I have survived my Month of Doom! I’m a little worse for wear, perhaps both mentally and physically, but I did indeed survive. The next time my boss says something to the effect of, “Oh good, I’m glad you’re taking a week off in April! That will make up for March…” I will run away. Possibly cackling insanely as I flee.

Donna Aldrich, my piano teacher growing up, passed away last week. The huge norfolk pine tree on our porch was rescued from her once upon a time when both myself and the tree were much smaller. She was my first music teacher, my first Spanish teacher and my piano teacher for years upon years. She taught me that it’s okay to mix your languages because it challenges people to keep up. She also taught me, accidentally, that I can often sight read a new piece of music better than I can play a practiced piece. I did not work hard enough for her and probably should have quit or swapped teachers sooner than I did, but I did learn a great deal from her. She is the reason I adore Chopin and why I enjoy piano solos so much. Mrs. Aldrich what quite a character in my childhood. She had an underground house, a daughter in Arizona, huge pine cones collected when she lived in California, all sorts of little things from South America, a husband (who passed away last year) who had Very Cool Toys, and a … gasp … little white dog. Goodness, the Little White Dog Mafia has been stalking me longer than I thought!

Mrs. Aldrich was 86 years old. That means she was about 58 when I started taking piano lessons from her. She retired from teaching in the school district at the end of my kindergarten year. She didn’t stop teaching piano until 2 years ago. She was amazing.

Chronology is such a funny thing.

donna aldrich, little white dog mafia, month of doom, music, piano, piano lessons, work