enthusiastic.
Inside of me, I feel we have lost something; the experience of being part of a big, loud, moving music machine that carries the players and the audience to a different place inside. That was my band experience.
But look what we have gained; players who are enthusiastic, more likely to get together and make music with their friends, gaining skill on instruments they will play until they die, having fun, making new friends and worshiping God.
I'm thankful that piano students still walk through my picket fence, up the path, knock on the door and come into my living room for a private lesson on my mother's walnut grand piano. Somedays I wonder if I've time traveled back to the 1930's. But these days, I better make sure that the lesson is an enjoyable experience, that my practice expectations for them are realistic and that the music is relatable to their lives, or this too shall pass.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
how can my fingers do that?
I am a piano player. I have 3 degrees in music, I have taught private piano, music theory, music classes and more for 45 years (I began as an infant....). I don't ever remember not being able to read music.
My mother was a brilliant pianist - competition winner, guest soloists at community events, etc. She taught lessons when I was young so I began to pick it up at 3 years old. But I did not have consistent piano lessons until I was in Gr. 7. Then I had 5 years of the whole meal deal: festivals, competitions, exams, music theory classes and exams, recitals, famous teacher with crazy lessons at 7 in the morning or 10:30 at night.
But because I had such a fancy shmancy teacher, he had a whole stable of thoroughbred students and I always felt like the pony with one short leg because I had gotten such a late start and I didn't practice as long and hard as the rest of them. I never won a medal, or even a festival class. Once I came real close: I played my best, then the last student was blind! They led her up to the piano, let her feel middle C, then she played some Bach Invention woodenly to thunderous applause and won the class. I can't catch a break!
However, somewhere in the middle of that I taught myself to play by ear. I played horribly for Sunday school singing with some spectacular breakdowns, but gradually I got more and more dependable. In those days there was no written music for "choruses", just hymns, which were also played with improvised accompaniments and soon I could do that too.
Much later my husband and I joined a gospel group and we had so much fun with those guys - singers, rhythm and brass. We traveled, played the Pacific National Exhibition every year and even recorded an album. Dave and I still play together at events, and in church and weddings etc. In fact, we're doing a thing this Saturday with a bunch of old friends.
I realize now that most of those thoroughbreds with all their medals and certificates of merit were no longer playing the piano, unless they were teaching. Also, not one of them could sit down and play Happy Birthday at a party without music. Even though I never won a competition, my ability to play the piano opened doors for me, created friendships, supported me, and gave me true joy.
Even now, I'll sit down to play some scales or arpeggios that I have not practiced for years and years, and my fingers can still do that easily. I watch them go and wonder" how can you do that"? Maybe I practiced more than I remember, and maybe I was a better pianist than I thought at the time, but if you have a need for an Eb major scale, I'm your girl!
My mother was a brilliant pianist - competition winner, guest soloists at community events, etc. She taught lessons when I was young so I began to pick it up at 3 years old. But I did not have consistent piano lessons until I was in Gr. 7. Then I had 5 years of the whole meal deal: festivals, competitions, exams, music theory classes and exams, recitals, famous teacher with crazy lessons at 7 in the morning or 10:30 at night.
But because I had such a fancy shmancy teacher, he had a whole stable of thoroughbred students and I always felt like the pony with one short leg because I had gotten such a late start and I didn't practice as long and hard as the rest of them. I never won a medal, or even a festival class. Once I came real close: I played my best, then the last student was blind! They led her up to the piano, let her feel middle C, then she played some Bach Invention woodenly to thunderous applause and won the class. I can't catch a break!
However, somewhere in the middle of that I taught myself to play by ear. I played horribly for Sunday school singing with some spectacular breakdowns, but gradually I got more and more dependable. In those days there was no written music for "choruses", just hymns, which were also played with improvised accompaniments and soon I could do that too.
Much later my husband and I joined a gospel group and we had so much fun with those guys - singers, rhythm and brass. We traveled, played the Pacific National Exhibition every year and even recorded an album. Dave and I still play together at events, and in church and weddings etc. In fact, we're doing a thing this Saturday with a bunch of old friends.
I realize now that most of those thoroughbreds with all their medals and certificates of merit were no longer playing the piano, unless they were teaching. Also, not one of them could sit down and play Happy Birthday at a party without music. Even though I never won a competition, my ability to play the piano opened doors for me, created friendships, supported me, and gave me true joy.
Even now, I'll sit down to play some scales or arpeggios that I have not practiced for years and years, and my fingers can still do that easily. I watch them go and wonder" how can you do that"? Maybe I practiced more than I remember, and maybe I was a better pianist than I thought at the time, but if you have a need for an Eb major scale, I'm your girl!
Sunday, March 27, 2011
time to become a financial grownup
If one is going to be sixty, possibly one should start thinking more seriously about one's finances. The power of denial is about to be broken!
