It was Grandma Hilda’s 75th birthday coming up. She loved to hear twelve year old granddaughter, Lydia, play the piano. Grandma Hilda liked old-fashioned music. Not that Lydia didn’t, so Lydia thought she would surprise Grandma Hilda by playing a piece specially learnt for the birthday. Lydia thought and thought and thought. In the end, she decided to learn Handel’s The Harmonious Blacksmith. She practised and practised and practised. It was quite hard, even though she was very good at playing the piano.
Grandma Hilda’s birthday arrived. Lydia and her parents went to visit.
“Happy Birthday Grandma!” said Lydia. “I’ve learnt a special piece on the piano for you!”
“That’s lovely dear,” said Grandma Hilda. “As long as it’s not a piece by that awful composer called Handel. His music goes boom, boom, boom, and I can’t stand it.”
“No,” said Lydia. “It’s by Scarlatti.”
Grandma loved it. She didn’t know the difference. In the circumstance it’s possible that Handel wouldn’t have minded.
Ha! I love this.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks Lucy! Are you a piano player?
LikeLiked by 2 people
I dabble in it (merely a beginner), but I do like to practice when I have the time. How about you? 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
I’m quite good, A better teacher of it however!
LikeLiked by 3 people
Lydia was very thoughtful of her grandmother even though she is a little liar.
LikeLiked by 1 person
She should be sent to bed without any dinner – well no slice of birthday cake anyway.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I prefer to think Lydia was a quick thinker, and she will stay in the will of her rich granny.
LikeLiked by 3 people
That sounds like a cunning grandmother talking?
LikeLiked by 1 person
The names in my will are written in pencil. In a few cases, the paper has been worn through with erasures and changes.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha ha! Either they keep changing their names by deed poll, or you keep changing your mind!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, it all comes out the same, I suppose.
LikeLiked by 2 people
‘What the eye don’t see, the chef gets away with’ – Fawlty Towers
Or in this case- the ear….
LikeLiked by 1 person
I never expected Fawlty to get quoted on such an academic blog.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well I thought it timely before all the episodes are taken off air by the BBC. ‘The Germans’ episode has already been taken down.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t dare comment (out loud).
LikeLiked by 1 person
I bet Grandma Hilda was actually thinking of Sousa. We all get this stuff mixed up from time to time.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s so easy to do. I sometimes confuse the sousaphone with the piccolo – I’m talking about looks not the sound they make which I believe are very similar.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Is there a difference between a piano and a harmonica? Asking for a friend.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your friend would have to ask Peter Paul and Mary – they seemed to know at least what a harmonica was:
If I had a harmonica
I’d harmonicate in the morning etc.
As for the piano – isn’t that some sort of tropical fish?
LikeLiked by 1 person
That sounds right. A harmonica is used for pounding in nails then? This is all starting to make sense.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s what I use my harmonica for. I’ve just come in from mowing the lawn and I put you wrong about the piano. I used it to mow the lawn.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I see. It’s funny, I use a tuba on my lawn.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Just read your blog posting. Anyone with half a heart should read dumbestblogger’s posting! https://ifbaird1989.wordpress.com/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Grandma must have heard portions of The Messiah. Quick thinker that granddaughter!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I never thought of that – re The Messiah!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is an enigmatic story. Either the grandma or the granddaughter undergoes a change in stature towards the end, I am not sure which.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes – you’re right I think!
LikeLike
Good story!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks!
LikeLike
But did Lydia have 9 or 10 fingers? I wouldn’t know the difference between Handel and Scarlatti but I’m assuming Grandma had her prejudices proven wrong…
LikeLiked by 1 person
LOL! Lydia may have lost a finger in the Blacksmith’s shop. I actually remember as a kid playing Handel’s Sarabande and Mum saying she didn’t like Handel because it goes boom boom boom. It’s only in the last month or so that I’ve started to play him on the piano (I feel guilty about it and have to make up for lost time!)
LikeLiked by 1 person