Slacker!

I said yesterday to Susan, with a shock, that I couldn't remember when I last posted on the blog.

It was Friday the 28th June - four weeks and a day ago.

Which shows what happens when you start to let things slide.  Habits cease to exist.  Resolutions no longer hold you.

That said, there have been some ... well, if not reasons, at least excuses.

I played that concert.  At that time I had been having new back problems for a couple of weeks.  The day after the concert they took a real turn for the worse.  I was booked in for an Opus Dei retreat the following week-end - Friday to Sunday 5-7 July.  On Thursday the 4th I told Sue I might not go.  I had had a terrible night trying to sleep, and was worried about sleeping in a strange bed on the retreat.

I did go - and slept all right - and am, as always, inexpressibly glad I went.  Nonetheless, my back issues continued.  I went to the doctor on Monday the 8th, to see if somehow it was something to do with internatl organs.  Nope - just my usual back difficulties.

But I didn't blog that week-end.  The following week-end I was still in considerable pain and blogging did not occur to me.  By then it was all gone.

I will resume!  Tomorrow I will write some more of the memoirs.  Today (and tomorrow) I have been practising.  Or orchestra is going to perform - well, I hope we will perform, and not butcher! - the hardest piece I have ever played in: Mahler's 1st Symphony.  It is a breath-taking music.  It is often referred to as The Titan and it deserves the title.  We are doing an extra week-end's rehearsals for it.  Here is a marvellous performance of it on youtube that I have been practising against.  If you listen to no more of it than this, go to about 53:30 and listen to the end.  It is worth it.

I have been alone this week-end.  Sue went down to Wellington on Thursday afternoon.  Tina Coward's 60th birthday party is happening as I write.  Sue will be home tomorrow.