Bassoons and other 'b's

How exciting!  I'm just listening to the latest version of Catherine's song 'Differently' and it sounds fabulous. It features the bassoon! Now this is the first time we've ever used bassoon on a song and it's truly wicked.  Comically appealing.  My creative juices are now in full flow and I'm feeling all inspired to write a flute part for it.

And the bassoon fits neatly into the theme of the week. You see, my youngest daughter is doing the letter 'b' at school and we've got to think of loads of words beginning with that letter.  She's also got to draw pictures of things beginning with 'b'.  Though I'm not sure her artistic skills are up to drawing a bassoon, mine certainly aren't.    I think we'll go with...er... 'banana', yeah - much easier.  I did fail my GCSE art exam after all!

And for my sins I'm helping out on a school trip tomorrow.  'Why?' I hear you cry.  Why indeed.  Probably because I am slightly mad - indeed I know this to be the case as I will be forfeiting a nice cuppa and a brand new episode of 'Homes under the Hammer'.  Life is hard.

But on the plus side, I am really looking forward to a wedding this weekend which will see the Key Largo Trio girls (O.K - 'ladies'.  I guess since I'll be forty next year I can no longer even vaguely be called a 'girl'. (Am in denial!)) reunited  for the first time since Rachel's wedding.  She's back from a rather exotic honeymoon in Cuba and Catherine is also about to go exploring, embarking on a visit to Nepal where she'll be living and working in the local communities .  And me?  Well there'll be the school run and visits to Sainsburys.  And if I'm lucky a trip to 'Pets at Home' to re-stock on guinea pig supplies.   Mmmm - not got quite the same ring to it, has it???

Still - on the plus side, that thought leaves me with lots more 'b' words:  bland; boring;  banal.


Ha!  Every cloud...

New songs, Melodica Moments and a Very Special Wedding.

Musically, times are exciting for the Key Largo Trio.  We’ve performed a few concerts, wedding season is upon us and we’re writing original songs again.  Woohoo!  And our very own Rachel (cellist) is getting married this very month. Woohoo with bells on!  And what a beautiful occasion it’s going to be.  Picture this: a barn; wild flowers in jam jars on the tables; daisy hair garlands; maxi dresses galore; live music throughout and you’ve got a pretty good idea of the style of the wedding. Oh and the bride is wearing flip flops! (Glamorous ones though, of course!)

On the less than fabulous side, school has already broken up and the ensuing eight weeks with my two little darlings are looming ahead like an expedition up Everest.  However, I am determined to put at least some of this lengthy period to artistic use.  It’s been a long time since I wrote a song but Catherine (pianist) has been hard at it, two new songs already in the bag and on the way to being recorded too.  I managed to write a harmonica (ha - love it!) part for one of these so I have had some success.   I’m hopeful that the time is nigh. It’s not that my two divas have sucked me dry of creativity (and energy for that matter) but as they grow older I can kind of feel it creeping back in. Slowly.  Very slowly.  But there’s definite movement.  

One way in which I hope to reawaken the songwriter in me is to INVOLVE the kids.  Last Sunday the sun was shining, the sky was azure blue and we walked the dog en famille.  Get this - we went out armed with (not tissues, wipes, snacks, drinks, toys etc) but notepad and pen!  Our mission was to write a song about butterflies. I’d even painted glittery butterflies on the girls faces to set the mood. The Von Trapps have got nothing on us.  Only slight snag is we didn’t actually write a single word, but surely it’s the thought that counts?

And on the little holiday we’re taking to the coast I have a vision of myself sitting on a sun drenched beach (unlikely, it’s England! ) holding a notebook and writing song after song as inspiration flows as copiously as elderflower champagne at Rachel’s wedding. Here’s hoping.  On both points. 

In an unrelated and completely irrelevant matter, I had an unexpected high today.  Got childcare courtesy of the parents and decided to have an innocent wander into the Gap outlet store.  Fancied getting myself a pair of shorts.  The sale was on and there was an extra 30% off too.  Well, I may have gone in for shorts but came out with a trolley load of  kids clothing.  Nothing for me.  Mothers out there will understand.  These things happen.  

Happy hols folks and may the sun shine on us all!

Rainy weddings and broken boilers!

I always feel slightly sorry for the bride whose wedding day resembles an Indian monsoon day.  It's not the same to have to dash from the car to the church with eager guests waving umbrellas over you.  Not to mention the lack of 'outside' photos in the album.  I guess it's not unexpected, living in England as we do and being used to, lets say, not the best climate in the world.

However, I have to say I've now changed my mind.  We Key Largo Trio lot were playing at some such wedding just last week and the inclement weather mattered not a jot!  The hotel had real fires roaring, there were several oversized squashy sofas to lounge on and copious amounts of mulled wine upon arrival. Delicious.

We started our set with some traditional classical tunes but as evening approached and what little light there was began to fade we performed some more rousing numbers, adding a little merriment to the gloomy skies.  The atmosphere was magical, the guests were happy and the bride and groom were overjoyed with their day.  It was a beautiful occasion and I am a complete convert to the cold, wet weather wedding!

