Went up to London to visit the Queen...

...or at least we are on our way there. After an overnight stay at the Windsor Travelodge (aka Traveldodge or Alcatraz) we are now on our way to London for a two night stay. We have just finished dinner at the Rose and Crown in Ivinghoe after our concert at St Mary the Virgin Church. I had quietly wondered to myself whether anyone would come. After all, it is a little village. The pubs don't even open until 5pm. No shop, no corner store...

Well, it was pretty much a full house, with a church-full turning up for a 3:00pm concert featuring Cathedral Classics such as Bruckner's Locus Iste, Stanford's Beati Quorum and a whole lot more. I will post the "menu" later. The audience was enthusiastic, and I hope we raised a goodly sum for Amnesty International.

Tonight's beer was called "Proper Job". I like it. Even though occasionally I wonder if I should get one.

I promise, Dear Reader, that once I get checked in to our London Hotel I will post some more photos. I have many. But it is hard to sort them on the coach.

Cxxx

Comments

The Big One, St Paul’s

Dear Reader Today was the Big Event of tour. St Paul’s Cathedral, London. If you are observant, you will notice my absence from the photo above, along with several of my colleagues. Sadly, this happened. After nearly four years and six vaccinations I finally succumbed to the dreaded Covid. At the worst possible time. My multiple vax status has meant I only feel a bit rotten, like a cold, but I do feel sad to have missed the day. And to miss Windsor tomorrow. I was grateful for the considered medical advice provided by Dr Ritesh, father of one of the trebles, who also updated my supply of paracetamol and ibuprofen. So I am relying on others for the report about this special day. The good bits started with four of the young Lay Clerks heading to St Paul’s for singing lessons with my friend Patrick Craig, who is an Alto Lay Vicar at St Paul. In have yet to hear from Nicholas, Marco, Charlie or James, but Patrick was very complimentary about their singing. This is w...

Worcester - that’s a wrap

Dear Reader Well, that’s a wrap. After a free morning to shop, skate, scoff scones or the like, we boarded the coach to Worcester. Annabel Crompton continued the proud tradition set by her late father, the beloved Prof David Thomas, and shared history and interesting information about the Cathedral, always including the South Australian connections. We had a very warm welcome from the Interim Dean, Canon Stephen, and Anita the Virger. On the musical menu was Hunt Versicles and Responses, Howells in G Canticles and Be Present O Merciful God by Australian composer, Owen Elsley. I thought the Anthem went particularly well. We sang two psalms, 131 to a Willcocks chant and 132 to a chant by a random (will update later). Turns out the second chant was by Richard Massey. David played a beautiful postlude, Rhapsody by Daniel Cook (b1979). When we arrived in Worcester it lived up to the reputation England has for wet and rather miserable weather, so we headed straight into the build...

Trees

Dear Reader There is something beautiful about trees in the snow. My initial feeling was that every photograph looked the same. Tall, straight trees with snow on them. Was there any point in taking more than one? But when I took the time to look more closely I noticed the differences. The beautiful and important differences. Most of them are straight and tall, but some are not. Some are bent, some are incomplete, as they have been cut down or damaged by the weather in some way. Yet they remain as a reminder of what has been. I wish I had thought to take more photographs of these. Some are evergreen, which means their strong, ever present branches and leaves bear a heavy weight of snow. I think they are probably pine trees, and they remain constant throughout the year. Some are deciduous, so their branches hold a lighter weight of snow and their twigs are more apparent. They change with the seasons, but return again each year. And...

Christine's Blog

Search This Blog