Do I hear a waltz..

(The above picture is by Di Colman and titled 'Rhapsody')
I love to waltz! In fact, I just love to dance! But I do most of my dancing alone, especially the waltz as I am married to 'the man who will not dance' - if it can be avoided. Sometimes he cannot avoid his obligations, but he certainly tries. My first romantic attachment was to a boy who had learned to tap dance, and played the piano. Ipso facto, he could dance. Couldn't he? Well... the few times we went dancing, no matter what the music might be, he would steer me up one side of the dance floor, turn sharply, and steer me along the other. Sometimes in time to the music, but mostly just a quick march! So embarrassing! Then he would glare so savagely at anybody else who approached me for a dance, that it just wasn't worth the angst.
Eventually I convinced him that we should have dance lessons. With much muttering he agreed, so twice a week we would attend "Arthur Bosley's school of ballroom dancing'. Problem! I became so good at dancing with the instructor that I couldn't dance with anybody else. Ane then the boyfriend go jealous and refused to go dancing anymore because I only wanted to dance with the teacher - not him! Needless to say, dancing was soon off the agenda, so I would dance alone. I would have been a dead cert for Hollywood stardom if only Gene Kelly or Fred Astaire had spotted me! Eat your heart out Ginger Rogers and all you others who were spotted and became stars. I am still the greatest!
If I hear a waltz on the radio in the morning, I know I will have a good day. I used to love to hear a waltz on my way to work, especially for the few months before I retired. There was something about that old 1, 2, 3, that set me up for the day. Whilst on the way for a blood test this morning, I was lucky enough to hear the waltz from Der Rosenkavalier. It is one of the most beautiful pieces of music I have ever heard. One really has to listen to the orchestral version of this waltz, because Richard Strauss wrote singing counterpoint to this, and the voices tend to drown the beautiful music. Same as Puccini with Mietta's waltz song, from La Boheme. Ah well, the singers have to shine as well, I guess.
Needless to say, when we have been to Vienna I have been in waltz heaven. Himself, in a truly aberrant, but exciting, moment, waltzed me to the door when we went to a Strauss performance at the Schonbrunn Palace. This was a magical evening because, apart from himself dancing with me, it was so romantic to stand on a nearby balcony, with a full moon shining down and lighting up the gloriette in the distance, all to the background of a Strauss waltz! Oh yes, the stuff dreams are made of. There are just so many beautiful waltz pieces written and I couldn't even begin to list my favourite pieces, I have so many. Just play on, and I will continue to be a happy little vegemite!

And, after all that strenuous activity, I wonder
should we dare to drink tea from the pictured cups. I suspect they are just a bit of whimsy on someone's part, because I really can't see them being used. But dear friends have each presented me with a cup, and accompanying spoons in this very delicate china. Not English, of course! But, they look very pretty in the crystal cabinet or on the table when I decide to display them.
Cheers fellow bloggers.