A new word

unitise, which I read firstly as uni-tise, a fizzy drink perhaps.

Klangfarbenmelodie got metioned later on - no probs- it's the jargon that causes the problems.

This was all on an INSET Course where I was given a certificate with a water mark and a hologram. More fancy in fact than my degree certificate!

As with most courses there was a bolshy delegate ready to go into battle with the Chief Examiner. Nice one. Don't let him know your centre number.

Eyebrows

During the notices today, Fr Tim spoke about the First Holy Communions next Saturday.

I happened to glance into the Congregation and raise an eybrow in the direction of one of the three boys concerned. A bashful smile was returned. One week to go.

Before you all launch into, 'Looking round during Mass tut tut,'
I'd just like to say that where I sit is not my choice, I'm in the Choir.
By choice, I'd choose the back.
Grandma's Rules of Correct Conduct at Mass forbid commenting on other people's antics in Church and I extrapolate this to mean noticing what they are up to in the first place.
Let's face it I need to look at the floor these days.
I might slip or something.

Red Carpets

Up to Town after Mass to a meeting of the Orchestra of which I am on the Committee. A Trustee no less, for we are a charity. What this means in practice is that we meet in a cafe thrash out what we will perform and where, divi up the jobs and depart. The Trustee bit means that should we spiral into debt, we each get a share... This is an arts charity after all.

We often meet at the Southbank, though thankfully rarely actually have a meeting - three times a year for three concerts- now that's a good ratio. Today was speeded up as Tim, Principal Horn, Treasurer and general sorter out of things had his five year old son with him who was very sweet and did cutting and sticking type things whilst we sorted stuff out and then it was time to go. Only so much sticking and cutting to be done and that was fine by me.

There was a coup d'etat on a repertoire choice by the conductor (happily living in Shropshire...) so we won't be doing all five Pomp & Circ Marches by Elgar. Relief. One at a time is bearable, all at once, no way. The orchestration varies too and we always have to be mindful of who we will have to buy in. Two harps at £100 a go, is not on. Much as I like to listen to England's greatest Catholic composer after Byrd, playing him can be frustrating.

The red carpets? The BAFTAs are one at the RFH and various media types were about with boom mics and cameras. Meantime, on the other side of the Thames people were running the Marathon. As I walked through Waterloo Station a Mother and toddler were reunited with heroic Father and a family where the Dad had just run it got off the train with me. Medal and all. Impressive stuff. It's one of the rare days when people talk to each other on trains - see how special it is.

Hopefully, I will actually be playing by the next concert which also coincides with 4 nights of a school production....

James MacMillan - top man 2

This is becoming a habit.

Here's the letter.
I like James MacMillan PhD (Dunelm.)

I recorded The Confession of Isabel Gowdie when it was broadcast at the 1988 Proms on a C60 (remember them?) and it's in the shed along with about 100 other cassettes of recordings from R3. No iTunes in those days.

I trogged up to Westminster Cathedral on Corpus Christi 2000 to hear his Mass being sung for the first time after no doubt playing some of the gems of the vernacular sacred music repertoire in the morning for the school Mass - happy days....

One armed bandit

My new life with a sling is going OK.

Have a new regard for shop bought sliced bread where previously only my bread machine would do. The best thing since... The way you can pick it up with one hand and pop it into a toaster. A marvel...

My Dad kindly did some gardening today and my Mum has ironed my clothes, so I am well looked after.

Hopefully, on Friday I'll get to wear normal clothes and an idea of how to get better properly when I go to the hospital. In the meantime it's early nights and cod liver oil tablets....

On blogging

Fr Tim Blogmeister suggests attending to the following points.

1 a polite explanation of why the Tablet should not be sold in our Cathedrals or parish Churches (with examples and quotations)
2 an account of the work done by Catholic blogs in supporting Pope Benedict (with links)
3 a list of the ways that Catholic blogs have helped ordinary Catholics to grow in their faith (with links or personal testimonies)

1 The Tablet dissents from Catholic teaching. It is wrong and dangerous to sell it in Catholic Churches. That a Catholic publication could attack a Parish Priest and his Parish is unbelievable. What effect must that have had on other Priests in the country attempting to introduce the Extraordinary Form of the Mass? The Tablet was unhappy that Fr Tim sought to defend himself by fisking the article. The real surprise is that they did not predict the on-line reaction.

2 This blog deliberately has lots of pics of the Holy Father, smiling etc to counter the very nasty reporting found elsewhere. Also, blogs helped to publicise that petition started, I believe, in France to support the Holy Father after the lifting of the SSPX excommunications. (no links too time consuming with one finger. ) The internet also gives quick access to all Papal documents and to Vatican Youtube. I want to know what he has actually said not an interpretation of it from someone who wants to attack him. I got the info about how to complain to the PCC about that cartoon in The Times from another blog. The MSM does not tell me what I want to know.

3 Reading blogs has explained to me what has happened in the Church during my life time. It has explained that my reactions to what I saw and heard during 14 years as a pupil and 12 as a teacher in Catholic Schools were not wrong. It has put me in touch with like minded people and given me the opportunity to attend various things. For example, I am going on the Chant Summer School in Solesmes in July with someone who recognised my picture on a blog after the High Mass in Westminster last Summer. My blog does not engage in attacks on people or publications and I ruthlessly self censure so that for the most part I only focus on where positive things are happening. I do not publish comments that are nasty or crazy.

I am just one very ordinary, very mediocre Catholic. There are loads of brilliant people out there doing stuff and blogging gives the opportunity for us to see them. Look at all the pics people have on their blogs of ordinary people. I am very very grateful to Priestly bloggers and am sure that their blogging is not to the detriment of their other duties. Archbishop Fulton Sheen seemed to do a great deal of broadcasting. The Pope wrote Jesus of Nazareth after his election. How can a little blogging be anything but good?

Bara brith - a refresher

For Ches.

Bara = bread
brith = spotty or more poetically speckled.

Adjectives follow nouns in Welsh, hence bara brith.

Comes in little 1lb loaves and would be tea bread in England. Can be more cakey or more bready depending on the recipe.

There is a pic at the top.

Why bara brith? Couldn't think of a name for this blog when I was messing around with blogger and my Dad likes it.