I shall just leave this here

I very much agree with Paul.

Music during Lockdown

I broke up from school at the end of last term and have not been back: I am having a foretaste of retirement without the travel.

This blog is called 'Keys and Reeds' because I play the organ and I took up the clarinet ten years ago. I don't play the clarinet any more, probably because I lost impetus when I was having cancer treatment in 2018. I did Grade 5 and I also did Grade 2 saxophone. When I took up the saxophone again in the summer of 2018 I developed severe tendonitis in my thumb, although that could have been due to too much photography: taking hundreds of photos of gravestones can do that.

I bought a digital organ in September last year and it is very useful. However, it has been sobering to realise that I am only just regaining the technique I had when I was in my late teens; of course my body is also much older so I have lost flexibility in my hands - although regular playing is proving to be beneficial. Also, once you reach 40 one's vision gets worse and it is not realised how much one looks around the organ console when one is playing, or how one reads ahead: it means that one has to do extra practice to compensate.

Still, I have today had a good hour on the organ (a good hour is better that a bad 2 hours) and I feel I am making progress on the pieces I want to video. One of these I have been learning on and off for 20 years; maybe 30.

I have also taken up the treble recorder which requires less wind pressure but has caused me to struggle with new fingering patterns.

I was quite fed up yesterday when I was tying to video one of my party pieces from my teens. Also, I had arranged to chat online to a colleague who did not turn up at the agreed time. I am also amazed that local bellringers have not been in touch.

I have plenty to occupy me as I believe we will not be going back to school this term. We shall see!

What is the point?

When people are admitted to this country, what is the point of lockdown? We are too soft as a country and they will get all sorts of financial aid and help.

My mother is paying for her own place in a care home: no freebies for her!

Mirror images

One annoying aspect of 21st century life is the habit folk have of filming themselevs in mirror image. Thus if they are playing a piano or organ, the high notes appear to be on the left when someone views the video. Yesterday I saw a cellist holding the bow in her left hand. Surely in the 21st century we can get this right!

A new experience

Recently The Ringing Room has been developed for bellringers. I popped in for a session yesterday.

Before I did so, I wanted to acquaint myself with Zoom, even though I have used Skype and Google Hangouts (Meet) before. A friend obliged and I felt comfortable.

It was a useful first experience and we all discovered how the website works. It is not like real ringing but at least one can interact with others. There are several bellringing programmes which you can use on one's PC or device to ring in solitude but the social aspect of ringing is something many do not understand.

Bullying online

Just a quick follow up to my post yesterday. Somebody posted on Facebook that they were going to have a disco locally by setting up a sound system in their garden from 6pm to 9pm - "for the children". I didn't hear it if they did so I was not affected.

Their Facebook posts and replies went as follows:

• Can’t wait for the moaners
• Set some fireworks off and really get them moaning
• or “rocket sky bombs” as one miserable woman said
• with everyone safe and dancing in their own garden??? Sounds like nothing to moan about.....
• I wasn’t moaning but some sado will

 You may have your own views.

I am a curmudgeon

So, we have the weekly clap for the NHS started by Annemarie Plas (if that is right. See here). I am all for solidarity and have my own reasons to be grateful to the NHS as my one (!) blog reader will know.

I have not clapped yet, but felt a little guilty last night as my next door neighbour - who is a nurse - was outside her door clapping as I closed my curtains.

I am uncomfortable, generally speaking, doing what others tell me to do just because 'everyone is doing it'. OK I do share things on Facebook if I think they amuse me or may amuse my 20 or so friends on there. I do not repost things if they say "Let's see how many people will repost this" or "I bet this doesn't get reposted". Isn't that moral blackmail?

No, the worst thing about the NHS clap is that it has stopped just being a clap. It seems to be an excuse to make a load of noise. Well, if you want to bang a saucepan so folk can hear you that is one thing. Around here, there the Clap seems to have turned into an opportunity to get out amplifiers and sing songs loudly. Sorry, but this invades my privacy. And what is the point of the fireworks? Luckily I have only seen these on the local Facebook page but I have heard the general racket.

I am happy for people to continue to clap but I do not think one should feel pressured into doing so. I just hold the NHS workers in my thoughts. I do not pray, I merely appreciate what we have in this country.

Bah, humbug.