It’s the Fifth Day of Christmas and my playtime is just about over. I am still in California with my family but will return home to Hawaii tomorrow… back to practicing for our organ duet concert on January 18, playing as an organ substitute for churches on Sundays, and teaching organ lessons.

I have been in Southern California for a week, visiting relatives and eating many holiday meals. I helped my sister prepare Christmas Eve dinner before having a second meal with my son’s in-laws. We have spent the ensuing week mostly shopping and going out to eat in restaurants. Naturally I have had to suspend some of my diet, but before coming on this California trip, I’m pleased to report that I’ve lost 17 pounds since July. It’s a given that I’ve probably gained a couple of pounds over the holidays, but when I get back home, it’s back to eating mostly fish and green vegetables.

The night before, I went along with my son’s family to Tijuana, México, where we ate tacos, went shopping at Costco and Walmart (!) and enjoyed delicious Mexican food before returning last night.

During the month of December I was so consumed by practicing for the five choir concerts that I am afraid that the Dueling Bach music got put on the back burner. Consequently when I tried playing the pieces on my sister’s piano, my fingers just didn’t want to go to the right places as I thought to myself, “You are rusty, RUSTY!”

Practicing my organ pieces on the piano is something I’ve not done since college days. In case you’re wondering, “It just ain’t the same!” Obviously, there is no pedalboard, but the difference in the touch is like night and day. The piano keys have to be pressed down further in order to have them sound, and of course, they don’t sustain as on the organ. And I can’t do any finger articulation or practice my registration changes—but I guess it’s better than not doing any practice at all.

The reason that I sometimes had to practice on a piano back in college days was that I didn’t always have an organ on which to practice. I could at least practice the manual parts without the pedal, which I always justified by saying, “You have ten fingers but only two feet!” so I could add in the pedal later. Besides, I’m training my brain, not my fingers or my feet!

Tomorrow, though, I’ll be back in Hawaii and will be able to practice on the Beckerath organs at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu. So there will be no excuse not to practice!