Making music again

It was gone nine when we woke up. After walking home under a starry sky last night,  an overcast day. We didn't get around to heating up the marmalade mixture last night, so this got started while I was laying out the breakfast table. Rachel came down to join us an hour later. She and Clare made a start on chopping up and de-pipping the second batch of oranges while we chatted. The first batch of marmalade went into five jars. The second batch, although ready, didn't get started today. I cooked lunch and Rachel concocted a special sauce to go with fish prawns and brown rice. 

Clare had an appointment at the University Optometrists to collect a new pair of spec's, and Rachel went with her. I went out separately and walked in the park. It was colder than I thought and I wasn't dressed warmly enough, and started to get chilled, so I returned home had a warm drink, changed my top coat, and went out again for a circuit of Thompsons Park, at dusk. I returned home when it got dark, short of my daily step quota, running out of energy. Being out late last night walking to and from the bus station was invigorating, but I didn't get enough sleep to recover fully, and that's probably why.

Rachel gave me a really stimulating foot massage. Right foot before supper, left food after. I wouldn't trust anyone but Rachel to work so hard on my feet. I suspect other practitioners would be nervous about going so deep, but she's really good.

After this, Clare got her flute out and Rachel got out Grandpa's 'cello and played it for the first time since it came back from being renovated, just before Christmas. It sounds beautiful in her hands. She and Clare played simple tunes together, with Rachel improvising an accompaniment. This inspired me to get out my guitar and improvise with her. It's such a long time since I last played it. Too often in recent years, my rheumatic finger joints have discouraged me from playing, plus I've had nobody to play with as Clare had been learning the flute slowly from scratch, not ready to be accompanied. Anyway, I joined in and played, without being defeated by pain, and my fingers and brain for the most part remembered what they needed to do. Like riding a bike, you never forget, even if you are a bit wobbly at first. Such a lovely hour spent together. And so to bed.