Blackout and chit chat

Posted on 19/01/2012 by Chandramoon

I came to my blog yesterday in the mood to post something and found it blacked out to support the Wiki objection to the PIPA and SOPA acts in the USA. Although I agree that online piracy isn’t a good thing the terms of these acts are much too far-reaching and would have a terrible effect on the internet Avaaz petition.

Meanwhile, my lovely man has gone off to Africa to start preparations for the Kartong Festival in the Gambia and I’ll be joining him later – so missing him like crazy but getting on with things. My son’s in India at the same time and my sisters live in Australia so it feels like half my loved ones are all spread out around the world!

I had a frustrating day in the studio yesterday trying to record some nice flute parts on a track and I just couldn’t get it right. It goes like that sometimes – the bits you think would be easy take ages and other bit you think will take ages go easily! Plus I’m feeling a bit off colour, slightly virusish (if that’s a word) and that doesn’t help.

I’m still really enjoying being in Bristol though, being able to see my mum and friends regularly as well as regular practices with Paddy, getting on with all my music projects and going to see other musicians playing locally.

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Christmas 2011

Posted on 27/12/2011 by Chandramoon

We’ve had such a lovely Christmas this year. My dear daughter, husband and grand-daughter came to stay as did one of my nephews.

Little L is now 3 year’s old and it was the first Christmas that she really understood more about all the family gathering together to share Chrismas time, food and presents. Even though my son couldn’t be here as he’s currently in India, he Skyped so we were able to see him and chat with him through the wonder of modern technology. My mum and her partner came for the day as well and we had a wonderful time. On Boxing Day, we had a small evening Open House with neighbours and friends and that was really fun too – especially as a couple of friends came who I hadn’t seen in many years.

Everyone’s left now and the house seems very quiet and peaceful after all the energy of the last few days so I shall savour my own space now.


I’m so happy to be back in my own home again looking forward to an exciting 2012.

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Bristol

Posted on 07/12/2011 by Chandramoon

It’s just so brilliant being back in Bristol – in just a few months my music mojo is firing on all cylinders and I’m feeling inspired.

I’m back out playing the open mics, did a great one tonight, I’ve got a proper gig next Monday playing a full set with my keyboard player and various other musicians.

Today in the studio a friend of mine who’s a really great percussionist recorded bodran and spoons on one of my new tracks and the album’s coming along wonderfully.

Tomorrow I’m playing flute with a hang drum player at a closing ceremony of a community organisation and next week I’m playing a couple of songs in a community church for a Christmas event (non-religious).

What a transition from rattling round the house when I was living in the countryside. I just love being back in the city – so inspiring being around so many great musicians and poets!

Anyway – just wanted to share all this positive energy with you!

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Thieves – wtf!!!

Posted on 23/11/2011 by Chandramoon

How awful some people are. My lovely Moon Palace has been vandalised. This is how the front of the van looked before:

and this is how it looks now someone has robbed the bumper!!

No doubt someone with the same kind of van as me thought they’d just unbolt it and take it home for themselves. Trouble is it was custom made and the bullbars, indicator stalks etc can’t be replaced and it’s not worth claiming on the insurance. So it’ll be a boring cheap bumper for her – at least they didn’t steal the van.

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Grandchildren!

Posted on 08/11/2011 by Chandramoon

Well this week we’ve had an influx of small children – on Friday Pete’s son and three little boys came to visit then on Saturday his daughter and the other two little ones joined us for a megabrunch – noisy and chaotic but fantastic fun!

We had a lovely weekend with them and then went to see the fireworks on Sunday. Today my daughter and little grand-daughter are coming for a few days which will be lovely.

It’s a great phase of life having grandchildren around – you remember how wonderful small children are but don’t have the full responsibility for them!

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Snow Leopard

Posted on 02/11/2011 by Chandramoon

I’ve just had to update my MacbookPro as it was operating on the old 10.4 and loads of things wouldn’t run on it any more. Plus the computer was full of loads of surplus files and running slow. Not to mention the keyboard was sticking and the space bar broken. So for a very reasonable price it’s now got a spanking new OS, a new keyboard and all working like lightning.

