Monday 31 July

The phone kept ringing all morning and I had to interrupt my piano practice to answer it, which was most irritating. I am learning the Raindrop Prelude, which is a Romantic piece and therefore very moody, and I would like to perfect it so that I can play it at Rachel when she comes round to meet Mum as surely she must, for we are practically engaged.

First it was Mrs Ramsbotham, then it was the reporter lady from the local paper, then it was someone who said he was from the Daily Mail. I said Mum was still in bed, but he didn’t mind when I said I was her son also Organist and Choirmaster in our local church. He was very interested when I told him I was only 15, and he said that the Daily Mail was very interested in Child Progenies, and would I mind answering a few questions as background in case his Features Editor wanted him to do a piece about me! He asked me a lot of questions about Ken and Mrs Ramsbotham and the PCC and the new choirstalls, and he was really friendly. And just imagine! Me in a national newspaper! I hope Rachel’s family read the Daily Mail. I can just imagine Rachel’s Dad at the breakfast table, saying “Good heavens, daughter – isn’t this the young fellow who wishes to woo you? We must invite him round for tea forthwith and give our tacit consent to your eventual union.”

The Daily Mail man said he couldn’t promise anything, of course, because it wasn’t up to him, but in the meantime he would arrange for the paper to send me a cheque for £25 as a thank-you for my time and trouble!

I think today was lucky because I had remembered that I have to say rabbits as soon as I wake tomorrow.