I will get to Paris....

....I will.. Talking With Strangers is being released in France and I have been trying to get to Paris to do some early promotion for it, but every time it is all arranged, disastrous events beyond anyone's control cause it to be postponed.. My bag and that of Whizzy have been packed and unpacked and now they sit in the limbo status of semi-unpackedness just waiting.. like me...

It has been a very strange year so far.. The time has ticked away and the year is nearly half over. I don't feel as though I have accomplished much this year, although in fact the work for the Jude/Lee/Markus album that was begun at the end of last year is in the process of being transformed and translated into what I am certain will be something wonderful. But that all happens away from me so, apart from updates and snippets, it's all a bit disconnected and distant.. But the joy of hearing what has been created is lovely and worth the waiting..


Did I tell you that I sang 'If I Had a Ribbon Bow' in public for the first time for years at the Oxford Folk Festival with Roots Union?
Well here it is..:-)
It was fun to do in amongst my Festival duties as Artist Liaison.. There are very weird accoustics in the Town Hall and if you wonder why I am laughing as I sing, well there is a little orange bouncing blob on the left hand side of the stage and that is my dancing granddaughter in the arms of her mother. And yes I do do the sigh...

I sang it once more at the Oxjam gig at the Guildhall in Axminster, Devon and that was fine too, but twice is enough for returning to old songs I think..:-)

What else have I done since March? Oh yes I was invited by Ambassador Margus Laidre to the Estonian embassy for a reception where the English translation of one of  Dr Laidre's books was being launched and Tim Bowness was playing a short set.. It was lovely to meet Margus at last and it was weird to think that by stepping over the threshold of the Embassy, I had spent a couple of hours in Estonia.. Now that is the kind of travelling that really appeals to me.. just step through a door...:-)

I have been trying to buy new specs for the last few months, but as I can't see anything without my glasses and those photo things they have in opticians produce absolutely ghastly photos...I have been putting it off.. But yesterday I did buy some new ones. I think they are lilac  and I think they will look ok, but actually I haven't got the foggiest idea what they will really look like till they appear. Oh well. I could dye my hair lilac to match. Or maybe deep violet as a contrast.. I hate shopping for anything...

And on that cheerful note I shall stop. It's time for coffee and an invisible biscuit....