It was scarey having to back up everything, especially precious photos and wipe it all out and what a pain re-installing everything, all the plug ins, files, add ons etc and applications. Still, now it’s a million times better and like in real life it’s good to have a grand old clear out of unwanted crap at the same time.

Hopefully it’ll give me another few years of faultless service – I love my Mac. I’ve had it since 2006 without a single glitch or crash and with this upgrade being so inexpensive it means it’s been fantastic value for money.

I’m really enjoying being back in the studio and being in Bristol – getting right back into a creative phase again.

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Up and Running Again – phew!

Posted on 22/10/2011 by Chandramoon

Well I’m glad the blogs seem to be ok again – it made me realise I need to back up my posts. I did a post at Efx2 but their dashboard was not working right and I couldn’t upload a photo there.

I’d wanted to put this one up of the sunrise we had the other morning – really unusual skies for the city!

There are more pictures at this link on my Facebook.

Hope Efx3 behaves now!!

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Time stretching in Bristol…….!

Posted on 27/09/2011 by Chandramoon

We’ve been back in Bristol now for a few weeks and it’s as if I never left. It’s funny whatever it is that makes a place feel like “home” but Bristol has that magic for me.

It’s a city like any other with all the good and bad that a city offers but it has the extra dimension of being brilliant for musicians – tons of gigs at every end of the scale from open mics to concerts. Plus it has so much green space and parks and is easy to drive out of into the countryside in minutes.

On Saturday we went to Halesowen near Birmingham to support a sabar drumming workshop (we play the chols which are the bass drums – similar to the use of dunduns with djembe). Here’s a link to a video of one of the tracks the group was learning.

Sabar Workshop

If you go out in Bristol without a plan you can guarantee to find something amazing or interesting to do. This weekend was Brisfest and we went down to the docks on Sunday afternoon and started walking about. We walked all along the river Avon back towards the Centre – we saw amazing Dragon boat racing, we popped into the new M-shed Museum of Bristol (completely free), from the roof terrace we watched down across the river and could hear the music from the festival across the way and had a great day out. In the evening we went to see our friend’s band Boxcar Aldous Huxley (as whacky as their name).

I’ve caught up with friends, been out to dinner, had friends round to dinner, seen my mum had people to stay and twice a week been back in the studio.

I’d been wanting to start my second album for the last couple of years but just couldn’t seem to motivate myself. I’m one of those people who’s a hundred times more productive when I’m busy and haven’t got time for anything – time seems to stretch and I get so much more done. Don’t ask me why or how but it’s just the way I am!!

I even feel like writing my blog again – wow!! Not to mention playing tennis twice a week again.

So……….a very happy bunny indeed.

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Bristol

Posted on 10/09/2011 by Chandramoon

Well, at last we’ve moved back to Bristol.

I haven’t blogged as I’ve been ridiculously busy and also we went away in the van for 10 days in the middle of all the moving! We went on a wonderful round trip starting with 4 days drumming in Suffolk, then walking the North Norfolk coast, on to a nostalgic (for P) trip to Pinchbeck and Spalding in Lincolnshire and then home via Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire. What a beautiful country we live in with so much variety of countryside and wildlife as well as pretty villages and interesting towns.

Now it’s time to knuckle down here, sort out the house and for me, be back in touch with old friends and my mother and of course, to get cracking on recording my second album. This weekend a friend’s holding a welcome to Bristol evening tonight and then life back in Bristol will start properly…………………

Here’s a link to some photos of our holiday

PHOTOS

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Moving House

Posted on 27/07/2011 by Chandramoon

I’m exhausted and dirty. We’re moving back to Bristol which is very exciting but packing up is horrible. I have to pack everything here and also leave it clean (of course) and pack up the Bristol flat as well and basically do two moves back to my house in Bristol in two stages.

We’ll be properly moved in by August 18th – hurray.

Also this weekend we’ve been very lucky to get tickets for WOMAD and in a couple of weeks Tribe Of Doris so it’s all go.

Last weekend was P’s son’s wedding up in Horwich which was lovely.

No time to draw breath but life is fine.

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