We had some questions about the Canada Pension Plan because the rules are changing Jan. 1 2012. Because my birthday is Dec. 27 I could legally retire at 60 3 days before the rules change. Last year we really tried to figure this out, we asked several people and could not seem to get a straight answer. The website was daunting. So this year, with all this talk of change, I was really praying for a breakthrough when a lady from Welcome Wagon visited me at work, made her presentation and ended with "the last sponsor is my husband, who is a financial planner". I had sandwiched this woman into a busy day in a busy week but that made the Holy Spirit light bulb go off in my head, so I told her if her husband could explain the CPP changes we would meet with him.
Of course he phoned with answers available, so now I had to put on my big girl pants and go see him. I know we look like morons on paper, and now I was to be undone publicly. I feared a fear and it came upon me!
I won't bore you with all the details, but here's what I learned: it's all about tax planning. Does everyone know this, and I am once again bringing up the rear? I realized I don't even know how much we pay in taxes. But that is about to change and there is nothing here I can't learn, even if it's my least favorite thing in the universe.
One day I was driving in a beautiful neighbourhood in Portland past gorgeous historical houses and I asked right out loud "what do you have to do to live in a house like that?" I knew that there were a lot of professionals and money industry people there, but I realized that I am just as smart as any of them and I know how to work hard. If my family had been in insurance or real estate or similar business I would have thrived in that environment; I probably would have done very well and could be living in one of those lovely homes.
But God knew what I needed and I was marked for ministry from an early age. And now I live in a lovely historical home at peace with my family - priceless. I have to trust that I'm smart enough to figure out what I need to learn to put our money in order for this season of life as well. What a 60 project that is!
We had some questions about the Canada Pension Plan because the rules are changing Jan. 1 2012. Because my birthday is Dec. 27 I could legally retire at 60 3 days before the rules change. Last year we really tried to figure this out, we asked several people and could not seem to get a straight answer. The website was daunting. So this year, with all this talk of change, I was really praying for a breakthrough when a lady from Welcome Wagon visited me at work, made her presentation and ended with "the last sponsor is my husband, who is a financial planner". I had sandwiched this woman into a busy day in a busy week but that made the Holy Spirit light bulb go off in my head, so I told her if her husband could explain the CPP changes we would meet with him.
Of course he phoned with answers available, so now I had to put on my big girl pants and go see him. I know we look like morons on paper, and now I was to be undone publicly. I feared a fear and it came upon me!
I won't bore you with all the details, but here's what I learned: it's all about tax planning. Does everyone know this, and I am once again bringing up the rear? I realized I don't even know how much we pay in taxes. But that is about to change and there is nothing here I can't learn, even if it's my least favorite thing in the universe.
One day I was driving in a beautiful neighbourhood in Portland past gorgeous historical houses and I asked right out loud "what do you have to do to live in a house like that?" I knew that there were a lot of professionals and money industry people there, but I realized that I am just as smart as any of them and I know how to work hard. If my family had been in insurance or real estate or similar business I would have thrived in that environment; I probably would have done very well and could be living in one of those lovely homes.
But God knew what I needed and I was marked for ministry from an early age. And now I live in a lovely historical home at peace with my family - priceless. I have to trust that I'm smart enough to figure out what I need to learn to put our money in order for this season of life as well. What a 60 project that is!
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Open House
Last blog, I alluded to the idea of changing my approach to a big event that I was invested in and resolved to give it a try for Open House at the school, which happened on Tuesday March 8. I decided to look forward to event, to imagine how it would feel to be successful, and to enjoy the fruits of our labours (I have some great help).
The thing about an Open House is that you really can't have any idea how many people are going to come. I read a scripture in the morning from Acts 2 that mentioned the countries that people came from who were gathered in Jerusalem at the time of Pentecost, who carried the messages they heard that day back to their own nations - a pre-internet information superhighway. I occurred to me that God has the power to gather to our Open House in Chilliwack whoever needs to be there to spread the story of our school to wherever it needs to go. A phrase I learned in Phoenix at Lifelink: God is God and I am not.
I had a blast that day. Our visitors were spread evenly over the day, with a bulge in the afternoon, which we have never had before. I relaxed and enjoyed every visitor I met, asked questions, listened to the answers, took some folks around the school myself just for fun, enjoyed the concerts. Students involved in performing, serving, touring and playing basketball had a blast and felt ownership in their school. The day ended for me with two visits that can only be described as divine appointments. When it was all said and done, we had 4 times the interested families visit and begin the registration process than ever before. At the end of the day I was not even tired - I went home and taught a bunch of piano lessons!
I think I'm beginning to get the hang of this thing. Now on to the next project......
