Z is bluffing and has been called

Yes, all those plates are all wobbling and one of them has dropped, but that's not actually my fault because it was mail order and was supposed to arrive two days ago. Tomorrow morning is the deadline and I don't think it'll arrive before I have to leave. Fortunately, it wasn't the only present and I'll get flowers as well - and oh blimey, I wonder where I put the card we all signed? I may know - that'll be the next thing to check.

The other plate that's teetering isn't my fault either. You see, we're having a get-together, those of us who went to Madrid last month, and one keen photographer has a film of the whole thing to show us. I only discovered yesterday that he has no apparatus on which to show it. Oh, well done; if he'd said so last week I could have done something about it. I can take along a lap-top, but I certainly don't have a digital projector. The chap who did it last year brought all his own stuff and I assumed he would too. I could take along my computer, I suppose (I presume he has it on disk) as at least that has a decent-sized screen.

Everything else in the next week that's wobbling is my own fault. I airily agreed when my friend asked me to play the music at her wedding - this was months back - and it was decided that I'd play hymns on the organ and the rest of the music on the clarinet. She called in about a month ago, and it was only then that I discovered there are 100 guests. As it's a second wedding for them both and she's a modest sort of lass, I'd sort of thought there wouldn't be many in the congregation. Furthermore, she wanted to leave the choice of music to me, though we agreed something stately but not traditionally bride-like for the start, some Mozart or similar for the signing of the register and something jazzy as they left. Unfortunately, I've been too busy to make as good preparations as I'd have liked and it's only been in the last few days that it's been coming together.

She's coming round on Sunday to approve the choices. I've chosen a trumpet voluntary for her entrance, which I can play on the clarinet or organ and I'll have to discuss the Mozart with her. You see, classical music was rarely written for solo clarinet and so there are always bits where you're accompanying the rest of the instruments rather than taking the main part; though I have music scored for clarinet and piano, which at least cuts out the orchestra or quintet or whatever. I might play a piano sonata instead, (the Andante from the 15th Sonata) which sounds all right with just the treble part being played. For their exit, I've gone with a rumba and a samba, and have a few jazz and blues numbers to finish. But I've not practised as much as I should have - it's not the notes, it's the lip muscles and stamina that need building up.

And then on Tuesday I've got a committee meeting here, and as it's the last before September, I've said I'll do lunch; only trouble is I'm chairing the meeting and so can't keep nipping out to the kitchen to do things. There will be 12 of us - yes, you might say, do cold, with salads; and I might, but I've still got to prepare the food. And do a pudding. I think they'll rather anticipate three courses, actually. It's pushing it to get 12 round the dining table, so I'd hoped to have lunch in the garden, but the forecast is rain - though who knows, those who decide these things might change their minds and decide there will be summer after all.

I've also got a couple of reports for the newsletter and the rota for the church to do before Sunday. And I'm helping at the school on Monday afternoon and then have the children as Dilly is working, and the rest of the week is normal stuff on the whole - there will be time to practise the music which is the only thing that really matters. I can't dampen a wedding, it's got to be good.

I've still got loads to plant out in the kitchen garden. As there was a frost a couple of weeks ago - it caught 4 courgette plants and a few french beans, I held back a bit but now I've got a load of stuff that must go in very soon. Preferably before Tuesday. One person will check out the garden - I have pinched out all the side shoots on the tomatoes in preparation - so it has to be a whole lot readier than it is. Last year, another one opened the door to my study, just to see if it's as undisciplined as I say it is. It was. He chuckled. I called him a bastard. I never swear at people usually (I swear, but not at people) but I thought it was rude.

None of it is out of the way really, but unfortunately I seem to have sort of stopped eating and sleeping a bit, which is making me tenser than usual.

Oh damn. Coffee and the best biscuits on Tuesday as well. I'll have to come home via Waitrose tomorrow.

Update, dinner having been eaten
Okay, it was a Chinese whisper thing, the person with the pictures had never expected to run a slideshow, so it isn't his fault, and the person who thought he was is Perfect and I'm not blaming her because I love her. I'll take along a laptop *cough*, I'll have to borrow Dilly's as Ro is away tonight - Dilly is out for the evening so I'll ask Al instead, because Dilly is the sort of lovely person who won't mind, because someone else has got a slideshow but I knew in the first place that she didn't have equipment.

It's amazing, how talking to people and getting things straight makes one feel less tense. Also, eating dinner. I only had a slice of dry toast and a few - half a dozen - cashew nuts all day, and it wasn't enough but I couldn't eat. Fillet steak, pasta, carrots, broccoli and asparagus, and a forbidden Chelsea bun, and a couple of glasses of wine; maybe a nectarine in a while and I feel slightly as if I shouldn't have had all that, but I'd be hungry later if not.

Okay, back to work. And then I'll play the clarinet again. Apparently, I bewildered Al and Dilly last night. They thought one of the children's musical toys must have been left on and were kept awake as I played until midnight!