Going Home

After breakfast I drove into Hereford and met up with the choir I used to conduct.  I had intended to hear them sing at Evensong but it would have meant hanging around until 5.30 and then driving 133 miles home.  I had a quick look around the cathedral (having sat in on their rehearsal for a while) and noted the changes since I last went there.  I met up with folk I knew at coffee time and then came home.

I have tweaked a couple of short videos I made and uploaded them.

Holiday post 4 - Thursday and Friday

I was too tired yesterday to blog and today will probably be brief.

Thursday 28th July

I spent the day on the Severn Valley Railway having driven down to Kidderminster from near Crewe where I had spent 2 nights.  I got a full ticket and stopped off at Highly where there is an engine shed - not that I know much about trains and I certainly do not have an anorak.  I caught the train on to Bridgnorth and went up the cliff railway.  I walked round the town making for the museum and the church, except that St. Leonard's is redundant.

I then walked to St Mary Magdalene where I made a stunning discovery. The organ there was the one I had played a couple of times when I was organ scholar in Bristol as a student.  I had had lessons at Clifton College with David Pettitt although he taught me on the 4 manual Harrison once it had been rebuilt.  How this Willis found its way to Bridgnorth is explained here.

Friday 29th July

Acton Scott Working Farm

Then an hour in Church Stretton and back to Craven Arms to see Land of Lost Content.  Next I went to Stokesay Castle but decided only to go into the church. Finally I drove to the Park and Ride at Ludlow and hopped on a bus to the town spending an hour in the church and town. Having found my B&B I had a meal and went bell ringing at Lugwardine.

Then I came back and wrote this blog.  I think I have done a lot today!

Holiday post 3 - according to plan

Today I started by visiting Market Drayton (and it was market day) and then went on to the main objective - to visit Hack Green Nuclear Bunker.

I stood and watch the DVD playing in the entrance as this was so interesting and then had a spot of lunch.  The tour takes you round (or you take yourself) various underground rooms filled with cold war equipment; it all looks dated but then tecnology soon becomes obsolete - even my vinyl record player at home!

A banned BBC film (on show in a room and lasting 45 minutes) reveals much of what the government had decided about what would happen should Britain have been hit with a nuke. It was quite disturbing; I shall not try to sum it up here.  I am actually working on my laptop which is perched on a bedside table, such is the basic nature of this B&B.

After all that I went to Whitchurch and then came back.  Later I am off to Barthomley for a meal and to ring on the 8 there.

Holiday post 2 - more changes of plan

The plan today was to drive from Wakefield to the Nantwich area.  I reasoned that after 92 miles on the motorway I would appreciate an ice-cream bought at Snugbury's; it was not to be. To get there the sat-nav took me off the M6 at junction 18 but there was a hold up. I had noticed a sign to Jodrell Bank so I turned round and went there for a pleasant visit.  [I cannot think of that place without the slang meaning - having a Jodrell].

After that I headed towards Congleton as I intended go bellringing in the evening; as was near I decided to check out the place.  It's a pleasant market town.  Then onwards to Nantwich to see the church and museum. No good trying to go on Wednesday as the place will be chock-a-block; it is the annual cheese show.  Why did this not show up on Google when I was planning my visit?

I then headed for my B&B, checked my email and did a review of the previous establishment on Tripadvisor.  I did return to Congleton and had a good ring as well as a jar or two (shandy) afterwards.

Holiday post 1 - not the day I intended

Sunday 24th July

I drove to Wakefield and found my hotel.

Walked into the town (had a snack) then visited the cathedral and looked round. I returned later for Evensong sung by the choir of St. Giles, Pontefract. I was pleased to see they were using genuine copies of the canticles and anthem. Wood in D is not very familiar even though I have played it; I would not list it amongst the best settings. The anthem “Through the day” by Phillip Moore was new to me and a perfectly decent bit of writing although not entirely to my taste.

I came to Wakefield to hear the organ and I was not disappointed. The service was accompanied by Thomas Moore who knew the instrument intimately. He showed off most of it during the service and it has a huge dynamic range as well as plenty of interesting sounds. I was surprised (not having researched it beforehand) that it was a five manual console. I sat on the South side of the choir stalls from where one looks directly at the organist; there are few places where the console is in such an ideal position to accompany the choir. Tom’s improvisations were superb; he has a secure harmonic vocabulary and knows how to invent a piece in consistent style. At the end of the service he played the choir out with a fanfare-style piece which contained some really juicy chords and harmony I wish I could find when I improvise. His voluntary, “Sunshine Song” by Hollins, was entertaining without being excessive – a massive piece using full organ would not have been quite right on the occasion (we had heard nearly full organ in Cwm Rhondda).

The psalm singing was very passable although the sopranos did not always find their top E. There was a little flat singing here and there but the choir did a good job even though the sound was not inspiring.

