just like riding a bike?

Today was a big day for us over on this side of the world.

To begin with, my favorite pair of jeans (from J.Crew, if you must know) actually fit up over my hips and buttoned all the way. This is a miracle. It has been many moons since those jeans have been worn. Now, they are still a little tight (as in, I wouldn't wear them to play around with emma on the floor) but it certainly was a small victory that they buttoned.

The other major event of the day was that our piano was delivered.

Yep, our piano. We got a pretty good deal on a piano (a Kawai, if you must know) and the four mover guys brought it to its new home this afternoon.

It has been a long time since I have played the piano. In fact, I have not played the piano my entire married life (over 6 years). We never had the money before, and we also were never really situated in a long-term environment anywhere. I was a bit nervous about sitting down and tickling the ivories. But, my dad assured me that it was just like riding a bike (without the bruises). Well, I have to admit, I'm not as bad as I feared, but also not as good as I remembered! :) I guess time will cure that.

Buying the piano has really caused me to think deeply about my life. I know it seems strange, but hear me out.

Everyone I have ever known that has owned a piano has owned that piano for their entire life. If they have not owned it thier entire life, they have at least owned it for my entire life.

My grandmother's piano is in all of my childhood memories - recitals in front of the entire extended family on christmas eve, listing to the sound of my nana's soothing playing when I would spend the night at nana and papa's house, even fighting with the cousins over who got to go first (usually seniorty won out).

My dad's piano is also in all of my childhood memories. In fact, in the house I grew up in, the piano had its own room, meaning you could play to your hearts content. (actually, we were led to believe we could play to our hearts content. I have very vivid memories of me practicing the piano while my parents were making dinner and getting a very loud, "Quit yer bangin' in there!" retort from them! So what if I play a little loudly...)

So those two pianos brought me the sobering realization that a piano is not like a pair of jeans that you outgrow and give to Goodwill or the Vietnam Veterans. A piano is not like a rice cooker or a crockpot that you buy and just leave for the next foreigners who come to town after you leave.

No, no. A piano is not like that at all. A piano is like a family member. (ok, well, maybe that's a bit much...) but truly, a piano stays with you. A piano says, "I am situated here." But more than that, a piano says this is my home. Wow. Now, if that doesn't say it plainly, I don't know what does.

So, If I ever had cause to wonder, "can I really live here? Will I stay?" the question is answered. I bought a piano.


Another major event that happened in my life today was not nearly as pleasant as re-learning to play the piano. As I was doing dishes this evening, I was stacking my clean dishes on a dish rack that sits on top of my washer (yes, my washer is in my kitchen). Just as I did that, I knocked off the equilibrium of the tower of dishes I had so carefully arranged to dry. My beautiful - imported and expensive - glass pie plate (Pyrex, if you must know) went crashing to the floor. I cringed - but held out hope - as I heard it bounce around on the floor, but then finally, "smash!" The fall was just too much, gravity too strong. My Pyrex pie plate now lies shattered on the floor. It makes me sick just to think about it.

Ok, the final momentous event of the day. (I told you, it has been quite the day!)

We got a call from our landlord today, telling us that my table I ordered MONTHS ago is ready. I can't remember if I blogged about this or not, but I had a dining room table custom made out here. I searched in vain for one of those big, square tables that seats eight people (two at a side) but I knew it was a hopeless search. Fortunately, Ms. Resourceful brought along with her a page from a Pottery Barn catalog that showed this table as well as all its dimensions. And my landlord hooked me up with some factory that could custom make it for me. They even gave me a loaner in the meantime! Though it was cheaper than a PB table, it was still $500, and that doesn't include the eight chairs. Sooo... it was finished today, but I don't know when they're going to deliver it. We shall see how it compares to the table I "thought" I described to them!