Yet Another First!

About a couple of months before I was due to have my knee replacement I was phoned by the secretary of Pudsey St Lawrence and asked if I could play for two weddings. The first one was two weeks after my operation, and I said that I wouldn't be able to play for this one, as I would not be able to drive so soon after my operation, but the other was to take place today (Friday 26th July) which is about six weeks after surgery, so I took a calculated risk and said "Yes, I'll be able to play for the wedding on Friday 26th July."

If you know the layout of St Lawrence Pudsey, you will be aware that there is a long footpath from the road to the church door, and to gain access to the organ requires that you climb three steps and then swing your legs over the organ bench. Walking the length of the drive with a music case full of music and also having two walking sticks to control can be a trifle chaotic, so I persuaded the good lady to accompany me and carry my music brief case for me.

We arrived with plenty of time to spare, only to be greeted by the organ tuners who were completing tuning the instrument! when they had finished I clambered up the steps and swung my legs over the organ bench. I found playing the instrument was quite straight forward, but what I hadn't reckoned with was that the bride would be in the region of forty minutes late!

I can comfortably manage about 50 minutes in any one position before the operated knee starts to stiffen, so to help matters I will then either have a walk about or change position. Neither of these options are particularly easy when you are seated infront of a congregation, and in full view of all who are in church!

View of the organ pipes from the organ console, which is situated at the front right of the church.

Unbeknown to me the Bride was to be 38 minutes late arriving at church, and I had started playing music for the guests, before the Bride arrrived at 1.28 pm The wedding was scheduled to start at 2.00 pm. By the time the service had concluded (at around 3.18 pm I had been sat on a very hard wooden organ bench for 110 minutes! My knee felt like it was dead, and it was with great difficulty that I managed to crawl off the organ bench, down the three steps and on to the church floor!

Luckily by the time I had taken half a dozen paces I was beginning to get some feel back into my knee! When we drove into Pudsey I said to Dot I'm going to celebrate the first wedding played - and I wonder if you can guess how I did that???

Yes, you've got it in one!

I called in a couple of charity shops and purchased four CD's!