The worst aspect of the visit was the fact that some guy was attempting to repair the lights on the choir stalls only minutes before the service; this was poor, especially when I had to move to allow him to carry on. He failed to repair them and I suspect that they will need to employ an electrician to trace the fault.

I did not go up to the tower to ring before the service. They rang 8, including a touch of Stedman before the service (at least the treble was dodging at the back for a long time, so I assume that’s what it was). They also rang some rounds on all 12.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Today (Monday) I have been to Selby (mainly to look at the Abbey), Tadcaster, Pontefract (home of Haribo but otherwise a dreadfully boring place) and Sandal Castle (a pile of ruins).

I then came back to the hotel to have a sleep as I had been woken by traffic at 6.30am. I am going ringing at Emley later on.  (I now know what the huge mast is I saw from Sandal Castle)

As it happens I had planned to go to various places near Leeds (and indeed Leeds Parish Church itself).  However, I found out this morning that most of the places I wanted to visit are closed on Mondays!

http://www.leeds.gov.uk/armleyMills/

http://www.leeds.gov.uk/abbeyHouse/

http://www.leeds.gov.uk/cityMuseum/

It's all a bit poor.

Fence

This is the last photo I can take from my garden of the work in the field beyond; today they erected a wooden fence the other side of the chain link one.

The last few days

I've been planning a few days away next week when Mrs TS gets back from her hols with Mother-in-law and daughters.  I've been booking my accommodation and places to go.

I have also been working on two puzzles for a small magazine a friend of mine publishes for the local bell ringers.  They do not come here so I can show you one of the puzzles. This took me about 45 minutes to do (only because I had fun using formulae in Excel to work it out - all those days with a Commodore 64 were not wasted as some Excel formulae are similar to the Basic I used to know.) The other puzzle is too complicated to post here, but it is a logic puzzle [probably not a very good one].

The ringers below have rung the number of peals shown.  How many peals has Penny Wilson rung?

John Law    16
Peter Cox    25
Jo Bloggs    32
Sophie Coe    36
Eric Smith    256
Martin Marsh    1296
Christopher Kent    1331
Penny Wilson    ????

I've been cooking for myself and a slow-cooked stew has done me for three days.

Today I went to play piano duets and some clarinet pieces with a good friend of mine.  She put me onto some videos a pupil of hers has put up.  I share one below - enjoy!

Heard it before

I do hate it when I complain and all I get is:

"Nobody has mentioned it before".

I went to a cafe for lunch today where I have been several times over the last 2 years; I love their baked potatoes with Coronation Chicken.

They have menus in A5 plastic pocket folders/booklet thingies.  To be honest, the one on my tables was acting like a petri dish; it was disgusting.

The meal was fine but, when I went to pay, I took the offending article to the till and told them what I thought.

It was as if I had sprouted an extra head - total disbelief.  Then she uttered the line above. My retort was "Just because nobody has said anything before doesn't mean I am wrong".  I wish I had added that other people may not have SAID anything but may have made a mental note not to return.

Assuming she was correct and I was the first to say something, there has to be a first person at some stage.  How long will she wait? Until 20 people have mentioned it?
 

Seven Links

I have been mentioned on The Vernacular Curate as someone who 'says it like it is'.  This is my response to the Seven Links Project.

To participate

• A blogger must be nominated by another blogger.
• He/she publishes their 7 links on their own blog. One link for each category.
• He/she nominates up to five more bloggers to take part.

1. My most beautiful post (I found this very hard as I don't think of my blog as beautiful)

Given that the post reminds me of a lovely time spent with my daughter at a time when I was not happy, I have picked this one.

2. My most popular post

Quite a surprise too with 372 hits so far. See here.

3. My most controversial post

Actually this was a series of posts when I openly critical of the Student Loan system, but I did have to decide if I would actually post this one.   (The series is here)

4. My most helpful post

Since I like people to sing hymns correctly I must cite this post although it could also go in the 'A post I feel didn’t get the attention it deserved' category.

5. A post whose success surprises me

My flippant comments about Organ Tuners has been visited 249 times often as the result of Google searches!

6. A post I feel didn’t get the attention it deserved

Wind Chimes are the invention of the Devil; they should be collected and publicly destroyed.

7. The post I am most proud of

No contest.  Just to be able to announce this was fantastic.

5 bloggers I nominate are given below.  I have not listed morecanterburytales as I suspect The Sag. has enough to do at the moment.

http://bloggertropolis.blogspot.com/

http://kelloggsville.blogspot.com/

http://www.lynnspace.com/blog/

http://blog.beliefnet.com/beyondblue/

http://www.thirdworldcounty.us/

Check your diaries

 

Today has been -

National "Let's Annoy Tenon Saw Day": [I originally used a phrase in which one word rhymed with Kiss and another was the opposite of 'on']

Phone Call #1: From British Gas.  I have all my energy from Eon now although we were with BG at Tenon Towers for many years.  We still have a boiler care agreement with them.

