2001 September 7th At Home

Here are the things I have done recently.

Nice gig at Stratford-upon-Avon at the RSC Summerhouse which is like a semi-permanent marquee. Really fun. Also with my wonderful band – Kate and Chris. They are very clever and can play much faster than me. Also know all the notes. Plus can sing. Gig was fab and we were given a dressing room amongst all the actory-type people which we stared very hard at to see if we could recognise any of them but we couldn’t. They also stared at us and I expect they realised how famous we were and didn’t want to embarrass us by saying anything. If you live near there you must go and see The Summerhouse cos they have nice things on like
Tom Robinson, The annA rydeR banD and Susannah York. It is very exciting.

Made a lovely pond in my garden this summer which is a great achievement. It has 4 fishs and 2 lilies and 6 water-boatmen although they have been doing sex all summer and probly there will be more by the time I count them again. Also 3 big frogs and 4 little froglets and 1 toad. I must say I am quite pleased with my pond. My sister copied me and did make a pond in her garden which of course was bigger than mine and deeper. But when they went on holiday some nasty horrid teenager-boys came and camped in her garden without asking and did stab the pond using a barbecue fork (probly trying to catch something to eat) which drained some water out of the pond. Fortunately the fish survived by huddling together on the bottom.

Played a lovely gig with Julianne Regan at The Mill in Banbury. See Regan-Ryder Gig Also see Julianne and annA’s method of practice.

Played at Cropredy again but this time playing accordion with the Fairports on a song called The Crowd In Your Eyes (see lyrics section) I wrote for Simon Nicol specially to sing. Also Chris and Kate played and Chas (from Pockets recording). Also I recorded this song for Fairport’s new album out in Feb 2002.

Made some nice music and other stuff with some people from Fox Hollies Queensbridge School in Birmingham.

Have found some different sorts of chocolate which I didn’t know existed. (Woolworths Orange Lindt) Mm! Mmm!

Have been on the radio called The Bear Radio Stratford local radio – Fm 102. At 7.30am in the morning to sing live and talk to Howard Benton who is a famous DJ and very nice. I have never done a radio interview where the interviewer actually turns up for the gig!!! Thankyou Howard.

Finally got a windy-up pencil sharpener which I’ve always wanted and was a bit disappointed as was not like the heavy duty clamped onto table type ones we had at school and certainly does not work as well but is still quite good. I have now sharpened all the pencils in the house and people have to watch out round here in case they have a blunt pencil as I will quite likely snatch it off them to sharpen. Crayons too.

Must go now cos as usual am in hurry as have to go out to Derek’s house to take him all the stuff which needs to be put on the website.