Accustomed things, unaccustomed people and places.

Sixty four yesterday, not that I seemed to get more than about fifteen seconds to reflect on the fact. The pace of life in our household as so many tasks for our grand railway reopening at Kirkby Stephen pile up on my desk is witnessed by my neglect of 'Little House' over the last couple of weeks. But hopefully the pace will slacken off once the last of the publications I'm working on is 'put to bed' at the printers.

I'm not counting on it though. Yesterday we got Edera's new blue overalls at a local builder's merchants - from Monday she will be helping bolt back together a steam locomotive at Shildon and getting a coat of paint on it.

Still it is fun. And I'm not complaining. AND yesterday I did get a break in the relentless routine, a trip down to Lancashire to see my grandson Tom and visit my mum and then in the evening some singing outdoors at Arnside along with my adoptive UK choir. We make a habit of singing in the open air on Tuesdays after some vigorous hill climbing.

It is about at the limit of my physical fitness. A scramble up Arnside Knott would be pushing the boundaries for me at the best of times at the moment but pausing for some four part a cappella singing on a rainy evening on the way verges on the bizarre. It is fun though, doing accustomed things in unfamiliar places with people you don't know yet.

One thing is sure - singers are singers the world over. If you are into singing you can always find someone to do it with.