Planning the week ahead

I have another week off work, to use up some annual leave. I’m writing reports, presentations, planning and attending #bellringing meetings, writing articles, and promoting #bellringing events. At some point there’s a bunch of household things that need doing, I would like to do some baking this week (I have chocolate orange hot cross buns, and chocolate easter cake to make), and I would like to spend some down time going for walks etc as the weather is supposed to be good this week. My to do list is quite lengthy.

C and I have just planned the week out based on what the weather forecast has in store. We have a lot of annual report deliveries to do and plan to splice that with some walks out along the coasts and picnics, so have made a plan based on what we need to deliver where and how many loads can we get rid of in as few journeys as possible.

We went to the wholesalers today, so there was a long shopping list of things to restock the freezer with. Along side that sat the list of reports that we could drop off en route. We dropped the Southern District ones off on our way.

Back home and it was unpacking the shopping and portioning it up into meal sized bags. Our freezer is well and truly stuffed now. We didn’t get home until nearly 3pm so lunch was a bit on the late side, meaning dinner will be even later today. For lunch I tried one of the pasties I made yesterday, they were quite tasty actually.

After lunch, a bit more promotional preparations ahead of tomorrow’s release, then I had a play on Ringing Room, now that I have Wheatley installed, I can ring on my own whilst it does the rest. I plugged in my e-bells and had a go at some plain hunt minor on each pair of bells. I finally got the hang of 3-4. Then I tried some plain bob minimus. After several goes I finally “saw” what I was doing with the 3,4 up dodge. Then I moved on to having a go at some plain hunt major. I found very quickly that I tuned into the rhythm and it sounded pretty good, even if I only did it from 1-2.

For some explicable reason I decided to get my weighted hula hooping out for the first time since 1st January. It took a few minutes to remember how to log exercise on my fitness watch. I did manage about 6 minutes on the first go. I could certainly tell my middle has gone soft.

Whilst C cooked dinner I did some preparations for a meeting that I have on Saturday so that I have everything I need to hand and can share my ideas with the rest of the group.

Only then did I sit down to read a book and watch tv, and fall asleep on the sofa. Until tomorrow’s adventure.

E by ‘eck, I’ve been playing with me e-bells

As you know, I bought C a pair of e-bells for his birthday last week. I also bought myself a set and the companion book. I learnt how to ring Plain Bob Minor about 2 years ago now but that was the last time I rang handbells.

Today was the first opportunity we had to properly play with them. He’d already set up all the software on the PC and on my laptop so we were ready to plug in and play.

I had a few goes on my own connected to Abel to start with and started off with Plain Hunt Minimus. Two pairs of bells swap the order in which they ring. I found the explanation in the book extremely helpful in getting what my brain already knows about Plain Hunt Minimus on tower bells should look like. First and 2^nd place bells sway and the 3^rd and 4^th place bells swap. Then the bells in 2nds and 3rds place swap whilst the other two stay in the same position. Keep alternating this until you get back into rounds. Very simple and straight forward instruction.

I did ok at that so upped the anti by trying Plain Hunt Minor, that’s with three pairs of bells. The good thing about Abel is that it will ring the other bells you don’t. The bad news is it won’t wait for you like real ringers often do (even though they shouldn’t).

C was getting himself set up on the PC at this point so we decided to try ringing together. We moved across to Ringing Room to try that now that they have Wheatley installed. Wheatley does the same thing as Abel, i.e. rings all the unassigned bells but you have to tell it what to do. There were a few technical issues, but we had several goes and I tried it on different pairs of bells. I rang 1-2 to start with and got quite proficient at that, then rang 5-6 which is the next easiest pair as the bells course each other (follow each other up and down the pattern). Then I had a go on 3-4 which is a bit more complicated as the bells move apart and back together again in opposite directions. That was slightly less well executed.

Then we moved on to Handbell Stadium, the virtual handbell ringing platform. Took a bit of getting used to setting it up but once there, I had a go on my own ringing Plain Hunt Minor again. Then C decides we should ring together. We rang Plain Hunt Minimus together and then he decides that we’ll move straight on to Plain Bob Minimus. This means that I have to remember to dodge as well as plain hunt. 3/4 down was ok but I seemed to struggle a bit with 3/4 up. Eventually got the hang of it.

The key for me is regular practice at it otherwise I’ll forget and we’ll be back to the beginning every time. C went back to practicing by himself and was ringing touches of Plain Bob Minor, but that’s because he’s clever and can ring handbells anyway.

Long way to go yet but had quite good fun and was quite pleased with my progress. Don’t think I’ll be ringing with a mixed group, or any quarters any time soon though.

Succumbing to the inevitable

C used to ring handbells fairly regularly and notched up several quarter peals in years gone by. When his mum died he spent some of the inheritance on a set of 12 handbells. Sadly, those handbells haven’t seen much light. We did have a couple of goes once but I was totally rubbish and couldn’t get my head around it.

I always admire the fact that he could pick up pair of handbells and without too much trouble join in something.

A couple of years ago I was a student on a handbell training course and with proper instruction, helpful advice and lots of patience I did manage to get through Plain Bob Minor on all pairs. It completely did my brain in but I was pleased to have done it. It always seemed like one of those things I should have a proper go at. I’ve not rung handbells since then.

Since lockdown handbell ringing has really enjoyed a resurgence. Its the one thing that people could meet in small groups outside, when that was allowed. Then came along the creation of Handbell Stadium the virtual version of handbell ringing with Men in Black avatars. The next upgrade came with the creation of e-bells. Realistic looking, feeling and weighted handbells that plug into your computer that you synchronise with Handbell Stadium for a more realistic experience, rather than pushing keys.

So, eventually C decided that he’d like a pair of e-bells for his birthday. I ordered two sets and the companion book Change Ringing on Handbells by Tina Stoeklin and Phil Gay. They arrived today, excellent service given he left it late to tell me that’s what he wanted. I’ll leave him to do the technical set up and I’ll have a few goes on my own with my two new avatar friends before I join in with anyone else.

Don’t think you’ll be seeing me featured on Bellboard any time soon though.