Mr Sparkler: temporary retirement – incoming new knee!

Well folks – you won’t be seeing me about for a few weeks. The Luton and Dunstable NHS Trust are fitting me with a new knee. The old one(s) started giving me trouble eight or so years ago, following chemo-immunotherapy. It’s not kept me from cycling, singing and living fairly normally; apart from walking.

Thank God for the NHS – I’m so grateful as privately this would set me back fifteen grand. I would need to return to employment or really up my game in the music business and sell some songs! No final salary pensions here – thank God for the DWP.

I have no way of forecasting when I’ll be back. Once recovery substantiates I should have a better. Idea.. I guess I’ll be the Crooner on Crutches; more like Long John Silver than Johnny Cash!

Singing in Residential Care homes has given me the best sense of purpose pleasure (and some pain) for well over twelve years. I’ve made some odd repertoire and equipment choices during that time. For the last couple of years I’ve smoothed out some of the wrinkles of my service. Some personalities and homes have gone along the way – but I can (nearly always) feel the reflected joy as our singing brings back good memories.

Busking was also a great experience. The good folk of Luton, all ages, diversity of status and ethnicity seem to enjoy a bit of light music and dug deep in their pockets. The beneficiaries- The Stroke Association, Luton Loves Music Hates Racism (LLMHR) and Luton Foodbank jointly benefited from about £300 or so.

So the break the habit of a lifetime; I’ll shut up and let us all get on with our day.

See y’all soon: when the weather is warmer and dryer. Best wishes,
R