Eternal Refuge

Well, that was until I read the question ....

2 What have you recently done for the first time?

I suppose joining a new music group about 3 weeks ago is about as "new & recent" as I can get. I had missed orchestra very much. This group is mixed ability and mixed instruments, but I am hoping to persevere and enjoy. Whatever, it has been good to be back playing my clarinet.

Not a great weekend for me, sadly.

First the weekness and aching has been slowly increasing, so that in itself is poor.  I did have quite a lot I wanted to do for Mum & Dad in the garden, while the weather holds ... so wasn't looking forward to that!  However Tim & Claire popped in over lunch and stayed a few hours, so as well as being great to see them, it meant I had a bit of a rest.  That made it easier to cope with the day, even though I didn't get much of the things done that needed to be done.

Then, of course the main sadness is that James was in England and I wasn't going to be seeing him.  He was at a convention and I really can't cope with group things like that, even for James.  So I had sadly opted not to go.  As it turns out, with less work I couldn't have afforded it (although if it had been one of James' days I would have begged, borrowed or stolen!)  I am also glad that I didn't have to do the travelling .... so that was easier for my body.

As I hadn't aimed to go to see James, I had said I would play at Bude's orchestra concert .... however I had to pull out of playing as the playing, as well as the travelling, would have been far too much.

So, all in all, a tough time.

Still sad about not being able to see James in July ... but super happy that he has work, although not a show I have even heard of - Witches of East End ... so looks like I shall be watching something else for at least a short time!

However I am looking forward to hearing Ghost of the Robot ... even though not with the full band. I am sure James would have loved to have shown his son a bit of Europe ... maybe another year! I think I expected him not to be able to come, as it seemed too good to be true.

I am beginning to try to sort out ideas of where to visit on my London trip ... but have to be careful due to my muscle symptoms, as if they are not easier I would tire easily.

I am off to Bude tomorrow - and dreading the drive as it hurts to sit in a car at present.  However I am playing in the  orchestral concert and don't want to cancel as I did in March.  So I have spent the the last couple of weeks practicing, as I need to get my mouth muscles toned ... trouble is my hands are not liking the work.  It will be quite a bit of playing, with the rehearsal in the afternoon - but have pain killers lined up!

Well, I had the blood tests on Monday and get the results next week - so will let you know if my doctor ha any answers.

Off to catch up on comments.

Wow, where did the weekend go?

As ever I rushed home to Mum, Dad & Jiffy on Friday after work ... and took them shopping.  I don't go in the shops, so this is my hour-ish space to sit in the car (or this week on a bench in the shade) and read.

Friday evening, is caching up with any editing Dad's book needs and then some artwork.

Saturday arrived .... and I took Jiffy for his normal morning walk, and then headed off to Bude for the day.  I managed to get there in time to collect my contact lenses and new fluids.  I know there are opticians locally, but having had previous bad experiences with them, in that they don't want to cope with the operation scarring on my right eye, I stick with Yi ... she is great.

Then to get a sarnie, and sit by the beach for 1/2 hour ... before heading to rehearsal.   That went pretty well.

After that I went for a half hour walk (photos to follow) ... and then met Toni ... the 2 things I miss about Bude are the orchestra and Toni ... she and I have been through some good and bad times.  She updated me on DJ ... he has now been "talent spotted" and works for "Riding for the Disabled" in the Windsor area.  As she said, he had good training with me!!!!

Then to the concert .... which went well, despite poor audience numbers.  Nice weather mans BBQs, not sitting in a Church listening to a Chamber orchestra.  Mozart, Haydn, Handle, ... etc.  Not my favourite music, either.  ut it was great being there - even though I ended up with a blister on my lip, and my damaged finger really complaining.

I got back to Torquay soon after 11pm.

Sunday was a normal Sunday - Church with Dad, then after lunch I did the crossword with Mum (I read out the clues, and she answers), while Dad snoozed.  Then we did some more editing of his book ... just about in the finishing stages now.  Then I took Jiffy for a walk, and had tea before heading back here.

Hope you all had a good weekend ... have a fun week.


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For those of you who hve known me for over 18 months you will know that there were only a couple of things I regretted about my move to Exeter and that was leaving the orchestra that I had been a member of for 25 years.  Anyway last Wednesday I had an urgent message from the conductor asking me to play on Saturday - and to say I am out of practice is an understatement.  As I play a clarinet it is hard to get the correct muscles in the mouth toned in 3 days!!!  Still I went, arriving at rehearsal, not even knowing what music we were doing!

It was great to be back, and I loved it, even though it reminded me again how much I miss the group!  The rehearsal went well, and then I had a couple of hours free, so I went to see the stunning view of the Atlantic, via the only working sea-lock gates in England!  Then met up with Toni ... which was my other reason for not wanting to leave the area - so it was great to see her (and her husband) again.

