Emily Cat 176

My search for a new book continues.  Last week l asked you what you had been reading. I got my free credit from Audible and the hunt was on. I settled on Mad Mabel ( isn't that a great name for a book )by Sally Hepworth. So far it's not grabbing me, like the book Coastlines by Joanne Harris didn't grab me last month. I can't seem to settle on anything to read at the moment. Do you ever get like that? Pick up one book after another and not find any you like.  I have to admit that l haven't listened to them much. Am l expecting to much to think that a book needs to grab me right from the start. Perhaps l need to follow my own rule: read 4 or 5 chapters and then decide if it's worth reading. Life's too short to read books you don't like. When l first read my favourite book, Asta's Book by Barbara Vine l didn't like it at all, couldn't get into it at all so l left it for a few months and went back to it and, boy, did it connect then. Perhaps mood...

Can you read sheet music?  I have been listening to a lot of Chamber Music this week. My first class last week was French Opera and it went well. This week we are doing Chamber Music. I like Chamber Music. With one particular piece l've been listening to l looked into the structure of how it is played. It's like another language.  Can you read sheet music? I can't. Allegro for tempo, largo for slow play; it really is another language. I tried to learn the piano a few years ago but had to stop as l'm always moving around so never learnt how to read sheet music. Do you play a music instrument? If you do you will already know what all this means.  The other question l have is: are the Italian terms used in all music or is there English used as well? Are the words printed on the sheet music or is it something to do with the lines, and what are the lines called?. I've had a very interesting week looking into all this and l went back and listened to the piece of music and...

Can you paint like this?  A few weeks ago l had to go into an Arts Centre to buy some tickets.  While l was there l looked around their current exhibition. 9 by 5. So many paintings and all of them so good. If only l could paint like this. Yet another skill l don't have. I would love to go out into the countryside, set up an easel and paint what was in front of me. Alas, not to be.  Can you paint and draw? Let's start a conversation.

I'm at a loss.  I don't know what to read next. So l'm looking for suggestions. What have you been reading? Is there a book you could recommend. If it's crime fiction let me know.

What a voice and what a pianist.  I haven't listened to her music before. Only stated to this week.. So l'm asking what is the best album to start with. Nina Simone was know as the high priestess of soul, but, she could see blues as well. If you know her music let me know.

Last week l saw the Roman Empire Exhibition. Of course it began with Julius Caesar. He was the first person to put his likeness on the back of a coin. He also gave us the 12 month calendar. Just think how old these pieces are. Of course Rome was a great military power, Hadrian build a wall in England, which l have seen along with the Roman baths in Bath.   But this is an arts website and l couldn't resist taking a photo of this theatre mask. It was such an interesting exhibition and  Rome ruled such a vast empire. It got me thinking about empires. I was thinking about it as l walked around this exhibition because Rome fell like all empires fall. And think about the Roman Empire in relation to what's happening in the world right now. As l said all empires rise and then fall.