Laura has had 2 clarinet lessons, up to now, and she's doing well. I've had a bit of a go myself and I can hardly make a noise but she can play E and D natural with only occasional squeaks. The sight reading's coming on, too, she knows how to count a crochet, a quaver and a semi-quaver. She's enjoying it and she's keen.

If Laura has a fault, academically and in everything else, it's that she's a perfectionist. She expects to be able to do things straight away and she can get very annoyed with herself if she doesn't get it right first time. Clarinet practise means that her mum and I have to praise, constantly, and reassure her that she's doing fine.

The other day I found a youtube clip of Benny Goodman and his...

West Ender

It seems that I have awakened a few childhood memories with my last blog episode.......And Mick talking about trolleys/bogeys/whatever you called them when you were growing up......there were endless arguments in our house.......there were five lads and only one trolley......so there were fights and falling outs over who was going to be playing on it......it was a longbodied trolley and would accommodate two of the lads comfortably....but the others were never happy to wait for their turn.
During the summer it was the first two to get home from school who would commandeer the thing.......and head for the top of Carter Street....they would then whiz down and try to turn sharply onto Marsden Street......any miscalculation and they would...

Margaret Pilkington