Norfolk

Upon arriving in Norfolk on Monday evening, with wife, parents-in-law and dog, we settled into a lovely little cottage for the first of four nights and said wife, Aggie, simply said, "right, relax."

I looked around the room and everyone else seemed to know what to do. Aggie's mum started cooking, Aggie's dad chilled on the sofa, Aggie checked out the garden, Fred dog had a nap. I...well, I got out my laptop and replied to a few tour emails, looked into a few more festivals to plug some summer gaps, that sort of thing. Now, there's two ways of looking at this: 1) I don't know to how to relax or 2) this is how I relax. 

Either way, coupled with delicious food and nice wine, I felt pretty chilled. But I don't think it's ever in me to ever switch off, and I'm very grateful that I've married into a family that accept me for what I am...a workaholic, but my work is rather fun!

On Tuesday we went to the seaside, which was beautiful but freezing, on Wednesday, Aggie and I went to Jane and Clive's wedding. That was the whole reason for our trip in the first place; quick jaunt to Norfolk for a wedding of one her former workmates but we thought we'd go up a bit longer and invite her parents along too, not only because they could look after Fred for us whilst we were out for the day, but also because it's a nice break for everyone. The wedding was honestly lovely; Aggie's friends are really good company and we enjoyed great, if rowdy and very merry times. I fit in with that lot, I don't often fit in but I think that's part of my USP. Thursday we went for a nice lunch with Aggie's brother who also lives in Norfolk, today we travelled back. 

I did feel relaxed. I think. I don't know. It's the right balance of chilling a bit, a spot of reading, some nice dog walks (this morning we met up with Jane for a walk and her dog is MENTAL), but also keeping control of what I'm doing. I'm now taking both solo shows up to Edinburgh; I even negotiated the slot for my second one by email on my phone whilst drunk at the wedding (I woke up to see what I'd agreed to...the timings will be tight, but I've done this before), and also a few other bookings for July. 

Tonight I'm back in rehearsals with Esther, tomorrow I'm back teaching all day followed by a blues gig, Sunday I'm rehearsing again with Esther followed by a double-length house show around my mate Claire's and...well, so on. I'm kinda onstage or in a rehearsal every night now for about 8 weeks. On a totally unrelated note, my new coffee machine arrives tomorrow...

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