Here we are are the start of that second lockdown which we thought we would avert with lockdown 1. March, when we were last able to have an open jam session, seems so long ago and December (how's that for optimistic) before we can even gather in small groups seems so distant. In recent weeks some of us have been able to gather in groups of six outside our struggling pubs to whom which we are profoundly grateful. Never were gazebos so valued by uke players and sadly some of those majestic tents didn't survive the coming of autumn. We were beginning to wonder how long our ever increasingly layered bodies would cope with the diminishing temperatures - but it seems that has been decided for us now.
Sadly, some of our newer venues have already suffered death by a thousand cuts. So far The Red Lion and the Rose and Crown have managed to weather the storm - but it will be difficult even for them over the coming month. Our newest venue The Old Farm Inn has been a wonderful refuge recently and on two (occasionally even three) days a week the legal six have been able to try out new material suitably fortified by ale. And, like the other two pubs they will find this month hard. We wish them all the very best in this struggle.
These last seven months it has been hard to keep in touch with everybody but as far as we can tell we have had no immediate casualties although few of us can say we haven't been touched by loss of a friend or family member. We remain concerned for some of our older players and not seeing them for so long (and for the foreseeable future) is hard. It has been good in recent weeks to see Ken, Yvonne and some of the others and hopefully some time in the future we can all rejoice ukefully having survived this kerfuffle.
It has been sad that we have been unable to gig and hence our support for Hospice at Home Volunteers has been minimal this year.
But, we are only going into 'hibernation', we are determined to pick up from where we left off at some time in the future.
We have said that we won't operate the annual LotSU Christmas dinner as , even if we are released from the shackles of lockdown, we expect that getting together unrestricted this side of Christmas puts a strain on even the most optimistic brains among us.
It was sad to miss out on the annual revelry of the LotSU anniversary this year but along with all our other anniversary gatherings and holidays it got swallowed by that optimistic first lockdown.
Anyway folks all the very best for this second period of lockdown and we sincerely hope to see you all again, suitable practiced, and wonderfully voiced in some not to distant future.
Keith (on behalf of LotSU HQ)
