Guess Who's Back?

... back again.

You’ll have noted the three week gap, which has pretty much coincided with me being on holiday. I took the decision that, given my working life involves a lot of time looking at a computer screen, my holiday shouldn't. So I haven’t. Just checked the email each day, largely to control the inflow of stuff.

So, what to tell you?

I've had a wonderful break. I’ve caught up with a few friends, and also visited my parents. I've caught up with the kids – always it seems in ones and twos, but they are so busy doing their own stuff. And in my brief offspring-related detour, I was delighted by middle son’s frankly stellar GCSE results – he has learned a great lesson that hard work brings results. I learned that lesson at age 40.

Health? Well. I set myself what with my work head on I would call a stretch goal – if everything went well then one day I might get there. And I am now only 2.5Kg* off it. That means I have since Easter now lost 30 pounds^. Over the holiday, with the exception of two days at my parents, I have walked at least four miles every day (except today because of the rain) and gone to the gym every day except one. And I have eaten healthily. I am absolutely ecstatic with my achievement – my stretch goal looks possible for September.

Which meant I had to buy some new clothes. Not my favourite experience, but feels good to have reduced the size that much. Of course (up pops the negative part of Brain) it’s the keeping it off that is difficult. To which I say frankly “bollocks”, let’s see in six months’ time.

Music? I am loving my Ukulele playing with Balham Ukulele Society. It’s fun, and low pressure, but still something to work at. More seriously, I sang at the Proms on Monday 18^th – the Rachmaninov Choral Symphony – “The Bells”. Wow. What a choir, what an orchestra, what a conductor, what a reception. It was on Radio 3 and is still on IPlayer. The music may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it was such an experience. Hard work. Really hard work, but certainly worth it.

So, that’s the catch-up download. Not a mention of Kate Bush (23 days and counting and the tickets have arrived) or Peter Capaldi’s Doctor Who (though I want a coat like that). And no mention of the stuff I have read over the break – I’ll give you all that lot over the coming weeks.

It’s great to have been away, but it’s just as lovely to come back.

* I’ve decided to go metric

^ It didn’t last – I can only think in imperial measures

Here's a tune for Anthony

I'm back. And with an unusually cryptic title. Did you miss me? Be honest. Oh, well, never mind.

But the blogging hiatus is officially over. And there is so much I want to talk to you about. Since the last blog I've been to some great gigs, from Chas n Dave to the Crouch End Festival Chorus. Plus I saw Rob Newman (Newman & Baddiel) last weekend - wonderful gig.

I've sung at the Albert Hall. I'm preparing to sing in a Prom (not plugging tickets because it's sold out, but Radio 3 Monday 18th August if you are interested). Oh, and I did a karaoke last week.

The "not eating meat" thing is turning out to be quite easy, with the exception of lunches - dear God, I never want to see a cheese sandwich again. Other stuff can take longer, though actually just requires a bit more consideration in advance. I feel hugely better for it. And I am persevering with going to the gym. Probably as a result of those two things, I've lost a bit of weight, which makes me feel better, and makes the gym easier - so a virtuous cycle is ensuing.

And as I write this, Michael Gove is off to be chief whip, which makes me feel wonderful. And someone I used to sit next to in lectures at university has joined the government, which makes me feel old.

I may delve a bit more into any and all of those  in the coming weeks, because normal service will now be resumed.

But, all this is that nervous chatter you have at the start of an appraisal or something isn't it? I'm skirting round the substantive and letting you gorge yourselves on small talk. So?

So, I've had a bit of a change in my home circumstances, necessitating a change of address etc. Unlike famous people, I'm not going to write volumes about it, or invent new phrases to explain things. Because that's, frankly, wrong. My blog has stuff in it about me*, which no-one else can legitimately take offence at, and about public figures, who are fair targets for what they get. I don't talk about real people.

So, I am fine. I have had the support of, help from, some very good friends over the last six weeks, and am now readjusting to some different, and somewhat straitened circumstances. I am still very definitely in Balham. I don't think that there was every an alternative. In fact, I live here. And it is very nice.

That's it. No biggie. Nobody died. It's just that in all this, there wasn't time, Dear Reader, for you. Don't worry, I'll make it up to you...


* and the 'me' of my blog is, you realise, only a view of me. Everything you get is true, but you don't get everything.