I got a bit beyond the garden today, to our choir rehearsal, having missed five of the previous seven. I'm glad I've sung Rutter's Magnificat before, albeit as an alto not a tenor, and I'm glad I can just about wing it with Mozart's Requiem. I must put in some serious work at home, though, as I can get to only two of the four rehearsals we have left before we all travel to Leiden for the concert.

I can't help wondering whether this household chose their scaffolders by colour.