I was quite tired this morning, and slept longer than usual. I’m not a morning person in general, but I’m also not a late-riser, I do not like to waste time in a day. It’s just that my senses are most alert in the latter hours of a day, rather than the early ones, and this suits me well when I perform.

Jahrae was up before me, and brewed a pot of tea with some new brand of tea she found in the outdoor market yesterday. I’m the tea lover, she can take it or leave it, but two years into our marriage, and she still does the little things that really are big things to me, so well. The brewing tea smells divine. “Ahhhh…”

Um, dare I mention that upon finishing the third cup of tea, I realised I may have over-indulged a bit, which means I’ll be taking multiple pee breaks during practice. Still, the three cups generated the energy I need to move into the shower, the first step in working toward some quality time with the piano.

I decided to forego physical exercise today, my left calf is strained, though I’m unsure as to why, and felt a day of rest might be a worthy idea. I’ll give twice as much attention to this part of my day tomorrow, maybe a nice run around Old City.

Procrastinating; so on to the shower – down the hall, into the master bedroom, into the master bath.

I’m almost in! Off with the robe, nothing else to remove – I don’t like being encumbered by clothing when I sleep – and on goes the shower, sonic enhanced. I step on through and into the shower, and begin my usual shower-ritual; first shampoo my hair to a wild, frothy lather, then rinse. Rinsing does take some time; longish curly hair tends to well hide suds, and just when you think the suds are all washed away, you turn slightly, and more appears falling toward the shower drain. So I like to think of this as the second rinse cycle, though I reprise the washing on some days, and this is one.

My hair is finally completely rinsed for the second time… I jump! The bath door is sliding open, here comes Jahrae. No guesswork needed to know Jahrae has a two fold purpose to simultaneous showering – or is that a threefold purpose, we cannot forget the environmental impact of reducing two showers to one, now can we?

I’ll not share one of Jahraes purposes here, and really… do you all really wish to know these things about me and Jahrae and what we will do in a shower?

OK, time for me to get out… on the whole shower thing: I’ll just say we played for 45 minutes or so under the soothing spray, so guess we really cannot claim to be sound environmental practitioners on this day.

I’m out of the shower first, getting a head start on drying and brushing out my hair. Thank goddess I use a quality conditioner, it makes this task so much easier.

Sufficiently dry, I move to the walk in closet and try to suss out clothes that suit my mood.

Today seems like a good day for bang around clothes, and so I grab a tee, initially not realising it is that dumb ‘Arrhazon Llhaesa’ one. Can you imagine me as head of the government? Har… a feminist in charge, Brellian would faint at the very thought of such a development. And no one bothers to ask me, sheesh. Why would I ever want to be anywhere near power? Anyway, Jahrae will find me wearing it to be quite amusing.

OK, I’m procrastinating again – so is Jahrae, she is still in the shower. Hmmm… maybe she brought a toy in there, or has one hidden away some place I’ve not noticed. Heh, I’ll have to find it and um… think up a way to spring a surprise when she least expects it. Would I do such a thing to my dear one? You bet!

Conscience, are you trying to make me feel guilty for not yet playing? I hear ya, and It’s working, message received and point considered. On my way.

I make my way to the black, highly polished baby grand piano, and as always, something deep inside my soul is stirring as my fingers are on the keyboard, as if somewhere beyond my rather limited perception my soul and the keyboard merged, there to share the same space for the next couple of hours. A huge part of me really believes this.

Practice will be light as well today, just a couple of hours to keep in sound playing shape, then I intend to settle in with a book and just get lost in a story.

Jahrae leaves me be when playing, knowing that my concentration is well focused; she also knows from experience she would have to hit a gong next to my ear for me to realise she was near.

Ok, that is enough playing for today, on to that book, but first I’m going to pee. Hey, I only stopped to pee once during practice! On that book… I’m reading a novel, Lrsura’s Exchange by N’tla K. It is pretty good so far, not easy to put down for any length of time.

One hundred pages in, I can feel the pull of gravity upon my head, and soon I feel it move downward and to the side of the high-backed, overstuffed, flower print chair that is my favourite reading chair. A nap is an ingenuous idea, a rare treat, a guilty pleasure – it could be habit forming if I don’t hold tight to where my brain should be focused.

My senses bring me back to waking – my half opened eyes thought something black had moved past the window 6 metres in front of me and to the left. Must be a flying critter looking for a perch, for we are 5 stories above ground level.

I just heard another noise, behind me… “shit! What are you doing in here? You arse holes! Leave her alone! Jahrae! Jahrae! Jahrae! No!”