Today I've mostly bin...

[Bunnylump]

...To Blenheim Palace to watch D and M run a half marathon in aid of the British Heart Foundation. It was a lovely sunny day and we also had a walk round the grounds including the maze!

[LAT]

...feeling overwhelmed!

[Bunnylump]

You and me both.

[Bunnylump]

...Having rediscovered some old recorders, having fun with K traumatising A and D with Christmas recorder duets.

[giraffe]

I only ever let Lally practice recorder without blowing.

[Bunnylump]

They are hideous instruments, but mainly when primary school children get hold of them and blow too hard, making the notes sharp. (Insert gritted teeth smiley here.) Mind you, I personally feel the same about violins.

I also seem to have opened my mouth before thinking and agreed to having loads of people round for a firework / hallow e'en party. WHY?? I must be mad. I'm sure I will get held to having blindfold jelly eating and apple bobbing. The mess!! And the poor cat HATES fireworks.

[giraffe]

You will notice a violin has never set foot in our house, despite having a plethora of other instruments. There was talk of a viola once, but I nipped that one in the bud!

[Bunnylump]

Wise lady. We have (amongst other junk) a broken violin in the loft. I've never made moves to get it fixed!

[SparkOut]

What are the opinions about bagpipes?

[LAT]

[giraffe]

What are the opinions about bagpipes?

They belong at the bottom of a Scottish Loch. (I just hope my son doesn't acquire any while he is living in Scotland!)

[Bunnylump]

Invention of the devil?

[SparkOut]

He could have had my "old" set, if I still had them. (He'd have died trying to play, the bag leaked so it was impossible to blow with enough strength to stir the reeds properly. At least they were quiet.)

[SparkOut]

And I feel I am in a minority here but I think bagpipes have a hugely emotive sound, which I love. My funeral wish is to be sent off to the sound of a piper playing Amazing Grace. But not for a long time yet.

[giraffe]

They are fine played on top of a mountain.

[Bunnylump]

When it was Donald's Mum's funeral at the crematorium, it just so happened that the funeral before had a Scottish piper playing. So, taking the initiative, John the Tree and I went and grabbed him in the car park as he left, and paid him £20 to play Amazing Grace as her coffin arrived. Donald's dad was mystified as to where the unscheduled piper had arrived from! It was very emotive in that situation, I must say, and people did appreciate it (them being fiercely proud of all things Scottish.)

However, when we were at Dunottar Castle this year, there was a random young piper playing at the top of the steps down to the castle. We could hear the pipes all the time we walked around the castle, which is on a sort of spit into the sea. By the time we got back I was ready to throttle him.

[LAT]

I think any instrument played by someone competent and in the right setting is something to be appreciated and enjoyed. But I can imagine that learning to play the bagpipes could put a strain on one's nearest and dearest.

Talking of funerals though, and running the risk of trivialising this conversation, my husband has expressed a wish for a certain hit by The Jam. (but it won't really work at a crematorium)

[Laura]

There used to be a bagpiper who lived somewhere near us (I never worked out the exact location) but as a child we could hear them playing in the summer from somewhere up the hill.

[Bunnylump]

Well, all I can say is YOU lot try living with a drummer.

[giraffe]

I find Rachmaninov on the piano hard to take during practice.