hey judtag:,2018:/152018-04-29T19:08:34Zthe view from the hill since 2001Movable Type 3.3Thank You Mrs. Clancytag:judy.hourihan.com,2018://15.95082018-04-29T19:06:14Z2018-04-29T19:08:34ZFrom the time I was in fourth grade until eighth grade, every Tuesday after school I walked up Sumner Avenue to Gillette, to sit next to Mrs. Clancy on her piano bench. From her spot beside me, she was my...Judy Hourihanhttp://judy.hourihan.com
From the time I was in fourth grade until eighth grade, every Tuesday after school I walked up Sumner Avenue to Gillette, to sit next to Mrs. Clancy on her piano bench. From her spot beside me, she was my piano teacher, starting with the one-note song ‘This My Friends Is Middle C’ and ending in my final recital playing a Rachmaninoff Concerto, clearly marked on the sheet music cover as ‘arranged for small hands’. In between, the lessons moved through volumes of Schirmer’s Library of Musical Classics with their familiar yellow covers, green printing and G. Schirmer coat of arms. There was Book l, Czerny, The School of Velocity, Book ll, Selected Piano Solos by Romantic Composers, and countless other similar titles, of little interest to a preteen child. Had I only noticed the Latin motto on the coat of arms I might have more fully enjoyed my ‘laborum dulce lenimen’, or ‘of work sweet soothing’. To me, it was anything but, just lots of practicing and time away from everything else I wanted to do at that age.
Throughout the years following the end of lessons, I sporadically played music of my own choosing — lots of show tunes, whatever songs were currently popular, nothing classical — on our family piano and then wherever I could find one, in my college dorms, on summer jobs, at friends. It was not until I moved to Buffalo, New York that I found myself with no access to a piano. One day I passed by a window displaying a well-used baby grand, and realized what I was missing. As a newly wed with a husband in school, I feared my chances of a purchase were slim, but the next day I went back to the store to ask the all-important question of price. It was $100 delivered, with the old bench thrown in for free, and it was mine. In the past 50-years that piano has traveled with me from Buffalo to Springfield, to Boston, to California and back to Boston, always making me ask if it’s worth the cost of moving it, and always answering absolutely yes.
In that time, I’ve gone from complete avoidance to searching out those familiar yellow and green Schirmer volumes, relishing their challenges and even, and especially, the practice they require. My current favorite is another Book l, but now it’s Beethoven Sonatas. I open the book and I hear Mrs. Clancy counting out the time and reminding me of the fingering. I wish she could answer my questions about some of the notations and help me figure out how to play triplets in one hand while the other plays eighth notes. Perhaps we could discuss, or more likely chuckle over, whether the page note is my answer. It says in part, ‘It appears advisable slightly to hasten this measure and the next, and then to retard the third not inconsiderably; the former on account of the cessation in the harmonic advance, the latter by reason of the varied modulation, with must be quite free from disquieting haste in its return to the theme’. If that is the answer and I get the timing right, then she might sense my pure joy in feeling how Beethoven’s music just flows and grows so I feel compelled to keep on playing and playing to experience the wonder of it all. I’m no longer practicing. I play because I love it. It is finally ‘laborum dulce lenimen’. And that’s why I say ‘thank you’ Mrs. Clancy. I hope you hear me.
