One month to go

Four weeks three days and I will at this time be at Heathrow Terminal 5.  Assuming I can manhandle my case, carry-on and harp across three train changes and the London Underground. Today I ordered some mosquito repellant and some shorts. Not very short shorts, long shorts. But I looked at the weather predictions for Newport PA for June/July and saw temps of 85 F as standard. I would normally go a long way to avoid those kind of temperatures. Oh well. Need to get some dollars. Keep practicing, check the weight of my case, and try to train wife and son on how to use ask yep and pick up emails on a computer that I haven't got yet and don't know how o use myself. Meanwhile, back to reading the instruction manual on my new car!

Problems and solutions

Five weeks to go. I have been playing bare fingered with quite long fingernails, and my practice today was one of the best I had done. But I am pretty sure that I cannot keep them that length without breaking them for the next six weeks. So I have trimmed them right down and hope they grow enough in the time I have left. Is this a risk! I hope not. Meantime I may have to practice with picks again. The length of my pieces is bothering me as well. I timed them today at 2min 45sec (probably OK?) and 2min 20sec (probably too short?). So I may have to revisit the arrangement of the second piece at least. Also not happy yet with the dynamics and the emotion, need to concentrate on that aspect as nobody is going to be impressed with my speed! Meanwhile, Gargrave is fast approaching, and I have to focus on that. My workshop is sorted, but I have spent some time on each piece looking for the hard bits that I will need to concentrate on, looking at fingerings and teaching points. I also need stuff for the slow jam - with a computer that believes it is Jan 2001, printing anything is impossible at present. And I need at least two pieces for the concert there, probably three.

Computer problems, car problems, bank problems, family problems - life is what happens when you are busy making other plans. Had a delightful time with grandson Dylan at the start of the week though. I will miss him in America - hope Skype works!

Just sometimes....

...things go right. Didn't Paul Simon write a song about that? I have just had one of those practices where I was at one with my GD, and everything I played was spot on, there seemed to be no dead strings on the harp and I was caressing the music out of it. Yesterday I had to beat it out! I am sooo surprised at how well I am getting on with bare fingered playing. I cannot judge how loud I am though, is the only problem, and I have to really work on dynamic contrast. This is a real problem with bare fingers I find - you can play quietly, but not as loudly as you can with picks on, so the dynamic range is compressed. Perhaps I need to record something and have a listen.

A lot happening

Funeral next Tuesday, still a lot to get organised, especially where to park all the cars. Also will be putting up daughter, partner, Dylan and two dogs for two nights. Which means cleaning the house, planning meals, putting up beds, cots and child proofing the house. Meanwhile, my own Mum, who died last August, left me some money, which is why I am going to MLAG and getting a new harp in the first place, and it has only taken 7 months to sort out the estate. So I got a very large cheque last week, and have gone and bought a new car and a new iMac. So more to sort out - insurance, pick up, transfer files, learn how to use new computer. And in three weeks I have a big weekend at Gargrave with sing alongs, slow jam, workshops, concert and church service to organise. And I am trying to produce the art work and covers for the UKA CD. When I am in-between computers.

Still finding some time to practice though. Tonight I thought I would try some serious singing. OK. I am still struggling though. I feel a lump in my throat, I have a vibrato that was never there before and my breath control is pretty useless. My range seems not quite there but not far off. Power is not great either. Tone sounds good, though, and I may need to sing in lower keys than before. My best song tonight was "He'll have to go" sung in real Jim Reeves style, with a bottom F. Anything over a top D, I struggled with. I also struggled badly with the harps. My FC in particular is now producing wolf harmonics around the C lock felts. Funny, two days ago, I played some pieces better than I have ever done. Tonight I could only get a decent sound by strumming.

Gills latest contribution to my trip. "You can't go away for three weeks - you haven't got 21 pairs of underpants!".

F or G? That is the question!

Tried my pieces on my two harps today, F/C and G/D. Problem. One sounds best in F, the other in G, and you are only allowed to take one harp on stage at the contest. Still going with bare fingers though. I think the first piece sounds so much better in F - I first learned it in F - that this is a very good argument for doing them both in F. But then I am picking up a new Cascade single key E at MLAG, so I might end up doing everything in that. I have spent some time working on the pieces or Gargrave as well though, which are very different, and at least give my wife and son a break from hearing the same two tunes over and over again. Still so many decisions to make, so much to do - and a funeral to get through first.

Preparations

All sorts of other stuff that I have to do. I am planning on taking part in the contest, so every day I am working on two pieces - wont tell you which! One thing that has surprised me enormously is that I think I will be playing them bare fingered. I get a much cleaner sound with no pick noise and of course no picks to fly off. Fortunately my nails are quite strong, but every now and again I play with picks just in case I have no nails when it comes to the contest! I do have another two tunes, but am sure I won't be needing those, so just check them now and again. I have read Lucilles Contest hints several times - and still have no idea how long the pieces are supposed to be! I am sure mine are too short! Been looking at the MLAG site as well, trying to decide which workshops to attend. The only one that is a must so far is Cathys Harmony class. I also have to prepare my class for Gargrave on Dance tunes, plan the songs I want to record with Neal and Coleen, do the art work for my CD and the UKAA CD  - and attend my mother-in-laws funeral next week. Busy times.

Buying bits

It is amazing the amount of stuff I need to buy. The suitcase was a huge - in all senses - purchase. But then I need luggage labels, and some stickers to personalise it. I need a USB memory stick - and apparently a carabiner to attach it to my belt. I need shower shoes - having survived 62 years without them! I need an adaptor for my iPad charger - then I see an item on daytime TV about fake ones that are unsafe. I need flight socks. I need a London Tube map. I now have all the above. But as always, it is what you don't know that you need that will trip you up.