Skip to main content

Fifty-five Days and Counting

Dear Reader
I've chosen Miss Alice's moves at St Paul's from last tour to represent how it feels right now. We are now in the home straight. The home straight to departure, that is. 55 days. Fifty-five days in words. LV days in Roman numerals. We are a long way from the home straight of tour itself. I am grateful for so many things at present. For Annabel and Geoff, who are organising the hard bits. That is, the accommodation, coach, transfers, airlines and all such really important things. I am a details person, but they are dealing with the stuff that matters. Thanks you two. I am so grateful for you. For Leonie, who will decide what we will sing. Please can we have some nice Alto bits? Just a hint, our favourite note is NOT D. For Alana and Andrew, who are working with the Cathedrals we will visit, and making sure that we will arrive and know what to do. For Coby, the Director of Fun. I can already see some really exciting extra-curricular activities. Bags not walking up the 702 stairs of the Eiffel Tower. I will make virtue out of inclination, and take the kids up in the lift (note to little and not so little kids, please request to go in the lift!) For Penny, the McPharlins, Terri, James, Alison, Colin and any others on the committee that I may have forgotten, for making sure that I only have to think about getting robes and music and myself there, confident in the knowledge that I will be well fed, well dressed, well travelled and well informed. For Keith Stephens, our Music Foundation Chair and his lovely wife Sarah, who are spending their holidays following us on our tour. You are both brave and loyal. For the families who are entrusting their beloved young ones to us, especially the families of Brianna, Kate, Imogen, Peter, Jola, John, David and Josh. We will take care of them. If you want to know what they are up to, please check this blog. I will make sure that these kids'activities are well documented in this blog, so you can be a part of this life-changing experience along with them. For my friends who will travel with me, and for the parents and families who will be travelling us. Please note - I respond to both bribes and wine. For my family and friends, who love me unconditionally, all the time, even when I am difficult. For Rev'd Jenny (and her consort Nick). We value your physical and spiritual presence with us. For the Cathedral Community and the Cathedral staff, and the Music Foundation, who are supporting us financially and in prayer. We need both. So, whether it is 55, fifty-five or LV days to go, IT'S NOT LONG NOW! Pray for us, send us messages of love or just think of us. Know that we value all of the above. Cxxx

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Abbey on a Sunday

Dear Reader Today we sang at Westminster Abbey. It was a thrill five years ago, and again a thrill today. Musical Menu up front: The day belonged to Jonathan Dove, musically speaking.  For the Eucharist we sang the Dove Missa Brevis sans Kyrie, the psalm appointed, three hymns and for the motet, the beautiful Gjielo Ubi Caritas . We were well received.  We fronted up again after a short sandwich lunch with Evensong. Stanford in G canticles, with Luca Shin and Andrew Chatterton as soloists, the psalm appointed, which was really quite long, and for the anthem, Dove’s The Three Kings , with Maxwell, Archie, Crystal and Henry doing the honours. And Hunt responses.  Dear Reader, Anthony Hunt wrote these responses in 2006 for our first tour, and they hold up well. They also herald the exciting future, when Anthony succeeds our dear Leonie Hempton as Director of Music.  Now, the sandwich lunch was one of those occasions when your tour leaders n...

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...

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...