St. Cecilia, dead furnaces,& Fiddling on Cello

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Posted by ladymuse on Sunday, November 25, 2007

Happy Feastorama to all -
And Thanksgiving day is also St. Cecilia's Day - (Patron Saint of Music!)
my adventure started Tuesday before thanksgiving, when the furnace went out, and after 2 hours that night, they had it pumping again. Then it died -
Wed, I had heard no word, and called the office - they said that they had called with new parts, but the Maint Sup. had left early - already gone, and he had to ok it. Wouldn't be back until Monday -

I went nuts, and found as many space heaters etc - for the deprived tenants as possible - (I have no heater - I am in the basement - so they came first anyway - but I learned! No boiler? = freezing!!

Thursday took a train at 7AM - (21 degrees) over the Sierras to Martinez Ca - (upper east SF Bay area) and spent the day and overnight - and my friends daughter (she's 12) was a cellist, totally celtic, but had no irish music.

I found a book before leaving, called "Fiddlers Philharmonic" - all known Irish/fiddle tunes - arranged for solo cello. and then arranged for breaks and harmony (twin) and small orchestra - (different key)

I was majorly impressed with this book and the tunes offered - she could have - walked into any jam and played -
(westphalia Waltz, Kesh Jig, Swallowtail Jig, I's the B'y, Old Joe Clark, Irish Washerwoman, Lark in the Morning, Paddy on the turnpike, Morpath Rant, Molly Hare (Fairy Dance) Rickett's Hornpipe, Sailor's Hornpipe- Down with the girls in the morning - etc)

There are several in this series, and Fiddler's Philharmonic was started by a teacher who had a string section, and his friends the fiddlers - so they went for it - It comes with a CD, Not only of the solo tunes, but the original arrangements with all the lyrics where appropriate, and then the back up and breaks -

Highly recommended!

I came home to find the heat not restored, checking on everyone,
and next morning got an invite to Virgina City, where I spent the day in the cemetary - (friend's grandfather had been a sherriff out there in 1870 - and had family members buried there) and up into town to prance down the main street - (wooden sidewalks and saloons) and souvenir stores) (Most famous saloon/hotel is the silver dollar, (you may have seen it on TV) under paranormal - there is a 20 foot hight painting of a fair "lady" (spelled starting with a 'P') dressed in floor length real silver dollars, who haunts room 11 - and of course the cemetary is locked at night because of the strange going ons -

I was blown away to see all the people from early 1800s that had died and been buried there - Born in Ireland, France, Italy, Germany, China, and Sweden that came and died here (to name the oldest section - WOW!)

Got stuffed on Indian food (india) that evening here in reno, and here tis Sunday, and aside from cleaning, just got a bag of leftovers from a new fiddler who's husband won't eat leftovers! I think I am good for the next month! LOL!

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