Pearl has been asking me the last few days if I would teach her how to play the piano, so this afternoon we got started. Pearl has an amazing ear for music, and as we were playing simple scales, she was singing along in harmony without even realizing it. She made quick work of the five-finger scale in both legato and staccato. I asked her what songs she would like to play, and she answered, "Um, 'Silent Night,' and Jordin Sparks!" And so "Silent Night" and Jordin Sparks it is, as long as we can puzzle out the melody together. Who knew "American Idol" had such a broad reach?
Miscellany from the day: up early this morning to part of a conference at the University of Cape Town, which I will post about in more detail a little later. Suffice it to say, they had the best stand-around-and-talk-while-you're-eating breakfast ever. Muesli with yogurt and fruit, chocolate muffins, coffee, tea, croissant sandwiches, cheese, bread, poppy seed muffins, nectarine juice. When have I ever had nectarine juice? It was pretty great.
Next I ran some errands in town, came home, and took a nap. Later I was waiting around for dinner when Pearl informed me that they had already eaten. I asked Gogo if I could have some leftovers, and she said yes but proceeded to prepare a strange meal for me. I privately vowed to eat it all no matter what she put in it. First she emptied a can of beans (kidney beans? red beans?) into a bowl. Then she carved out half an avocado, cut it into cubes, and tossed those in. Next she pulled out a pineapple, cut off the bottom third, chunks, diced it into small chunks, and mixed those in as well. Together with a plate of rice and a chicken breast from KFC, this is what I received for dinner. I asked if I could warm it up on the stove. Gogo's answer was to look at me like I was crazy and say no. It was actually really good. I might cook up some beans and avocado and pineapple and rice for dinner at home one day if I get adventurous. Because I had meat, Neo (the big huge dog) sat in front of me the whole time I was eating. He is such a patient dog.
And continuing with things random, here's a sign I see every time I take a train. It seems clear what the warning is concerned about, but I can't help but feel a subtle pro-family agenda at work in these signs. It's pretty bold, actually: If you are in a family, you are safe and get a check mark in a green circle. If you are alone, however, you get an "x" in a red circle, you appear slightly off balance, and you are liable to fall under the train. Be single at your peril, the sign seems to say.
Below: An exemplar of the sign's message. It is very sad to be alone.
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