The heat is on

The signs went up in my building yesterday to say that the communal heating system would be switched on at 8pm today, it being October 1^st. I don’t think this involves any kind of ceremony, by which perhaps resident Arthur Smith cuts a ribbon or pushes a big fake button. But it's an indication that winter is coming*.

Although it hasn't felt like that over the last couple of days. Coming back from a rehearsal late last night across London it was still warm as it approached midnight.

Coming up for me on Saturday is Voxcetera's autumn concert – please drop in if you happen to be in Muswell Hill at lunchtime – it’s a free one and has a wide variety of music so there is as they say something for everyone. And then next week I am going to see the legendary James Taylor at the Albert Hall. I have never seen him live, but am expecting the smooth rich voice and a tour through his high-quality back catalogue. If it turns out he is debuting his new thrash jazz album (a la Spinal Tap’s change of direction) I will be most disappointed!

And to complete the musical tour, I have my first rehearsal for Christmas things the week after. On the 12^th of October. I know this feels really early, but at least we have the excuse that we do need to rehearse stuff. It’s not like the shops merrily stacking up the baubles and Christmas chocolate for the next three months. Rest assured, I won’t be loading up my IPod Christmas playlists for a good couple of months.

I need to start thinking about Christmas I guess. It’s a time of the year that I love – concerts, presents, a decent rest and general peace and goodwill etc. Going to be a little different though this year given my change in domestic circumstances, and so I need to figure out what’s the best way of doing things. The kids are now firmly latched into the teen/young adult Christmas concept of excess and materialism, so magical present unwrapping hasn't been a thing for a while, but it’s these set piece things that are bound to feel a little odd.

And that’s pretty much the diary for the next week or so. I was planning to write something about the UK political party conferences, but even the headlines have been such a turn-off that I have completely failed to engage with them this year. And that goes for all of them. Nobody is really saying anything different. Rises in the minimum wage so that within five years people will be a little less close to starving, changes to complex pension regimes that I have no desire of trying to understand, and whatever it was the Lib Dems offered (was it to do with poodles or did I dream that?). It’s not exciting stuff is it? 

I love the fact that the Scots seem to have got real political excitement and engagement out of their referendum – but wonder that it will take for us to feel the same. 

*yes, this is a sneaky meta-data reference to try and get Game of Thrones traffic to my blog – sorry.