Back to the Blogtag:judy.hourihan.com,2018://15.95072018-04-24T01:27:00Z2018-04-27T01:58:35ZThanks to much urging from Peter and a bit of inspiration from Jason, I’m going to start up heyjud again. I've got a few ideas for what I want to blog about, but right now this is just a test...Judy Hourihanhttp://judy.hourihan.com
Jason, I’m going to start up heyjud again. I've got a few ideas for what I want to blog about, but right now this is just a test to see if this thing still works.]]>
Obey Decaytag:judyhourihan.eod.com,2015://15.95062015-10-14T20:35:04Z2016-10-28T23:27:01ZSo it's been awhile but I've been thinking about getting back to blogging for some time now. Just lately though, there have been more small moments to share so here goes. I often walk around the Union Square area, particularly...Judy Hourihanhttp://judy.hourihan.com
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Montreal Visittag:judyhourihan.eod.com,2013://15.95052013-11-01T23:15:46Z2016-10-28T23:27:39Z In lieu of Paris, we'll always have Montreal - the site of a terrific visit this past month with Trudy. Our loft rental was spectacular, with everything I would want in a place of my own except for missing...Judy Hourihanhttp://judy.hourihan.com
In lieu of Paris, we'll always have Montreal - the site of a terrific visit this past month with Trudy. Our loft rental was spectacular, with everything I would want in a place of my own except for missing a spatula. Though the eggs were hard to get out of the pan, given the chance, I would happily move right in. We spent our days flaneuring, so there was shopping, museum and church visits, wonderful lunches, and one late afternoon we had drinks at the Ritz bar to reminisce about Trudy and Bob's honeymoon, spent there 52 years ago. Because it was the World Series and because the Red Sox were playing and because the loft had a giant TV, we ate in two of the nights to watch the game. The third night with no Sox on, we opted for the traditional French restaurant, L'Express, which was a lot like eating at our Paris favorite, Brasserie Balzar. I'm really glad we visited, because now I know just where to go when I need a quick Paris fix. ]]>
Sconset and Sankaty and Lunchtag:judyhourihan.eod.com,2013://15.95042013-09-04T22:14:03Z2013-09-07T23:26:53ZNot suspecting that the next week would be too cloudy for beach days, we sacrificed a glorious day to drive to Sconset at the other end of the island. We walked up and down the narrow streets, passing one after...Judy Hourihanhttp://judy.hourihan.com
pictures.]]>
At the Beach on Nantuckettag:judyhourihan.eod.com,2013://15.95032013-09-03T01:44:59Z2013-09-02T22:58:59ZSo we spent all the sunny days on the beach, mostly in the first week we were there when Mike and Leesee were with us. Ollie got his skimming prowess from last summer back and Minna gave it a great...Judy Hourihanhttp://judy.hourihan.com
here. ]]>
July Week in Vermonttag:judyhourihan.eod.com,2013://15.95022013-07-22T21:03:42Z2016-10-28T23:28:26ZWe spent the first week of July in Vermont, celebrating Ollie's birthday and the 4th of July with friends and family. The kids show best what fun it was....Judy Hourihanhttp://judy.hourihan.com
first week of July in Vermont, celebrating Ollie's birthday and the 4th of July with friends and family. The kids show best what fun it was.
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Night Lighttag:judyhourihan.eod.com,2013://15.95012013-06-13T02:50:19Z2016-10-28T23:28:26Z The winds were so strong all afternoon, the trees twirled and writhed in it. Up on the deck after supper, a black sky was underlit by the still bright sun. The storm that seemed certain never came though....Judy Hourihanhttp://judy.hourihan.com
The winds were so strong all afternoon, the trees twirled and writhed in it. Up on the deck after supper, a black sky was underlit by the still bright sun. The storm that seemed certain never came though.]]>
When the Time Comestag:judyhourihan.eod.com,2013://15.95002013-06-08T02:11:09Z2016-10-28T23:28:26Z So here's what I want to accompany me when I need some extra stability, that is when Peter's not still gallantly holding my elbow. They're available at A+R Global Design. I just hope they'll still be on sale when...Judy Hourihanhttp://judy.hourihan.com
So here's what I want to accompany me when I need some extra stability, that is when Peter's not still gallantly holding my elbow. They're available at A+R Global Design. I just hope they'll still be on sale when I'm ready.
Update - 7/22/13
Seems they're no longer carried by A+R but you can get them directly from the maker, Omhu.
