Well, it’s sort of time for an attempt at getting on with things again.

The band continues but really it is in name only as it has to change quite a bit to make it workable. I have to make serious efforts to get out and about locally as there are one or two local music places where I may be able to make some connections. I need this as much for social reasons anything to do with getting gigs as I have been very reclusive and it’s not having a good effect on my mental health as I have been dwelling on things rather too much. That’s the plan anyway, so we shall see what happens next.

I have a guitar stand which holds the guitar in playing position now. That means I can use it with the loop pedal and then step away whilst still accompanying myself and pick up the violin with ease. That’s opened up the options for gigs a lot as I can read music so I can busk stuff from books which means it is easy to do some requests and not have to worry about others learning the material plus I can do the violin stuff which has always been a major part of the live act. If I can get used to doing stuff totally solo then the world’s my oyster really, it’s just a matter of confidence.

Apart from that, I am having a relatively quiet life. Ralph, Vicky’s partner visits once or twice a week, as we have shared interests in sound recording and photography as well as a long-standing friendship. That’s been helpful for both of us over this last year.
I still find it odd performing without Vicky’s often larger than life presence, but I can see now how hopefully it can work.

Money is very tight at present so that is still restricting things socially, which is why I need to find things to do locally.
It’s now coming up to two years away from London and there is a lot that I do miss, to be honest, but I don’t have any regrets about moving when I did as its made life a lot easier in practical terms. I have still have a lot of stuff in the shed downstairs that needs sorting out, selling or disposing of though.

My birthday comes up in a couple of weeks but I shall not be making too much fuss about it, other than to say I never could imagine being that age 

 I don’t expect to be doing anything special for it. It does have a particular resonance though as I will be the same age as my father was when he died, which is a little disturbing, to be honest.