In the bleak...

by Colin MY COMPUTER TUTOR

I find it surprising that so many people are saying "Oooh isn't this weather awful..."

It's Britain, it's December, it's the winter solstice...what do you expect?

Next time I hear someone complain about the snow I'm going to ask them to think about all the Christmas cards they've sent and tell me how many have featured snow. And whether they've sprayed that imitation snow on their windows.

And just listen to yourself humming "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas"!

We're just not used to it over here in England - we don't get enough of it regularly enough to make it economically worthwhile to have all the kit that Canada or Norway roll out to deal with it and keep their national scenes operating. In fact, we English are a little embarrassed about winning in general, whether it's taking on Malta at football or the Aussies at cricket or a few inches of snow at Gatwick.

So far, I've kept my show on the road and have bookings up to Thursday 23rd. And to be fair to other parts of the country, Hereford City seems to have had it very easy with the snow, although the temperature has been down to -10°C even in the day.

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I managed to get a month out of sync with my charity donations - but I'm determined to make sure that my December charity gets done before the turn of the year. I always hope that something will suggest itself - and sure enough it has! Last week I started a gentleman who is my oldest client to date - 88 - and he's one of the people insisting on a lesson on this Thursday. He's told me something of his life and background. He was orphaned at an early age and was brought up in a Dr. Barnardo's home. During the war he was a "Bevin Boy", sent down the mines to dig coal for victory.

So there we are! My charity for December is Barnardo's, as it's called nowadays. Seems very apt for Christmas...children, gifts etc.

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Busy week for singing, of course. Two carol services Wednesday and Thursday, then Christmas Eve, then three services on The Day. Christmas lunch??? Are you kidding?

"Snow had fallen snow on snow,
Sno-ow o-on Sno---w...."

(Get the picture?)

Colin

November's Charity

by Colin MY COMPUTER TUTOR

I was rushing to the bank at 4.55pm - it shuts at 5 - when one of those lively young people bounced up to me in the centre of Hereford. "Sorry", I said, "Can't stop but I will come back after I've been to the bank..."

And so I did, much to her surprise, I think! I went straight into my spiel about how I run a one-man business and I do one charity each month and hers was going to be the lucky one for November. This saves them having to go through all that rigmarole of explaining their particular charity and then trying to persuade me to sign a direct debit.

She'd been enthusing all day about Guide Dogs and I hope she believed me when I said I would contribute. So Faybie, here I am as promised.

I don't know why I hadn't thought of it earlier, because Hereford has a higher proportion of blind and partially-sighted people than most towns and cities. For the last 30 years Hereford has been the home of the Royal National College (for the Blind)

Colin

So that was November!

by Colin MY COMPUTER TUTOR

I really do intend to write this blog at least once a week, but it's been such a busy month. And I feel well into my third business year now. The last posting promised you more stats 'n' stuff but I'm just going to display the monthly takings for you to inspect...and you can draw your own conclusions...inferences...speculations etc.

Things are on the up! This really is a business which is helping me survive. In fact it is now the major source of my income and teaching clients occupies all my daylight hours 5 days a week.

Well, perhaps not all those hours are actually face-to-face, but including the travelling in between I reckon it's a full-time job. Then there are the hours I spend most nights preparing material or researching things. And what with the 'twilight' singing job at the Cathedral, it all adds up to a busy week.

Once again I'm late in doing my charity for the month - I still need to do November's and I'll announce that tomorrow. That will ensure there's another posting this week!

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Had a day out in London last Tuesday with the Cathedral Choir. We were invited to sing Advent carols at the Royal Military Chapel, better known as "The Guards' Chapel". Haven't been to London for ages, even though I'm sort of 'from' there. Great privilege to sing at the chapel and we were very well fed in the Grenadier Guard Officers' Mess. Not many people get in there for supper!

Colin