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Exploring Providencetag:judyhourihan.eod.com,2013://15.94992013-06-08T01:53:05Z2013-06-07T23:05:49ZEvery year when Peter attends the EDRA conference I go along. It's been in lots of great cities but this year it was in nearby Providence, which turns out to be a truly great city as well. The whole place...Judy Hourihanhttp://judy.hourihan.com
photos from the trip. ]]>
Spring Walk in Charlestowntag:judyhourihan.eod.com,2013://15.94982013-05-23T19:27:52Z2016-10-28T23:28:26Z With no long trip planned for June this year, I decided to take a visitor's look at things on one of my neighborhood walks. You see so much more when you're in an unfamiliar environment, so applying that fresh...Judy Hourihanhttp://judy.hourihan.com
With no long trip planned for June this year, I decided to take a visitor's look at things on one of my neighborhood walks. You see so much more when you're in an unfamiliar environment, so applying that fresh look to places I pass every day, brought some new views and a different appreciation for familiar ones. See more photos and let me know if you recognize this gorgeous branch. I'd like to have such a plant for my deck garden. ]]>
Easter Weekend 2013tag:judyhourihan.eod.com,2013://15.94972013-04-04T16:05:10Z2016-10-28T23:28:26ZAfter a wonderful time skiing in Breckenridge, Meg and family flew back into Boston to spend a couple of nights with us. The weather was lovely and warm, so we spent some time playing up at the monument before heading...Judy Hourihanhttp://judy.hourihan.com
playing up at the monument before heading down to Braintree for GG's 95th birthday celebration. A wonderful time was had by all but especially by GG herself.
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Christmas in Vermonttag:judyhourihan.eod.com,2013://15.94962013-01-12T17:30:06Z2016-10-28T23:28:26Z This year we spent two whole weeks in Vermont, with the proper winter ski vacation weather, finally. Last year was a bit of a bust, but this year there was some snow nearly every day, and significant snow at...Judy Hourihanhttp://judy.hourihan.com
This year we spent two whole weeks in Vermont, with the proper winter ski vacation weather, finally. Last year was a bit of a bust, but this year there was some snow nearly every day, and significant snow at the beginning of our stay when we most needed it. On the other side of the mountain, the snow wasn't as heavy as on our side, so we rode in a horse-drawn wagon to get our tree instead of the usual horse-drawn sled. The bumpy ride felt pretty much the same though.
On Christmas Eve, Marcia and family came over to get the holiday celebration started with early presents and a raclette dinner. We all missed not having Mike and Leesee join us this year, but we're hoping for some vacation time together on Nantucket instead. Then on Christmas day we opened stockings, had our usual baked French toast breakfast, unwrapped the rest of our presents and headed outside for snow angels and sledding. The sun was amazingly warm up close to the house where we ended the afternoon with hot chocolate made on Meg's new camp stove.
After that, it was all skiing every day. Check out the sledding and skiing videos. ]]>
Perfect Boston Livery Servicetag:judyhourihan.eod.com,2012://15.94952012-12-05T14:10:26Z2016-10-28T23:32:19ZDriving in traffic this morning, a large black vehicle with livery plates pulled in front of me. When I stopped behind the driver at a traffic light, I chuckled at the specialized service provided. With its end letter 'r' removed,...Judy Hourihanhttp://judy.hourihan.com
Driving in traffic this morning, a large black vehicle with livery plates pulled in front of me. When I stopped behind the driver at a traffic light, I chuckled at the specialized service provided. With its end letter 'r' removed, the vehicle was the perfect livery service for Boston passengers - a ride in a Lincoln Town Ca.
Paris Thanksgiving - the Last Daystag:judyhourihan.eod.com,2012://15.94932012-11-28T23:28:07Z2016-10-28T23:28:26Z Minna is a happy girl who loves riding on carousels, and there were many in Paris to satisfy her. Ollie is a clever boy who made his own paper carousel to play with back at the apartment. See Ollie's...Judy Hourihanhttp://judy.hourihan.com
Minna is a happy girl who loves riding on carousels, and there were many in Paris to satisfy her. Ollie is a clever boy who made his own paper carousel to play with back at the apartment. See Ollie's carousel and the rest of our Thanksgiving vacation photos. ]]>