holidays?

[katsmom]

I'm just curious if you young people are skiving, or are you on Easter holidays already? It's 11:36 and I see both of you on here

[kingsley]

I broke up on friday, fernando has already had a week off school because his school broke up a week earlier!

[katsmom]

Ok. Just checking. LOL. My daughter broke up on Friday, but the local kids here don't end until this Thursday. A nice long holiday shuold give you plenty of time to finish these puzzles! Lucky you!

[fernando]

We have both been working on cornwallis this morning and by using teamwork and giving each other hints I think that we have both pretty much solved cornwallis!

Hopefully that won't be the only puzzle that I solve this holiday!

[strep98]

Glad to see one responsible adult is checking on our younger members, we are all too busy trying to work out the meta to realise they are logged in at strange times (what kind of excuse is, we are on holiday, have you no homework )

[katsmom]

I would never dream of refering to myself as responsible

I have 25 essays to mark before tomorrow morning. will they get done? I doubt it I've got better things to do with my time tonight

[giraffe]

I'm obviously a bad mother, I'm not nagging enough!

KINGSLEY, GO AND DO YOUR CLARINET PRACTICE!

[kingsley]

GRRRRRRRRRRRR! OK, I'll have a break, I've been puzzling all day so far.

[katsmom]

Oh don't be so naggy mom

By puzzling through these, as my students would say she's "bordering her horses" or "broading her horizontals"*






*I'm pretty sure that is supposed to be "broadening her horizons"

[giraffe]

Well that's why I wasn't nagging but the clarinet practice won't go away. She's doing Grade 8 this coming term and during term time there aren't enough hours in the day, so she promised to do extra practice during the hols. It's her decision to push ahead with it rather than wait 6 more months. (I understand where she's coming from November/ December seem a long way off)

[katsmom]

I'd like to say I understood what you mean, but I'm as baffled by that as I am the meta.

I'm going to assume the grade 8 is like a ranking of some sort. I hear students talk about their piano grades here. So I'm guessing it's probably the same thing.

I started out with a clarinet, couldn't play, got switched to a trumpet, couldn't play, got changed to a french horn, couldn't play. I ended up carrying the base drum for one parade, but passed out from the heat or the weight of the drum, I'm not sure which, got switched to color guard. I was darned good at twirling that flag! (I had to be, band was an easy A on the grades if you could stay in-the other option was home economics) And the outfit was pretty snazzy too

[MBH]

Grade 8 - I'm very impressed I was a lousy piano student, and think I was pushed to try and get my Grade 5 to chop a bit off my 'O' level Music. Giraffe - you should secretly click the recorder on and post a sound file of her playing for us to enjoy

I used to play the piano by ear, but the stupid teacher kept trying to make me use my fingers.

[strep98]

Didn't mean you weren't taking enough notice giraffe

You are better than me anyhow as I left mine at 7.45 this morning and may see her by 5.45 tonight (good job she is sensible and she won't be doing any homework either)

[giraffe]

There were some nice noises from upstairs, so I don't need to nag anymore. (for today) Peace keeping duties maybe required if Fernando isn't allowed on the PC soon.

[Scurra]

There were some nice noises from upstairs, so I don't need to nag anymore.

Have you never seen The Ladykillers?!

[giraffe]

No, why?

[Wulfruna]

Have you never seen The Ladykillers?!

If not, then it is an absolute "must", (especially for classical music fans......) one of the greatest of the Ealling comedies Beautiful music was the brilliant cover for criiminal activity. I suggest that a collective family viewing might be fun!
I have to admit that I had wrongly assumed that this was one of the films with 'Lord Wilcott' in it - I was confusing him with Alec Guiness in one of his greatest comedy roles.

[Looby]

I played the piano for a while as a child but gave up doing exams when they played a note on the piano and expected me to sing the same note!

[Wulfruna]

Grade 8 - I'm very impressed ....... you should secretly click the recorder on and post a sound file of her playing for us to enjoy

Hear, hear....... I am also impressed at this level of achievement. Giraffe made an earlier comment about being moved by her playing, and I have to agree - it is so rewarding for everyone when students get to the point of producing real music and makes all the early agony well worth-while
So Kingsley, please keep up the good work. It is a great opportunity for you and you will reap the rewards without doubt.

[giraffe]

She played the Adagio from Mozart's clarinet concerto a couple of years ago at a school prize giving, and it was bringing the usual tear to my eye, when the tears turned to tears of laughter as the head of year 7 walked up the hall and fell flat on her face at the feet of the pianist. The expression on the pianist's face was a picture, but Kingsley carried on without a hesitation!