( The Atlantic )

Then back for the concert ... and good to see one or two people in the audience I knew, as well.  The concert went well - Beethoven Overture, Mozart Piano Concerto (played by a 10 year old!!), Mahler Folk Tune, New Suite of Music (written by a member of Truro Orchestra) and an Haydn Symphony.  Bizarly, at the end, the comittee asked me to do the Thank You speach, as it was something I used to do for the last 10 years!!

So, it was fun to be back, although a long day as I had started it by having the car MOT'd and serviced.S

unday was Mothering Sunday - and as ever Mum didn't want a fuss!  In the afternoon Tim and Claire came round for tea and we had a super evening - including one hour of hymn singing .... Mum got to chose hymns she knew (as she is partially sighted), Dad played the piano and we sang ... while Jiffy hid!  Mum chose all but 4, as we all had a choice - this was mine -



So, it was a special eveing - great to share time together and be able to celebrate both Mum and our faith, at the same time.

Hope that you all had such a lovely weekend.

I went to my friend Pete's funeral today - it was "lovely" to see the Church full, and to meet up with friends form orchestra.  I left Bude 18months ago and will admit that it is one thing I still miss.  I haven't found anywhere still to play and just wish I was a bit nearer, or at least that petrol was free on Mondays, then I would go back.  Pete had died travelling in Peru, a place he loved, so the practical logistics were a nightmare, but for him his last few days were in doing the things he loved.

I am meant to be sorting out why dad's printer has stopped printing, but it is now telling me that he doesn't have a printer, so before throwing something at the computer I thought I would answer one of my set of 5 questions.  I challenged a couple of my closer friends to ask things they didn't know - and both managed to find 5 questions to ask.

jaded_jamie asked:-

1: Second favourite actor or singer do you admire most?

2: Is there a TV show you would wipe from history completely?

3: You could be ANY person alive today for a day, who?

4: Relating to question 3, why?

5: Why are you a Royalist?


( And here are my answers )


If anyone wants me to ask them 5 questions then all you have to do is ask.

I am meant to be ironing ... but decided a mini pic-scam was needed instead!  So, if I had rumpled uniform tomorrow, it's your fault!

Last Saturday I was in Bude for the Orchestra concert (Here is the programme)

It went well - and we had a good audience. However, at the end the conductor said he had a few words to say ... Yes, he gave thanks for all the hard work I had done over the 20 years that he had been conductor, and said that he was missing his "right hand man" ... I was pleased that if it had to bedone, then he was the one to do it. Barry is the one person who has always chatted, and over that time we have met and beaten some great challenges. Yes, I miss orchestra ... but they gave me 25 years of memories, and as a leaving gift, I had a 6" model of a clarinet - plus this wall plaque, which just made me choke. It is Barry, btw, who gave me the nickname of Debris.



I had a bouquet of flowers - and here you can see them on my coffee table in my lounge ... also showing more pics on the wall, and what part of my house looks like -



I said that I bought some flowers ... well here they are in tubs, along with the tubs from Bude. The large square one in the bottom picture (at the top/back) is my Jaykub rose bush.

......... Another hectic week - a few more boxes sorted, and 4 shifts worked .... so very productive.

I alao spent Monday afternoon & evening in Bude ... opticians, tea with Toni and orchestra practice.  After 25 years on Monday evening rehearsals it seemed weird to not go over the last few months ... so it was nice to be back, even if it felt I had never been away.  1 more rehearsal next Monday - then a concert the following Saturday.

So, how have you all been?  No way will I be able to check - so if you have any news, please let me know.

When I played in Bude Orchestra's concert in Septemeber, I thought that was the end of it ... and haven't played since, as I aimed to have 6 months off and then see if I could find something else.

However I heard from the conductor who was sad that I didn't get a public thanks and farewell ... and also that he wants me to play in the concert in March.

So, today I decided I must start some playing to keep my mouth and lungs OK - so dug out my sax and played for fun.

As I promised, here is a bit of a scribble about Orchestra.  We did our Winter concert on the last Saturday in September ... and here you can see me with a cheesy grin just at the beginning -

( Read more... )

At the end I have made the hank You speach for a few years now. It was because our Chariman always said she could never cope ... this time, however, she had since died, so it fell to me again (and for the last time) to thank people, and remind everyone when the next concert is
( Read more... )

The previous night I had stayed at Toni's ... and she came to the concert. It isn't often that we have our picture taken together ... so persuaded her husband to do it -
( Read more... )

The concert went well - but for me it felt weird.

I had been a member of the orchestra for 24 years, and treasurer for 15 years.  Although I had told people that this was it, nothing seemed to sink in.

I found out, as I was leaving that the conductor and his wife (the only ones I really get on with) had been told that I wasn't actually leavng. In some ways I wish it were true; but and hour and a ahlf travel each way is impossible. teresa was mortified that nothing had been done to say Goodbye ... but I said it was easier for me to slip away. I would never have coped (would I?)

So, with a hug and a kiss from them both, I got in my car and left orchestra ... and Bude.