I was 5 years old when my mom said she loved the song KITTEN ON THE KEYS. Within a few weeks, my black cat started 'dancing' on the piano keys - I was almost 6. I loved it! I was 8 years old when my mother said I could have piano lessons.
My teacher (Ethel Roe) was a concert pianist; she was brilliant, but her husband contracted tuberculosis within a few years of her career, so she stopped playing/touring, and became a teacher!
We lived in a small town of less than 550 people. Ethel came to your home; she taught - she charged $1.00 for a half an hour, and she took care of her beloved husband (Floyd) who was ill with T.B. She told me I was a 'prodigy', and I had no idea what that meant.
Ethel came to my home from 1950 until late in 1951; I learned SO MUCH FROM HER, I won state competitions, and was a piano teacher by age 14!!! This is the legacy; the power, and the love of Ethel Roe; a student - a graduate of the Juliard School of Music in New York who loved her husband more than any career she could have had.
I loved this woman; I tried to adopt her beliefs, and over the years I taught many many students who to this day, write to me of their love for me; my dedication to them and praise me for what I taught them! Me??? No - it was Ethel's spirit; a woman of incredible strength and belief.
In 1967 I was living in New York; I heard Ethel was ill - I bought a beautiful Bible beccause Ethel has such a belief in God, and I made sure she got it and a recorded tape of my most recent music. I told Ethel I was singing in the North Country Music Society (which I was). I told her about my playing 'lead piano' in the society. I told her how much she'd given me; how her power and belief in me gave me the confidence I needed.
Ethel died before I returned to Michigan in late 1968; late - with sorrow about our loss of Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy. I was a little late to get involved with politics. I was pregnant with my 3rd child, but ever encouraged by Ethel's spirit! I started teaching piano; using everything Ethel had taught me! By 1974 I was given a number of awards; some for charity - some for service to my community - some for my contribution to various local clubs and organizations, and MOST OF ALL, a gift from MY PIANO STUDENTS who said they'd never learned as much in such a short time as they did with me. I had to remind them it was ETHEL who had guided me.
I love the kitten on the keys that I chose for the blog. The wonderful cat that ran up and down mine as a young person. The one who jumped on my piano - my son's cat (named Cincy -short for Cincinnati where we'd lived) who 'danced' - Cincy who was born in 1994 and died in 2007 - 13 x (7) = 91 years in 'human life' - Cincy LOVED THE PIANO/MUSIC/KEVIN, and thought she was a 'dog' the way should did tricks only a 'dog' normally does.
My mother made me learn to play KITTEN ON THE KEYS - I knew it was a tough song, but after all my little cat (Blackie) had played them in 1946...so I learned that song.
Tonight I spent almost 2 hours trying to POST ON MY BLOG; so frustrated, I sent an e-mail to a former marine and a man I trust 100%. This is the e-mail; when in trouble, TRUST OTHERS - don't listen to the main-stream media who make you feel afraid; lost, and as if you do NOT matter. Yes, you do matter, and I've learned that all my life.
In memory of Cincy who died about this time one year ago, TRUST - IGNORE FEAR - LISTEN NOT TO THOSE WHO WOULD BRING DOUBT TO YOU, BUT TO THOSE WHO GIVE YOU ENCOURAGEMENT!
This is the copy of my e-mail I sent to Alan when it seemed I would NEVER GET MY BLOGS TO LOAD UP, and that I would be almost 'banned' from posting.
Thank you Alan if you add to this post and commentary! Thank you Cincy, for making so MANY MANY PEOPLE LOVE YOU - we miss you and your adorable ways.........
MY COPY OF MY E-MAIL:
Dear Alan:
I can NOT access ANY OF MY BLOGS, AND HAVE NO REASON (or ability to understand) WHY????!!! Please go to http://blahblahsquared.blogspot.com/ and POST THIS FOR ME AS A COMMENT! If you have time, go to http://billytiptonc.blogspot.com/, and COPY/PASTE THE SAME THING that I'm writing you in this e-mail. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO ACCESS MY BLOGS FOR DAYS WITHOUT EXTREME DIFFICULTY. I'VE WANTED TO THANK SO MANY WHO'VE WRITTEN ME. I CAN'T UPLOAD PHOTOS. I CAN'T MAKE A 'NEW POST'. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS IS GOING ON, BUT I'VE ASKED MY FRIEND ALAN, TO POST THIS ON MY BEHALF. I have several friends/posters/bloggers, and e-mail friends from around the world who've told me they can't POST A COMMENT. Again, I don't know why. THIS WOULD BE A CURRENT POST, BUT I CAN'T GET ONE DARNED BLOG TO OPEN SO I CAN POST! So, I've asked Alan who I trust, to COPY AND PAST THIS E-MAIL AND HOPEFULLY HE CAN POST IT AS A 'COMMENT' onto some of my blogs such as And the ones I've listed in my e-mail to Alan that are listed below (the links). I no longer trust the reliability and efficiency of theI-net; I wonder what in the hell is going on, and I'm concerned that those of us who've taken a rather public and controversial stance on a few of the issues surrounding our country; our lack of leadership, and the need for change that might have to be even more productive than our new president's viewpoints, might have led to my inability to POST ON MY VERY OWN BLOGS. Thank you for reading and caring. Diane Stirling-Stevens. E-mail is: kcir114112@cmaaccess.com Okay, Alan, please copy and PASTE THIS onto my blogs and see if you have the access I no longer have. Many thanks. Diane (note: on the blogs listed in this permanent signature, please add that same 'comment' to those blogs since NONE OF THEM ARE WORKING FOR ME. Diane | |||
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