Tue Jan 27]
Said Piano was locked! I gave him a tip & he departed satisfied.
The Piano was opened by removing the front. Thus we were able to lift the cover sufficiently to slip the lock back with a knife. We had quite a happy evening on it. I inaugurarated it with Rachmaninoff's Prelude in C# minor. It quite comes up to expectations. The tone is excellent; Capes came in very soon after and seems quite sick that he has hired one. However he sagely remarked that it is only a guinea and settled down contentedly to play mine.
Wrote to the Pater to say it had arrived & to thank him.
Wed Jan 28
Letter arrived from home this morning with Piano key enclosed!!
Went out for a ride in aft. or to be more precise for a walk. We took our bikes with us up Shotover Hill and then rode down. The surface was peculiarly slimy. We had therefore to put on our brakes on the moderately dry parts and let go over the others.
After Tea I amused myself on the Piano till about 6.0 when we adjourned to the Ugger & I wrote a letter of thanks to Miss A. Then Cadena & back again to the Piano till 9.0.
After 9.0 we endeavoured to work. It is really safe to play then, but it is hardly fair to any people on the stair who want to work to do so.