Ah, out of London for a few days. More sky, more trees. Last week I went to check an old piano I had tried to get back in tune from years of neglect. The house is rented by a few friends who share the piano. The deal was, I tune it again in return for dinner. It didn't disappoint. Chatting we talked about growing up and games we played as kids only to be given this story.
'We used to catch flies and put them in the freezer. They don't die but go into some kind of suspended animation. Then we would tie cotton around the leg of the fly and then take it out of the freezer. The fly would spring to life and Hey Presto! We would have a fly on a string. Endless amusement. Didn't any of you play this game? There was a resounding NO!
I will take the train back from Bradford on Avon on Sunday and go straight to Notting Hill to the hidden heritage 20th Century Theatre for a charity called Mousetrap Theatre Projects. They work with young people of different abilities and backgrounds who may not have the chance of working in theatre. http://www.mousetrap.org.uk/
The theatre was where a 17 year old Lawrence Olivier made his debut. It was home to the Amateur Dramatic societies of Harrods, DH Evans and the BBC. Margaret Rutherford and Rex Harrison acted there.

From now on

It's a proper spring day. I'm not one to moan about the weather but this winter has seemed colder and longer than the fifty odd ones I have experienced before.
I have decided to write this blog after spending a few years on a book called A Diary of a Gay Piano Tuner.
In the book I started from my days as a boy in the 60's to the incredible array of people and places I visit tuning pianos today.
The book is in limbo waiting to be published but I enjoyed writing it so much that this blog will take up where the book ends and allow me to share my take on the secret world of a piano tuner in this amazing city.