Another Frelling Day
Emergency Handbell Practise tonight was a disaster. The woman whose nephew is getting married and who wants handbells for some reason* rings a little herself and is going to make a fourth when she’s not being a part of the wedding. She came to our standard Thursday evening practise tonight** and we just all took turns going wrong, even Niall.† Daniel, who is our last-minute replacement third, is a steadier handbell ringer than Colin–I’ve told you before that while they’re both very experienced tower bell, which is to say one bell at a time ringers, Daniel’s been ringing handbells a long time too and Colin only started about six months ago. But while Daniel is being a hero and coming on Saturday, he has no practise time between now and then and Niall and I have only handbelled with him once, briefly–and just by the way that was a bit of a disaster too–and handbell ringing is not wholly dissimilar to ensemble playing in that you do have to kind of learn each other’s style and fit in. And Colin, who won’t be there, was being really helpful tonight and saying things like, you know people will just walk through you and some of them will stand and stare, and make remarks, and some of them will take pictures*** because after all you’re part of the entertainment.
Oh gods.
Don’t push me too hard, I said, or I just won’t come.
Poor Maisie blanched. You wouldn’t do that to me! she said.
Well, no, actually, I wouldn’t, I said. But you may wish I had.
I think what we need is puppies.
* * *
* It turns out he’s a musician. It just gets worse and worse.
** Which we hadn’t been scheduled to have this week.
*** Have I mentioned recently how much I hate having my picture taken? I also tend to make horrible faces while I’m ringing. I’m aware of this but it’s never mattered before.
† I don’t know what anyone else’s excuse is, but I’ve had a long day. Computer Man did manage to convince the RaspBerry to begin speaking to me again but my Outlook problems are intensifying. And Peter took the bus in to town and FedExed the frelling film contracts but the additional charge for sending them back to arrive the day before they got here in the first place was too high, and Hollywood is going to have to settle for Monday. –This while I was still at the cottage with a Computer Man. I am working on Peter’s medal. I feel it should be large and sparkly and possibly have a button in the middle which when pressed plays the last few minutes of the 1812 overture or perhaps Wellington’s Victory.
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