Well, first time in a while I didn’t win a raffle prize at church. I’m disgruntled now!

And so I’m approaching the end of nearly a month’s worth of organ playing across three churches. I’m totally worn out by it. Only a funeral and evensong left to do now. Of course, just because the organist returns from holiday next week doesn’t mean I’m totally off the hook. There’s plenty to do in my regular playing schedule, not least a wedding in a couple of weeks time.

Anyway, that’s not what I’m here to talk about. A couple of weeks ago I finally summoned up the requisite courage and cash to send off my boy Peter to someone for a manuscript appraisal. The author who looked at it for me turned it round in ten days and a couple of days back – right before a very intense two hour Requiem Mass – it arrived in my inbox. I didn’t open it straight away, partly because the funeral required such an amount of concentration, but also because I was a scaredy cat. It’s hard reading criticism about your work, even when you’ve sent it off exactly for that.

I could say lots about what was included in the report, and even a bit about the author who very kindly took it on for me, but I think I will leave that until it’s a bit less raw. I’ve not quite absorbed everything he had to say yet. However, I do know that it’s going to be ok. Whatever else is required of me at least I know I can supply the hard work needed.