Fully Vaccinated

The latest stage of lockdown lifting meant that we were able to go back to live band practice on Wednesday, after nearly six months of rehearsals on Zoom. Playing as a group rather than to a backing track is just *so* much better, and it was lovely to catch up with people in person. Driving home at 9.30 it was still not fully dark, and the clouds were spectacular. I took this photo from an upstairs window when I got back and couldn't get a view of the looming tall clouds that first caught my attention, but it gives an idea of the contrast between the clouds and the light in the sky behind them. 

On Wednesday morning I had my second vaccine dose. I felt tired again after it - more so than with the fist dose, but I think that may be because I was running a bit short on sleep. Yesterday afternoon I was definitely more than normally sleepy, though. I have an NHS app on my phone which lets me book appointments, order prescriptions and check my medical records, and from this week it is now also showing my vaccination status. Seeing my double-dose in black and white makes me very happy. I'm so looking forward to being able do things again without worrying about catching Covid. 

In another month or so at least one of the orchestras I usually play in should be starting up live rehearsals again, so I decided it was time to get my violin out. For some reason since the pandemic started I just haven't felt like playing - I'm not sure why - but now I really want to get started again. Inevitably, having been neglected for a year, I had a broken string; also inevitably, it was the only string for which I didn't have a spare. The strings I normally use are traditional metal wound round gut and although they are good quality strings they can be a bit temperamental, sometimes awkward to tune and with a tendency to go pop, so I decided maybe now would be a good time to try a different type of string. Also I have been meaning for ages (literally years!) to get my violin serviced - it needs a new bridge and couple of other tweaks, and the bow needs rehairing - and realised that I really should do it now, before it gets tricky to find a convenient time when I don't have orchestra commitments. I took it in to a local repairer yesterday and it should be done in a week or so, complete with new strings. I'm looking forward to trying them out and getting the benefit of having my violin back in its best possible condition.