Sometimes you are really ready for a handbell session:  you have done your homework, you managed somehow to leave work on time, you feel fed, relaxed and focused.  When does that ever happen?

Certainly not last night: one of those slightly crazed evenings where nothing quite went to plan, and...

After our successful and unproblematic peal of 4-spliced with Julia, we had a sharp reminder that we really do have a lot of ground to cover to be as competent as we want to be.  Frankly, there is nothing like a bit of minor ringing to really bring the...

The whole of the ringing community has been coming to terms in various ways to the untimely death of Alison Regan.  As the ringing tributes come in, it is clear that she was one of those people who 'influenced a generation', even those who hardly knew her.

She is perhaps...

Some activities are much easier than others to start learning. On holiday in the Isles of Scilly with my sister and her family, the children tried various watersports. Kayaking and sailing are easy to get started on, because you sit in a stable boat and if you do absolutely nothing...

Two things happen during Simon's family reunions:  handbells and croquet (and latterly, some yoga).  We thought we'd share this bucolic image of just about our last handbell ringing before we disappear on holiday, with some rare sunshine.

It's Mobel for us for a spell then, or maybe we just won't...

You spend ages not ringing at all, then several nights come on you at once.  Last night reunited our original foursome, after a long stint of work-related and holiday-related absence.  It had been a while, so the plans were relaxed, and eventually, wine-soaked.

We reviewed some of our methods...

Last night we had a casual handbell session with Josy, which we organised completely at the last minute (the idea of organising anything at the last minute is an immense novelty in our household).

It was a good thing to do because Simon was getting antsy for lack of handbell...

Yesterday was the school awards ceremony, and the handbell club were asked to provide some ringing about halfway along.  So, for the last few weeks of the Club sessions, we have been rehearsing a demonstration for this.  The children planned an ambitious one, including plain hunting on 4, table lapping...

Apparently there is now a psychometric test to measure 'tough-mindedness' or resilience (a term which my informant prefers, and I agree with her).  Although long known in sports coaching, it is a concept which has, I am told, recently entered general employment in, er, employment.

It is the ability to...

After successfully sending our Handbell Club students away happy with their accomplishments, we turned to the more challenging part of the day, which consisted of satisfying various Surprise Major requests, and filling in the rest of the bands appropriately around them.  We had a small number of attenders, but a...