not quite the proms but as close as I should ever get

I'm nervous. Very nervous. I don't know why - no actually I do. It's not because we have an inspection coming up in a week or so (we're getting used to those now) and it's not because Northern Ireland are playing Latvia tonight. It's because our harvest service is coming up soon and I'm in the choir.

I've been in the choir for years - I can usually bluff my way about; but this is different. Our church no longer has a permanent music/worship/organist type thing to lead the choir. Different people take responsibility for different services. We are pretty blessed to have so many talented people who can teach us the songs.

This harvest we are being led by a supremely talented young man (I call anyone younger than me young and he was in the year below me at school so he qualifies - just) who tends to push us to our limits. The music he chooses is unlike anything we sing at any other time - sometimes I think we should all be dressed up in costumes and dancing as we sing. Anyway, despite the fact that he claims this one particular song is easier than others we've tried I remain unconvinced that we can handle it. So nervous am I that I recorded our final practice so I can listen to it over and over. You can hear a clip of it there. The loud flat voice would be me as I'm the one closest to the mic.

As you can hear we have a long way to go and only four days and one refresher practice to go. Will we improve? Will I ever hit that high note? Will I post a song to let you see (hear) for yourselves? I'll think about it. Wish me luck anyway.