April Month 3

A quarter of the way through the twelve months I set myself for completing 70 everyday things and it’s not going exactly as planned! However, things can be achieved in lockdown.  I’ll report progress for April, but without repeating what I can’t do through no fault of my own.

I’ve been thinking that I’ll have to amend my list.  In addition to lock down, a couple of already booked activities – glamping and the Edinburgh Festival – have been cancelled so I’ll need replacements for both of those.  But what?  I can’t think of anything other than embroidery or knitting that fits the current situation, and although I have nothing against either activity, they’re not acceptable!  I’m waiting to see what the lifted restrictions look like and the likely timescales.  It’s true that I’ve acknowledged my 70^th birthday by producing this list, but the suggestion that us oldies will need to self-distance and isolate for much longer than others won’t make 7070in2020 any easier!

What did April bring, apart from stunning weather?

2. Writing hasn’t worked.  The novel that Marcia and I thought we might write has bitten the dust.  It was probably a bad idea to begin without a plan, plot, agreed characters, setting or genre, and after starting with a flourish it died a sudden death.  I can’t even remember whose turn it is!

3. Writing letters I need to write 12 letters but haven’t managed one this month. People I want to write to are overseas and I’m not yet going to the post office, so I’ve decided that as long as I write 12 letters before next February that’s OK. I’ll manage to do that.

7. Monthly donation I changed my plan for the month and made the donations to the Crickhowell Scrubs Group who are making scrubs, bags, caps and ear protectors for NHS and Key Workers, and the Abergavenny Food Bank.

17. Giving books I’m still giving books but am running out of people to send to now!

32.  Composer of the month was Bach.  I wasn’t a fan until I started playing some.  The music is a joy to play and, through playing I’ve learned to listen, and I like him more.

I’ve read Horatio Clare’s book which he wrote when walking in Bach’s footsteps from Arnstadt to Lübeck to visit Dieterich Buxtehude, the famous organist. It’s a delightful read whether or not you’re interested in Bach. And it has a beautiful cover:

We had tickets for a ‘Bach, The Universe and Everything’ concert by the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.  It was cancelled, but a number of the orchestra members ‘Zoomed’ the concert to YouTube which was a real treat.

A YouTube search came up with ‘A Passionate Life’ – a documentary about Bach by John Eliot Gardner, and 7 episodes of Great Composers from the BBC so although I’m no expert, it’s been good to learn more and I’ve loved listening to the Goldberg Variations, the Brandenberg Concertos, Cello Suite No 1, Air on a G String, and the end of the Art of the Fugue which stops. Just stops.

42. Playing a piano piece from memory Chopin’s Waltz in A minor, the first 8 bars YES (minor hesitation due to performance nerves)

43. A CD recommended by Matt at Diverse Vinyl This month it was Snapshot of a Beginner by Nap Eyes, which I liked enough after several plays. I like how these monthly CDs are so different. Lizzo is still my favourite.

62.  Cooking So easy this one.  It’s all I seem to do.  The new things though:

I tried Sourdough bread thanks to Emma for supplying Bob, the sourdough starter. My sourdough bread turned out more like pumpernickel. I clearly don’t have the knack. Luckily it tasted good.

Courgette fritters were delicious. For the first time ever, I’m looking forward to a glut of courgettes later in the year.

And the unlikely star of the show, Ottolenghi’s potato, leek and sauerkraut gratin with gruyere cheese. Who would have thought!

63. Learn a poem Last month I put out a call for poems and I was so pleased to receive some lovely suggestions. So thank you:

Joanna for Invictus by William Ernest Henley

Debbie for The Peace of Wild Things by Wendell Berry

Lesley for Today by Mary Oliver

Nancy for Inversnaid by Gerard Manley Hopkins and

Rob for alerting me to pretty much every 8.30am poem on the Today Programme!

Thought provoking all of them.

I’ve still not decided.

64. Plant a herb garden Yay! Look…. The Abergavenny Garden Centre delivered herbs and I planted them. I’m as excited as can be to ‘own’ a bit of Pavel’s allotment(s)!

68. Read all book club books Only one book club book this month. Machines Like Me by Ian McEwan. I’m a fan of his so it was unlikely to be a chore and I’m pleased to say it wasn’t. Not his best, but very readable, thought provoking and I loved how he changed history!

That’s it for a lockdown attempt.  Progress is not great, but enthusiasm prevails.