The thing about an Open House is that you really can't have any idea how many people are going to come. I read a scripture in the morning from Acts 2 that mentioned the countries that people came from who were gathered in Jerusalem at the time of Pentecost, who carried the messages they heard that day back to their own nations - a pre-internet information superhighway. I occurred to me that God has the power to gather to our Open House in Chilliwack whoever needs to be there to spread the story of our school to wherever it needs to go. A phrase I learned in Phoenix at Lifelink: God is God and I am not.
I had a blast that day. Our visitors were spread evenly over the day, with a bulge in the afternoon, which we have never had before. I relaxed and enjoyed every visitor I met, asked questions, listened to the answers, took some folks around the school myself just for fun, enjoyed the concerts. Students involved in performing, serving, touring and playing basketball had a blast and felt ownership in their school. The day ended for me with two visits that can only be described as divine appointments. When it was all said and done, we had 4 times the interested families visit and begin the registration process than ever before. At the end of the day I was not even tired - I went home and taught a bunch of piano lessons!
I think I'm beginning to get the hang of this thing. Now on to the next project......
Saturday, March 5, 2011
How I survived Worship X Change
Worship X Change is a worship conference that our school hosted this past week for other Christian schools. It began as a thought among a small group of music teachers at a conference 18 months ago. Our association director suggested we carry it out at our school with our teachers, alumni and students, and this week that's what we did. I spearheaded the organization with a team that kept it on the rails.
By all accounts it was a success. The general sessions ran well, with great response from the kids, everything happened pretty much as planned, and the exit surveys were overwhelmingly positive. It was all cleaned up in less than 2 hours, and the planning staff went out to dinner to celebrate. Lives were impacted, God was honoured, and good seeds were planted. As an added bonus, we broke even on the budget!
I realize today that I should be feeling euphoric, elated, satisfied, fulfilled - something, anything.... We had a vision, dreamed a dream, started a challenge, and came across the finish line with flying colours. But I feel almost nothing, outside of being dismayed at what a mess my house is after days of neglect.
I don't think in all the preparation that I took time to picture what success would look like. I didn't imagine how it would feel, what the impact could be. My own part in the actual event was more like this: tracking down the lost photocopy, looking for a tablecloth, pounding out documents at the last minute, realizing what I forgot to put on a list, spending money last minute that I didn't anticipate - like that. By the time it was over, my feet and knees were killing me, and I could barely speak a coherent thought.
Today I rested, went to breakfast with my kids, had a nap, read a book, saw a movie. I sat down with the exit surveys and read how kids felt they had grown closer to God, learned a new guitar technique, met some new friends, bonded with their worship band, understood the Bible in a whole new way - wow, wow, wow.
On Tuesday, we are having an Open House at school that I have also spearheaded, so I think I'm going to take some time tomorrow to anticipate the success, imagine how it will feel to meet the goals we have set, to try to see what God sees, to appreciate how the little things I do on Tuesday impact people for a lifetime, and prepare to celebrate down to my toes when it is all over. If being in the development end of the school is part of The 60 Project for me, it needs to be something that strengthens me emotionally and spiritually - something more than just a pile of To Do Today lists that I pitch in the trash at the end of the day.
Excuse while I snuggle up with a good book......
By all accounts it was a success. The general sessions ran well, with great response from the kids, everything happened pretty much as planned, and the exit surveys were overwhelmingly positive. It was all cleaned up in less than 2 hours, and the planning staff went out to dinner to celebrate. Lives were impacted, God was honoured, and good seeds were planted. As an added bonus, we broke even on the budget!
I realize today that I should be feeling euphoric, elated, satisfied, fulfilled - something, anything.... We had a vision, dreamed a dream, started a challenge, and came across the finish line with flying colours. But I feel almost nothing, outside of being dismayed at what a mess my house is after days of neglect.
I don't think in all the preparation that I took time to picture what success would look like. I didn't imagine how it would feel, what the impact could be. My own part in the actual event was more like this: tracking down the lost photocopy, looking for a tablecloth, pounding out documents at the last minute, realizing what I forgot to put on a list, spending money last minute that I didn't anticipate - like that. By the time it was over, my feet and knees were killing me, and I could barely speak a coherent thought.
Today I rested, went to breakfast with my kids, had a nap, read a book, saw a movie. I sat down with the exit surveys and read how kids felt they had grown closer to God, learned a new guitar technique, met some new friends, bonded with their worship band, understood the Bible in a whole new way - wow, wow, wow.
On Tuesday, we are having an Open House at school that I have also spearheaded, so I think I'm going to take some time tomorrow to anticipate the success, imagine how it will feel to meet the goals we have set, to try to see what God sees, to appreciate how the little things I do on Tuesday impact people for a lifetime, and prepare to celebrate down to my toes when it is all over. If being in the development end of the school is part of The 60 Project for me, it needs to be something that strengthens me emotionally and spiritually - something more than just a pile of To Do Today lists that I pitch in the trash at the end of the day.
Excuse while I snuggle up with a good book......
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