Bits and Pieces

On a slightly lighter note than we have been enjoying here recently, I have been enjoying the seasonal sunshine rather a lot.   I have been able to work in shorts and vext quite a lot over the last few days, ~ and while I draw the line at a bikini, (after all I don't want to frighten the natives) I have been wearing very little apart from shorts and a vest.

In the bad old days when I skrivened in an office  I would have blanched at the very thought of exposing myself to the sun, Now I find I enjoy few things as much as the sun on my skin indeed the only problem I now find is that I have a tan line on my feet!

Not only have I been enjoying the sun, I have also been enjoying the work, amongst the other seasonal jobs now is the time when I am planting up containers and putting out bedding jobs I always enjoy ~ and people pay me to do this!

I have been having some fun as well as working, and I have been following up on one of my resolutions for the year and on Friday evening I went to concert I wasn't playing in!   As a member of the WOW Orchestra I got offered a free ticket to see the Philadelphia Orchestra at the Festival Hall.  

On the whole I would agree with the Telegraph's review but I enjoyed Nico Muhly's Mixed Messages a lot more than them.   Although it felt a little inconclusive it is a piece I expect to be hearing again I am usually a little sceptical about contemporary orchestral music and tend to be predisposed not to enjoy it, but here was an exception.

It has to be said that as well as some spectacular playing the enthusiasm and dynamic effort put in by Yannick Nezet-Seguin was impressive, if all conductors put in as much effort then none of them would be overweight.  

I was also extremely disappointed by how many people got up and started to leave during the applause, their rudeness was rewarded by missing an encore!

Another special treat for me this week was my first every manicure ~ this is a self indulgence I would not normally allow myself but since it was effectively free I thought this time I would enjoy a new experience and have my nails done properly.   I am very happy with the result although I now find that four days later there is a chip on one of my thumbnails, given that I was assured that they would last two to three weeks even with my lifestyle I am a little disappointed with that one small aspect.