Unusual pursuits No 23

A wet afternoon when a splash of dry was promised? School holidays because you live in The East? No obvious entertainment? No problem.

You were going to practise your trombone, but the slide was sticking. A quick trawl online produces advice (a trumpeter, FP of your grandad) and a print-off of the makers’ instructions (cleaning a plastic trombone). We learn that the problem is common in plastic trombones.

So we give the whole thing a wash on the bath. (Lukewarm water only). We marvel at the gunk from deep inside the tubes. A little Vaseline ...

And then we can play. And the afternoon is over. Simples!