Jo, with Tom and baby Hannah
I moved to St Davids almost 19 years ago, when I was in the early stages of being pregnant with Tom. In the house down the road we would always hear children laughing, behind high garden walls. When Tom was born we got to know them better. Rowanna seemed tiny, until Tom was born, Jo Jo was the middle child and Noona the oldest and they were all wonderful wild. I still remember them tumbling into the house one day through what was a large catflap in the back door.
Now time has passed. They couldn't fit through a cat flap now and yesterday I went to hear Jo, now Jocelyn, playing piano in St Davids Cathedral. There was a time when she held my Tom, cradled in her small arms. Yesterday she held a whole audience in her hands, filled the cathedral with a beautiful sound, painted images through notes, was wonderful. How amazing it is to see and hear such elegance, all grown up.
It was a while before Jocelyn and I realised that we had a connection other than living as neighbours. I think it was one time that I had asked Anne, Jo's mum, to look after and feed the cats for me when I was away. She noticed a Christmas card lying around the house, a card I had designed for The Musicians Benevolent Fund as a fund raiser. Jo had just received a grant from them to buy a new piano. In the subsequent years she received bursaries during her studies from the MBF. This is such a hard time to be a student, especialy a student of the arts where it is always a struggle to make a living. How wonderful to have such a close connection and see so clearly the benfit of the MBF.
This year's card will be available soon, I am told on 6th September, and the mugs are available now from the MBF. The artwork for the card will be on display and for sale at the Imagine Gallery from 5th September.
My house is full with flowers from the garden and paintings waiting to go to The Imagine Gallery, Long Melford, Suffolk, for exhibition. The preview is 5th September. For more details and invitations please contact John.
It's wonderful when the children you remember with grubby knees and sticky hands, suddenly emerge as their grown-up accomplished selves. Last week we had an invitation to a similar concert performance from someone we've known since she was nine, and another brought her beautiful new baby to meet us. They have become interesting and surprising adults but they still come to us bringing their childhood memories - and surprised to find us in a new guise as equals.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post and a wonderful trip down memory lane.
ReplyDeleteThat was lovely Jackie,, a tender side of you ,,, thanks for sharing.I truly enjoy reading of your escapades in Wales and such a touching sentiment as above is heart warming to say the least and also confirms my belief , everything is preordained and happens for a reason, a good friend of mine once told me she truly believes we have the same circle of friends with us with every lifetime we experience and when i hear stories such as yours i feel it confirms it.I just know it.I'm really loving those seal photos also.... best wishes from Canada,,, Laurie
ReplyDeleteDo your resident cats not pull flowers from bouquets?
ReplyDeleteMine have indicated that all house flowers are subject to cat curiosity, to nibbling and then hoiking up petals and greenery on the floor as a result.
Life is strange, but what a lovely story.
ReplyDeleteI can imagine the children and the cat flap, what beautiful innocence,
and what a beautiful talented woman she has become.
It must be so good for you to know that things that you have done
have made a difference.
Not many of us can claim that.
Life is just big merry-go-round, jump off and on, but it continue to go around and around and around........
ReplyDeleteMy brother is a violinist and his late wife was a cellist. The only way they could survive was for both of them to go back to school, get teaching credentials and teach music in the schools. Fortunately for him, his other talent is for woodworking. Now that he has retired from teaching, he runs a stringed instrument repair shop.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful to be able to hear Jocelyn play in the cathedral. She's grown into a lovely young woman. I wish her all the best.
We rented the cottage next to The Old chapel last summer, through the wall we could hear wonderful piano music. Now I know who it must have been! Lovely.
ReplyDeleteShe is very good isn't she Rosalind. Look out for her and go and listen if you can. All the sisters used to sing in the cathedral choir. They all looked like small angels. Jo told me yesterday that before they came in through the catflap they were all swinging on my washing line!
ReplyDeleteThat was a lovely post Jackie.You live in a wonderful spot for an artist to work in. Having children around keeps us young doesn't it.
ReplyDeleteIt must have been thrilling to hear Jocelyn sing.