Now I have got my study room set up and soundproofed for music as well as recording stuff I woke up this morning with a feeling that the musical part of my life can go ahead at last. Or not, because I am writing and recordings songs to put out there to show to people that I can sing and write music and pretty shortly I will be putting out harmonica stuff as well to try to find a musician or musicians to work professionally with i.e. go out there and gig  and tour.

It is a  good at the moment because I am doing a day job working with Learning Disabled people and this fits my model of how any musician should conduct their affairs which is to pay your way doing a normal job and then have a go at being a musician as well. So, I am feeling pretty comfortable and this is the mental backdrop behind my walk today and feeling of contentment that I have.

Since about 10 PM last night it threw it down with rain and on my way up to Durham City for a walk around the town with Clifford and Fiona I was amazed at the amount of surface water . The tiny stream in the middle of Bowburn on the way to Durham had burst its banks and the road was completely flooded to a depth of about 18 inches which surprised me because we have not had that much rain and is an indication of how soaked the ground still is.

Walking around the banks of the River Wear was a delight and we went to look at the flood defences they are building and walked through a lovely part of the woods with many bluebells rising up the sides of the bank . Beautiful.

Because of the weather the city was really quiet, the clouds were very light glowing grey having discharged a lot of water and I could just see the condensation evaporating off the ground which will form haze and possibly mist  later. It is great getting into Earth Science books because it gives an explanation of what is going on around me.

Biscuit break was in Durham Cathedral Cloisters and was good fun particularly as we are sitting on the light side of the Cloisters facing West and I don't know why we didn't sit there in the first place years ago. Maybe us  Saunders-Priem's    like dark and gloomy places I don't know. Anyway, after hoofing it back to the car I went back on the A167 to avoid the flooding at Bowburn but there were pools on the road in several sections on the way back.

Miles is working like a Trojan at the moment meeting deadlines and getting really into his mathematics and I have been very impressed by his ability to get up at 6 AM and just crack on. Several times this week he has done 10 or 11 hours of maths a day. Good lad. I am supremely grateful to the Good Lord that I could get a job and show him that I can go out to work and it always worried me that he had never seen that side of me. I have always been keen to work at any job, I like to get up early in the morning and get out and  about.

Home-made pork meatballs, pasta , tomato sauce and garlic bread is progressing nicely as I write this and I have got a good evening lined up of writing lyrics   for two songs, melodies come really easy for me and then recording them for public listening next week. I am hoping to find a musician or musicians who want to go out and play professionally  but with original music not  covers because original music is the only way to make a half decent living. I don't think I'm going to be successful at this but the only talent I really have is  persistence, determination and trying. In fact Fiona finds me trying a lot of the time but I've realised    that is maybe why she loves me because I try for her and my family as well. A great day and I am about to watch Terminator 2 with my family and we have nominated Fiona an Honorary Boy for the duration so she can join us in watching it.