Concert: Anniversaries, Talk: Smoke Hole, & Free, 3 Mile Christopher Wren's Churches Tour & Post Event Social

Yesterday, I booked another walk with Invigorate - this one was a tour of (the outside of) Christopher Wren's churches. Starting even closer to the office than the last one, handily. Rain was forecast - I hoped it wouldn't get too bad. Well it seems that the guide had the same thoughts, because checking what turned out to be a dreadful forecast for yesterday, he postponed it to today! Instead, for yesterday, he took us to a free "Anniversaries" concert by the band of the Royal Yeomanry, at the Guards' Chapel. Tickets also available from Eventbrite. And funnily enough, this is where he took us, for another military concert, on what was my last Meetup before my long lockdown.. and as on that occasion, we were meeting in the Old Star. I hoped it wouldn't be as crowded as it was that day - not least because, with pretty much nobody following precautions, the UK now has the highest number of Covid cases in the world..

This time - unlike the last time - I had time to take the bus. I was the first to the pub, being shortly joined by the others - and happily, it wasn't too crowded. After a while, we even got a table! Oh my word, was it good to see everyone.. and we had a lovely chat before walking to the venue. Where we took a pew as near as you could get. Eh, maybe not the best idea, with the orchestra right on the other side of the pews.. our poor organiser was deafened, although it wasn't as bad for us on the end, at the French horn section..

A popular programme saw us entertained by a Fiddler on the Roof medley in the first half, as well as some lively tunes I didn't recognise - although we'd been given programmes on the way in. And in the second half, we were treated to an Indiana Jones soundtrack - both massively nostalgic. Towards the end of the second half, they moved to more militaristic music, with some regimental marches - and lo, if a couple behind us didn't stand to attention for these. Fair play to them for maintaining their stance - no-one else joined them! The concert finished with the National Anthem.

Now, when I'd strolled outside at the interval, it was a fine and balmy evening - but when we were leaving at the end, the heavens had opened! We agreed to head back to the pub - it was early - and were suitably drenched on the way. A few of the group ordered food - and everyone who did seemed delighted with it. And so ended an excellent evening, with me the only one heading back to the bus. And praise be that it actually stopped at my stop, which is never listed on the schedule any more - certainly, I didn't fancy walking more than necessary in that downpour.

Today, I thought I couldn't go on the rescheduled walk, because I had an online storytelling double-bill. First, I'd booked Universe, a Crick Crack Club (CCC) show happening in Oxford and live-streamed. Clare Murphy - and I've seen it before, and it was the best show ever! And then I saw that Martin Shaw from the CCC was doing an online show, earlier in the evening.. this one, in association with Watkins Bookshop, was called The Smoke Hole, and it was free. So I said, hey, why not?

And then, yesterday, I got an email to say that the recording of Universe would be made available to me for a week afterwards! Well hey, that left me free for the walk, so I signed up. Had lots else to do, but I did manage to sign into Smoke Hole beforehand, which had him touting his new book of that name. It's a kind of examination of how we need a dose of fantasy in our lives, how we need stories - and I did love the phrase he used, "we are heavily defended from seeing our own beauty". I'd happily have stayed to the end, but I needed to get going.. perhaps they'll put that on their YouTube channel, as they do other talks. Not that I can see the other talk I signed up for yet, mind!

Off I scurried to the City Thameslink Station, where we were to meet. Got there just in time, to find the group occupying one side of a triangular bench arrangement at the entrance. (I'd never been in here before.) Our guide was running a bit late - arrived just after we'd done the introductions. He'd brought quite the sheaf of notes with him - well, there are a lot of churches in London..

And so, off we set, and started with St. Bride's:

One of the group had brought his tripod, and spent a lot of time setting up shots - he frequently brought up the end of the group, but did manage to keep up! Anyway, then we were up Ludgate Hill, and of course had to stop in front of the much-photographed St. Paul's. I swear, every time I pass here there are people taking photos - and I can't blame them:

We popped in to St. Andrew by the Wardrobe, where a Coptic service was about to start - on;y church we could enter. As we passed One New Change, he had the inspired idea to take in the view from the roof:

He'd been a bit over-optimistic with his itinerary, mind, and we didn't get to all the churches on his list. But the decision, as our allotted time came to an end, to take a shortcut to the nearest pub received unanimous approval! Sadly, it was closed - but we headed (handily enough, in the direction of my flat) around the backstreets, and ended up at the Jamaica Wine House. We initially took our drinks outside - they have a large outside area - but had to repair indoors for 9pm. Finding it noisy in the main bar, we headed downstairs to Todd's Wine Bar - a cosy nook, all the better when we got seats around a barrel that served as a table. And a lovely chat was had, over a couple of drinks. One of the friendliest Meetup groups around - and to be honest, they're a little thin on the ground, these days.. And I had a short walk home, afterwards.

Tomorrow, back with the London European Club for a concert - Balkan Music, courtesy of Raka & Balamuc, in The Post Bar, Tottenham. Sounds like fun. We won't have access to our desks by tomorrow night, though, what with moving office soon - so I have to empty mine: and to save taking loads of unnecessary stuff to the concert, I might have to leave work a bit early, to get it back to the flat. Then I'm back to Ireland - another Saturday flight - and with a few days off, I'm not flying back until next Thursday. At least I'm not working from home this time, so don't have to bring the laptop on the flight!

But on the 29th, back with that group again, for Carmen - contemporary flamenco at The Place. (Might work from home that day, as we won't be in our new office yet, and I'd have to carry my laptop around with me.) Funnily enough, someone in the group said there were no individual seats left, and asked whether anyone wanted to double up with her. I offered, if there were no other takers - but she never got back to me. So, since I was now up to that date in my schedule, I decided to check for myself - and got an individual seat! So I've booked it.

And on the 30th, I'm doing something nice and Halloweeny - a ghost story event entitled Night Owl - changed from Scared to Death in the Woods, which they're now doing on Hallowe'en itself, and which has sold out. Tickets from Design My Night. So, an organisation called London Dreamtime is leading us off into a undisclosed location, somewhere around Hampstead Heath.. we're to dress warmly, and bring a blanket to sit on, and a "candle in a jar" - I actually went out and bought an LED flickering candle in a lantern-style holder. Well, thought it was the most practical! Now I just need batteries..