After a year of standing silent, my piano is joyously back in use. I have learned to play Ode to Joy and Good King Wenceslas. My dog particularly likes the Beethoven. I can practically hear her thinking "It's about time you started to play!" I try not to measure my performance against my brother Christopher's playing. He is a piano virtuoso, as is my friend Robert McDonald.

I am a beginner's beginner--but what joy!