Better

Just when I was starting to think something was horribly wrong, and that I should email Ian Kinnear and ask him what I should do to fix my Monkey, suddenly it all comes right again. Playing without drones again, but comfortably, happily, in a relaxed way, with no overblowing, no squeaks, no squawks. I started a little badly - I thought I'd see what I could remember of Alick (not much, being the answer), and then ran into Battle and got cross, and the fan suggested that rather than race into the tunes I most want to play now now now, I potter about with a few slow tunes that I know first, and actually, that worked.

I've been playing a lot with dots this month, wanting to really drum those tunes into my head. Today I did without and I managed Tree, Galloway, Town, Castle, Rocks, Teribus, Highlanders, Battle (although I'm always forgetting where I am, it feels like such an never ending loop), and the King. Half the problem is remembering what tunes I know.

Played for around 40 minutes in two sections. Monkey in A. Maybe now I know my problems are a blip only I will go back to the D for a while. And I should let poor Morag out of her case.

Hope to find plenty of playing time this week as the fan is away on his annual trip. There will be some watering to do at the allotment, some harvesting, but the Christmas mittens are about done, and there is no tennis, now that Queen's has ended in such a satisfactory way.

I've ordered a new CD, which I'll write about when it arrives. Some good tunes, also, on the fan's latest purchase - tempted to try Battle of the Somme, as I have that in one of my books.