A bit of a catch up day on Monday and an AFD. Went swimming on Tuesday morning then installed the new Virgin Media set top box that arrived on Monday. It inevitably wasn't straight forward. You can speak to the new remote though. Another AFD. On Wednesday Amy was away for work again so we picked Madeline and Owen up from nursery and took them to no 81 on the bus for pizza. I went to the Castle Tap folk session later. At the first one I did last September I ended up doing a blues jam with a young Greek guy called Manos. Since then I've seen him playing fiddle with Billy Orange at the Where Is The Sun festival and then last Saturday doing the same with Andy from Doops at the Pheonix Rising festival. He told me he was going to the folk session and it would be his last one as he was going back to Greece. He played fiddle again with a chap called Jo who is actually Billy Orange and I asked if he'd play with me on Love In Vain. It worked really well. Turns out he's going back to do his national service. I also played Every Day I Get The Blues before he arrived. As I left a car had stopped across the road and two women were helping a chap who'd fallen off his bike. He was completely pissed and said he was trying to get back to Theale. I walked with him to bus stop at the top of the hill and we locked his bike to a lamp post so he could get the no 26. I didn't wait but the last I saw of him he was sitting at the bus stop and due to the state he was in I doubt if he could have figured out how to unlock the bike let alone ride it. On Thursday though, about 9:15, I was heading over to no 81 to go on a bike ride with James and the bike wasn't there. Either he had ridden it the night before or already picked it up in the morning. Both seemed unlikely. Me and James did the 2 hills version of my 5 hills ride. He's a lot faster than me. In the evening met up with Penno, Ian, Mark and Dom for a ride back from Bracknell to Reading. Had to change plans a bit as the train me and Penno were going to catch was cancelled. We got a train to Wokingham instead and met the others at the Crooked Billet. We then dropped Penno off at Wokingham station before the rest of us cycled back via The Wheelwrights and The Bull. Haven't cycled back along the river in the dark for a while. Andy, Jeanne, Davy and Howie came round for pizzas on Friday evening. On Saturday we drove out to Aldworth as M wanted to visit the church where some if the Monck family are buried.Had a swifty in The Bell then had a couple if pizzas using left overs from last night. A good start to the day on Sunday, managed to finish yesterday's prize crossword. Tony came round for a rehearsal in the afternoon then JAMO came round for roast chicken with salad and flat breads. The kids played and the paddling pool and enjoyed the sprinkler.

Had a haircut on Tuesday morning. Did a spot of gardening in the afternoon and then picked up the mixing desk from RSAC. On Wednesday morning took the desk to Bob Noyes and he managed to fix the missing phantom power issue so took it back to RSAC in the afternoon. Amy had a speed awareness course between 4 and 7 so we picked the kids up from nursery and took them to no 81 on the bus for pizza. Went swimming on Thursday morning then did some destructive gardening. Tony came round for a rehearsal in the afternoon and we did the Lyndhurst open mic in the evening with Andy Coltman on cajon. Did Every Day I Got The Blues, You Better Move On and Little Ol' Wine Drinker. Incredible smell of jasmine when I got back. On Friday morning M met up with a woman at the museum who was over from Connecticut and was a descendant on the Monck family looking into the family history. M then took them to look at Coley House. I took the guitar I found in the loft to the Oxfam Music shop. Went up to that London to see The Devil Makes Three at the Islington Assembly Hall. They were supported by Sam and Riley from CC Smugglers. Both really good. Did the sound at RSAC for the Pheonix Rising festival on Saturday. It was an all dayer. Some good stuff and good fun.

Mainly just carting all the music gear back upstairs on Monday after Sunday's gig. Tidied the music room, did some testing of DI boxes and a bit of admin. Found this in the loft that I don't remember having.  M went to the library to look at old newspapers. M had to go back to the library on Tuesday. In the afternoon I went to RSAC to do some sorting out of the sound gear. It's Edith's birthday so we got a call in the evening. Did a spot if shopping on Wednesday morning then back to RSAC to pick up the PSU for the desk. Took the PSU round to Bob Noyes on Wednesday to see if it's the cause of the missing phantom power. All fine so the problem must be with the desk. I'll take it in next week. Had a trip to the tip on Thursday then took the PSU back to RSAC. Had a HCTS meeting with Alex in the Nags in the evening. All looking good if we can get a headliner. Went to Center Parcs on Friday with the entire Ounsley clan. We waited in Cafe Rouge for everyone to arrive. It's the future. Then went to the subtropical swimming paradise until it was time to check into our lodge. On Saturday tried a game if pickle ball which was good fun then went to the SSP. We celebrated Edith's birthday on the evening. On Sunday me, M and Sally had an encounter with a tawny owl called Spud. Then a southern white faced owl called Oscar