13:55.

Five minutes to 9pm yesterday, I sat down at my beige upright piano, removed the red velvet cloth covering its black and white keys, and loved the feeling of creating music.

I didn't intend to play popular music but the first chord I hit sounded like a certain song so I started trying to locate its name as it flowed from the instrument.

The song was In My Life, by The Beatles. Lovely. I looked for its chords, I had the song sheet - downloaded from the internet - somewhere and I played a slow slow version. Then I started singing. Tried This Boy, also by the Beatles then Stay (Faraway, So Close) by U2. And it went on and on.

I always wished and prayed to be able to sing better. I'm an inconsistent singer. I can sing along to most songs when the records are playing, but when I need to pitch on my own, I tend to sing a restrained pitch lower. Since my range is not that wide, when I do that, I effectively sabotage myself.

On the piano, it's different. I can naturally pitch (On the guitar, I can't. Argh).

So we did an acoustic version of Stay, and Coldplay's The Scientist, both of which translated very well with bare acoustic backing.

Then, hehe, we stumbled across this stack of Beatles chords I have photocopied. And it was so fun! I Want To Hold Your Hand, Get Back, Hard Day's Night, Let It Be, a messy version of Helter Skelter.

As I played, I was aware of how I will miss the freedom of being able to get onto a piano to play and sing, with chords and sheets avail (I don't do impromptu very well).

But last night, we - piano, God and me - rocked.

Dear Lord, You rock.