Solo no. 1, and planning for Leeds

[stapsdoes101things]

It took me three years to work up the nerve, but: on Thursday, when our musical director was handing out solo verses in the responsorial psalm, I asked for one. And I got it. And, on Sunday morning, I sang it. I actually have no recollection of what it sounded like, but various parties assure me that it was OK.

In the sanctuary I come to you
To behold your glory and might
To know your love is better than life itself
Therefore my lips will praise your name.

I rather suspect that the remaining three will be considerably less terrifying.

On Sunday I also gave my father a ring, and got some advice from him as to what I should go and look at when I'm in Leeds. (When am I in Leeds? This weekend. I'm going up on Saturday, have Sunday and Monday to do what I like with, and then have a course on Tuesday and Wednesday, going home on Wednesday night. I can do quite a lot in that time.)

It turns out that most of the interesting stuff (houses my ancestors lived in, and so forth) is in Leeds, not Bradford, though I should be able to go to Bradford and find what used to be the works pretty easily. I could also, if I have the time, go to Harrogate and see if I can find 'Melcombe', my great-grandparents' house.

I hadn't realised how terrifyingly wealthy my great-great-grandfather must have been. He seems to have owned a lot of the city at one time (Harehills, the park) and then given it to the city. This gives me a reasonable chance to get a proper look at some of it.

I may find a church to mystery-worship on Sunday morning. I'll certainly take a train over to York at Sunday lunchtime and meet up with a very dear friend. It will be a busy few days, but, in between panicking about how ill-prepared I am, I'm really looking forward to it.

Comments

[nineveh_uk]

Ooh, Leeds! Have a good time. Though should you be in Bradford, pop into the excellent Museum of Photography, Film, and Television (or as they heretically call it these days, the National Media Museum). Your great-great-grandfather sounds decidedly wealthy. Wool?

[stapsdoes101things]

Wool, yes. (Though by all accounts highly principled Quaker wool magnates who never had a strike in their works.) We have come down in the world since.

I hadn't thought of the Museum of P, F, T - which is silly, because actually it seems just my sort of thing. Maybe I'll spend Monday morning in Bradford.

[stapsdoes101things]

... or maybe not, looking at the opening times. Hmm.