busyness

Between pool parties, trips out of state, weddings, and a boat ride on the Missouri River, I regret to say that I have rather neglected my blog this past month.

Among all of these exciting things, I have recently added—to my hoard of instruments—a flute made by Gemeinhardt. I had been shopping for an Irish wooden flute to play traditional music on, but this one was more conveniently priced and will not only play different genres of music, but also in any key you like. So far, I can play all the major scales, the chromatic scale and one or two tunes, but I’m still trying to master the fingering and getting a good sound out of it.

Next thing on my shopping list: new pipe organ shoes.

Pride and Prejudice

During this past week, my sister Clara and I were hanging out together in the livingroom. We played a game of scrabble, read some books, and chatted on the couches a while until the brilliant idea came upon us to watch the movie “Pride and Prejudice” based on one of Jane Austen’s novels. Afterwards we immediately dressed up and reenacted some of the scenes only to double over in peals of laughter. Sometimes Clara was Mr. Darcy while I was Mr. Bingley, and at other times we strutted about like the young ladies at a ball. The following quote (when recited with the proper amount of despair and resignation) we found especially funny. It is important to know that Mr. Collins is rather unattractive and dull much to Mr. Bennet’s disgust, but has a steady—rather large—income much to Mrs. Bennet’s delight.
"An unhappy alternative is before you, Elizabeth. From this day you must be a stranger to one of your parents. Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do." ---Mr. Bennet

---Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

So now I am reading one of the few Jane Austen books I have yet to read: Northanger Abbey.

"The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid." --Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey