Back again

Here I am again posting on my top secret blog. I've still only told Spouse about it!
I'm just back from teaching for a week in Czech Republic. It's always a fantastically rewarding week, but this time it really was particularly special. I sang a concert and made Purcell's music the theme for my workshop during the week and was very impressed that lots of the students had a go at some of the devotional songs of Purcell despite not really knowing much about him or having great access to his music. We stay in the monastery at Zeliv, which is a perfect location for a course on Sacred music, and the whole week has a remarkable atmosphere about it. After, a concert at the Utrecht Early Music Festival and then home to the beloved winks. It was great at both events to see so many old friends. It really is quite a thing to have all these friends dotted round the place. But you never know when or even if you'll ever see them again!
This time I found it particularly hard to be away from winks, though I know they had a great time with Spouse and Grandparents. I think it's something to do with knowing what's coming up in the diary. I know that I have to leave them again a few times this autumn, and one of those times is for too long. I hope after Christmas that I'll be able to slow the work down a little. More on that later. In the mean time I've a very busy autumn with a lot of concerts and a recording in Cologne.
Being home is just great. I've postponed E going to preschool... I don't think she's quite ready and I think that we need to wait until a period when I'm home a little more.