The last few weeks

The last few weeks have been very busy indeed but the end is in sight – a week from now I will be on holiday and a week and 3 days from now Chell, myself, Matt W and Christina will be in Italy! Horray! It will be molto buono!

The past few weeks have been really tiring – especially with fitting in work for the SA in between the E= gigs. The busy thing has also meant of course that I’ve been lapse on keeping my blog up to date – for which I apologise. However, I have compiled a collection of short anecdotes and updates from the previous few weeks to fill in all the blanks in my life (if only!)

GRAPE UPDATE – the grapes are still growing but I must admit I haven’t been caring for them as perhaps I should have been. However I’m sure they will still do just fine without me!

BACK UPDATE – (see post a few down) My back is still hurting a bit. I guess part of that is because I haven’t really given it a chance to heal very well since damaging it (we keep playing all these gigs and lifting heavy equipment around – not a good plan for a bad back).

SUMMER SCHOOLS – we’ve now finished our rounds of the summer schools. We visited four in total, the last one being last night down in the Vinehall School nr Battle with the Central South division. Though what they were doing in East Sussex remains a mystery!?! The summer season has been really amazing this year. We’ve met so many people and really been blown away by the stuff we’ve experienced and the places we’ve been privileged to visit. Here’s to the next season of E= - which starts when we get back from our holidays in mid September. But there’s three more gigs to do between now and then…

FIANCE UPDATE – Chell is still my fiancé. J

That’s about it really – obviously that last point is the most important one!

Hope to do some proper updating on the blog again really soon…inconsistency frustrates me just as much as the next man or woman!

Public Information Statement

Many weeks back I was phoned at DHQ by a gentleman who was incharge of booking guests for Territorial Music School - they wanted to book me to come during the week and lead a bit of worship. Remember at this point that I was in the presence of witnesses during this phonecall (i.e. Matt White and others in the office). Here is a paraphrase of the conversation:

TMS rep: "Hi Matt, can you come and visit us on this day...[gives date]
Me: "Oh, wait a sec, I'll just check my diary [checks diary]...oh dear, sorry. I would have loved to have come along but I am actually in France that week so no can do.
TMS rep: "Oh that is a shame. Sorry to hear that. Nevermind, maybe next year?"
Matt: "Sure"
TMS rep: "Ok. Goodbye and God bless"
Matt: "Bye"

So, that was that. All done and dusted... no tentative "maybe", no "oh I'll pencil it in and get back to you", just a straight forward "sorry, no can do"...

So imagine my overwhelming surprise when I start hearing reports from people who attended TMS this year saying that my name was in the program and that people were really disappointed when I didn't turn up? In fact, I also get the impression that no attempt was made to cover my back at all...even though I had said no in the first place and the ERROR WAS NOT MINE!

So, in closing, if you speak to anyone who went to TMS and they bemoan my inefficient diarising please make my side of the story (i.e. the true side) known.

Busy days

This week is crazy - feeling a bit run down actually. We've been playing at Newday Festival with Paul Oakley a few times over the past 6 days. So I've been up and down the M1 (normally in the rain!) - here is my plan from the last few days.

• Drove up last Wed night played on Thurs morning
• Drove back Thurs afternoon.
• Fri rode around all day with Matt W picking up stuff for the LNE summer school. Stayed at home Fri night.
• Went to Summer School Sat morning stayed til the quiz in the evening then left for Uttoxeter again at 9:45.
• Yesterday led worship in the morning with Paul, Electralyte gigged in the afternoon, led worship again with Paul in the evening and drove home. Got to bed at 1:30...

Now I'm at home but leaving for Summer School again shortly... and we're at Rocknations in Bradford on Saturday...I'm gonna miss the final day :(

If you get a chance please spare a prayer for myself and the other Electralyte boys as we galivant around.