Finally - I couldn't take the nasty sound they were producing so I ended up doing what I always normally do when I get blisters. (But usually I don't get blisters quite this thick, which is why I was holding off from the doing this...)


It's probably against all correct medical advice.... but I usually file them off with a nail file.


Takes a bit of a while when the skin is that thick, but they would have split whilst I was playing at some point anyway.


I think filing them so there are no edges is safer, as then you are less likely to 'snag' your skin when you are playing.


So, for the first time in years, I have 3 really raw fingertips and that bottle of surgical spirit which I have had hanging around for years is finally coming into use again as I'm dunking my fingertips in there as much as possible.


Luckily only one of them is really sore to play on and I'm hoping it will have hardened by this Saturday when I'm playing the Mozart flute and harp concerto! Not a piece to have a painful right hand 2nd finger, but c'est la vie! I must remember to smile and not grimace whilst playing.


I'm looking forward to Sunday and not obsessing about my fingertips for a while.

These are the most stubborn blisters I think I have ever had. They are just not going down at all and I'm getting really fed up with them now :-(


I had another Carl Davies gig with the RLPO last night. Usual film stuff ending with that sacred quartet of British proms music.


Wood - British Sea Songs
Arne - Rule Britannia
Parry - Jerusalem
Elgar - Pomp and Circumstance March No 1.

​This is the part of the stain glass windows in my local church, St Mary's Church in Sandbach.

Not sure I approve of the left hand position but nice to see his thumbs up!

Yesterday I had my second gig in 4 months where I had to sightread a piece I didn't know in a concert. It was fairly straight forward this time - Mass of the Children by John Rutter - but still it was that heart in mouth moment each time I turned the page of hoping the pedal changes marked in the part were actually correct. All good fun & I suppose it keeps me on my toes - so to speak !!