[Scottish Voice, reading from script] I believe you had your boiler's annual service recently and I wondered if it was done to your satisfaction. (all this after various preliminaries about the call being recorded)

[Tenon] That's odd, somebody called a week ago and asked me to upgrade my boiler cover.

The conversation continued with me venting my spleen at this nob head who really didn't care, but admitted the query was only asked in passing.  He wanted to sign me up to buy gas again.  I told him where to go.

Phone Call #2: from Insure.

[Bloke in his 20's obviously reading a script] "I'm just checking that you received all your insurance paperwork and that you have checked it.

[Tenon] Yes I have. Is there a problem?

[Bloke] I noticed there were some options which you did not tick on the application so your whole family is not covered for legal protection.

[Tenon] Are you related to a guy who works for British Gas?

I told both these chaps that I was pleased the calls were being recorded and they they should play them back to the people who check them for quality.  I also suggested that if this call wasted any more of my time I may not renew my policy with Insure next year.  No apology but, "That's up to you Sir".  Quite honestly, whilst that is true I can be swayed by being treated like a moron.

Noise

On the building site over the fence a bulldozer has been leveling the ground all day.  The house has been shaking. When he reverses his machine goes bleep, bleep, bleep very loudly. He started work at 7.30am

I am chagrined.

A better day

The concert went OK; a piano teacher friend of mine came and turned pages.

Curiously, since 3pm today I can get my teeth together again.
 

Work has started

The work of which I wrote has begun today.  I awoke thinking I had heard several trains go by only to discover that it was a bulldozer.  Now, although I did not go to school today (as I had a hospital appointment) I was not up very late so these people must rise with the lark!

TMD

I have had a touch of TMD since Sunday and cannot bring my teeth together. I found that it is caued by stress.  These are the causes of stress I have had this week, and recently.

• School Choir Trip to Alton Towers. (Organisation, driving the minibus)
• Had a hospital consultation recently and have a small operation booked for September.
• Having to learn a load of music very quickly.
• My daughter's graduation (30th) was an emotional day - I may blog about it if there is time.
• Report writing.

Oh well, as a teacher I shall have plenty of holiday soon in which I shall, of course, do nothing!! (don't believe all you read on the internet)

 

W7 Service Pack 1

Beware Windows 7 Service Pack 1 - it took ages to install.

Buzz

I have a small bee in my bonnet. They arrive occasionally. We have a box of Mr Kipling's Mini Classics in our house.  On the box it states:

Baked with Free Range Eggs.

Now, I do not know the recipe or quantities Mr. K uses in his factory.  Let's assume he uses 5,000 eggs in a day.  If only 3 of those are Free Range then he can genuinely claim that the cakes are baked with Free Range Eggs.  He is not telling a lie.

So I went to his website and sent and e-mail to ask if they could honestly say the cakes were baked  WITH ONLY Free Range Eggs.  There is a difference.

EDIT - They replied quickly

Thank you for your suggestion regarding Mr Kipling cakes and the wording on our packaging. Its always good to receive feedback and we appreciate the time taken to contact us. We only use free range eggs in our cakes and have done so since November of last year.

We can confirm that your comments have now been forwarded on to our marketing department for their information.

I might have guessed

After 22 years I had a phone call from somebody I knew in the area when I was organist at a particular church.  They sing in a Ladies' choir and their pianist has let them down.  Was I available on July 8th? Could I come to rehearse on July 4th?  'Yes' to the first 'Difficult' to the second.  The phone call ended with me saying they could ring back if no other enquiries were fruitful.

The phone went again 30 minutes later and arrangements were made to bring round some music the next evening; the original pianist had the music in London and would return it - sometime.

As I guessed, the music (some 100 minutes worth) consisted entirely of photocopies in plastic wallets in a ring binder; not very legible photocopies at that.  Some had the DO NOT PHOTOCOPY logo on them.

Well it isn't my business but it makes me sick.  I appreciate music is expensive but photocopying is one reason why originals are expensive.

I have to work until 7.45pm and then drive 9 miles to their rehearsal on Monday.  I will have spent the day at Alton Towers with my choir as their annual treat; I shall be tired.  The Ladies' choir usually stops rehearsing at 8.30 but they will stay until 9pm to get about an hour with me.  I had asked the conductress (whose phone number I was given, she didn't phone me!) to spend more time with me herself so at least she and I know that I will play the music how she wants.  She has not leapt at this suggestion so it seems some items will be put together on the day in the concert as there is no warm-up at the venue.

The musicians amongst you will know all this is bizarre. You will also sympathise when I say there are cuts and repeats in some items which make it seem like playing spaghetti.  You will say I am mad.  I shall agree.  However, it has flexed my musical brain and done me some good.  I may let you know how it goes.