Unfortunately when I returned home, I discovered our boiler was broken. Totally dead!  I couldn't face bathing the kids in the ice cold bathroom with it's draughty old sash window so the kids are dirty, the house is freezing and there's a gale just brewing up outside.

Mulled wine anyone?

Winter Chills and Party Thrills

I have had a most marvellous twenty four hours.  It all began yesterday evening when we Key Largo Ladies played at a twenty fifth wedding anniversary in York.  It was actually a private party so the setting was the clients house.  But the house was large, beautiful and decorated with tealights, lanterns and an abundance of bunting.  Glorious! We were even offered a glass of champagne as we were setting up - a most unheard of gesture. Normally we stay in the 'water only' territory.  But why not indeed?  A few little sips can't hurt, can they?

The party was a great one.  Full of fun, energy, liveliness and the guests were incredibly appreciative of our music.  Nice to slightly 'kick back' from our classical stance and give a little bit more 'jazz' to the occasion.  A highlight of the evening was playing our arrangement of 'Nearness of You' as the still loved up couple smooched away looking for all the world like teenagers with a crush.  Ahhhh...

So what better this morning than to shake off a vaguely fuzzy head (late night and half a glass of champagne does this to me!) than a lovely hack in Hagg woods on my trusty steed.  (In reality he's more likely to be described as a stubborn, lazy, disobedient dobbin - but I'm being kind and also that doesn't have such a romantic ring to it, does it?)

It was such a beautiful cold, crisp morning and I was chilled to the bone upon my return home.  When I've finished my little blogging moment I'm going to jump up and make a hearty sweet potato and butter bean soup on the old aga.  (Actually, it will be less 'jumping' and more shuffling along like an octogenarian due to afore mentioned horse adventure!)

But when the soup's ready I'm gonna sit down, take a load off and relax before the kiddiewinks return from school.

Happy days...

Key Largo Trio vid

Wedding glamour urgently required

I'm sitting here surrounded by a mountain of ironing, an explosively full laundry basket and the dog's just vomited on the kitchen floor! Add to this delightful mix a screaming toddler who's refusing to sit on the potty and has just thrown herself to the floor in a vaguely demented manner and you're starting to get a feel for the kind of day I'm having.  Oh, and I found a couple of nits in residence on my eldest daughters hair over breakfast this morning.  Jealous, anyone?

Mmmmm...probably not.

As for me personally, I'm not sure I even brushed my hair this morning, (probably why I love hats so much!) let alone applied any kind of 'face'. My clothes are covered in hair (horses);  mud (dog);  stains of unknown origin (kids), and there's one rather large hole in my left sock!  Not for me the title of 'Yummy Mummy'.  Not for me the effortless glamour conveyed by all those celebrity mums out there.

But I have been saved.  

Everything is going to be OK.  The Key Largo girls and I have a wedding to play at in a couple of days.  Woohoo!

I can't wait to be clean, pretty and pampered again.  (And please don't be worried out there future brides. Despite the bleak picture I'm painting I can still scrub up pretty well)  Can't wait to don my elegant dress and high heels (this calls for another even louder Woo hoo!) and make up!  Can't wait to escape the messy house and  chaos of the kids and enter the serenity of the church.  Can't wait to play the beautiful music, can't wait to see rows and rows of immaculately styled guests.  And most of all I can't wait to see the beautiful bride in all her finery and radiance.

Bring on the glamour.

Bring on the magic.

Weddings  -  I love you!

Let Them Eat Cake

I am currently fighting violently strong cake cravings.  It might be because the weather is rubbish; wet and windy and I'm already wanting to hibernate by my fire with sweet morsels to eat.  But I also think it might have rather a lot to do with a wedding we Key Largo-ettes played earlier this week.  Now, don't get me wrong, the wedding cakes are always an amazing sight, but this particular one was just beautiful.

It was actually kind of simple.  It had three tiers but instead of a covering of marzipan, it was just a plain and simple sponge cake.  To elaborate, I was duly informed it was a madagascar vanilla bean cake, with buttercream raspberry preserve, decorated with fresh raspberries and strawberries.  It was a delight.

I haven't had chance to make a cake since the craving started.  It's been a busy week what with juggling work, two toddlers, two horses a dog and three chickens!  But I'm thinking that tonight's the night.  Now I can't hope to recreate the wondrous treat I saw at the wedding, mine will be a sorry affair in comparison.  Sponge with a bit of icing on if I'm lucky, (oh and maybe a bit of St Dalfour jam - my favourite!) but I'm still strangely excited about it.

I intend to eat a huge slice of it, well probably two to be fair - still warm from the Aga and perhaps in front of the television.  After all, Strictly Come Dancing is on.  Perhaps I'll invite a few friends round for this 'cake fest' and crack open some wine. But then again - nah!  I think a nice pot of tea works better with cake.

Never let it be said, that I am not Rock and Roll.  I am a party girl.  Mmm...sort of.  Or maybe not.   But what the heck - let's all eat CAKE!