This year’s Autumn tour of England was small and beautifully formed: More of a “Tourette” sandwiched between bouts of recording and a performance At the B.B.C. Scottish Traditional Music Awards at Edinburgh’s Queen’s hall – from many queens, one hall.

The first week of recording commenced on the 2nd of November with the arrival of Pat from Madrid whereupon we disappeared into the Temple Records tea mountain, endeavouring to be creative. Needless to say this was, as always, an enlightening experience full of tales of great hilarity so it is all the more unfortunate that they cannot be conveyed due to the secret nature of this mysterious process - If we told you we would have to kill you. Saying that there is always time for a few curries and the odd tune in Edinburgh and we are just the boys for an odd tune. The requisite trips to Kushi’s and the mighty Kebab Mehal were made and reconfirmed the truism that one cannot go far wrong in Edinburgh provided you eat near the Central Mosque.

Tuesday 9th November
After an intense week at the Tea, we make our way down to Kendal in the lake district – home of the famous Mint Cake with which I am told you can “Climb Mt. Everest.” I fail to fully grasp this particular claim but some things are truly self-evident and are best left outwith the the unpleasant grasp of reasonable critique. The gig at the Brewery Art Centre was great as always and very full.

Wednesday 10th November
The first fry-up of this jaunt is noteworthy in that it is a buffet. Not so odd when sifting through the decks of bacon, piles of black pudding, and pools of beans, However one could not help but be at the very least taken aback by the tray of Fried eggs piled high. I was fairly early to the trough and I must say the eggs held up fairly well i.e. they were soft. Presumably if one preferred a harder yolk then that diner would approach the buffet at a later time. This of course begs the question “ is the tray full of raw eggs first thing in the morning?” No amount of Mint Cake could clarify this quandry and luckily it was time to make our way to Darlington.