Saturday followed the normal weekend pattern of Masses with a four hour gap between the Sunday morning and the evening Mass. Last Friday I had received a message offering a Bay Grand piano so after the evening mass I drove to visit the piano. I took Dana with me. She is a professional pianist and could offer a good second opinion. The piano was an Everett (good US make) and built around 1930. It was in good condition and in reasonable tune so it was indeed attractive. I thought I would put it in the soon-to-be built rehearsal area at the church.

I then drove home. I was waiting for the lights to change at one junction when a car ploughed into the back of me. I was able to move and the car did not seem too badly damaged compared with that of the young driver. I called the police and they came and effected an exchange of documents. I learned from them that I should always carry my registration documents with me. Fortunately they did not fine me $103 for my omission. Sometimes it is useful to be a foreigner!

The following morning I rang the insurance company who sent me to an urgent care facility to get checked out. There were no broken bones but muscles in the area of the neck were in spasm and my back was also affected. Then I went into work for a while. I had decided to forego the Baby Grand which had brought me such bad luck and consider instead a digital instrument.

On Tuesday I had many phone calls to make but managed to work until 6pm when I got some unusual migraine-like symptoms. I decided to head for home once these had calmed. Marty Purtell is a very experienced musician who had just retired from a prestigious parish in Tampa. He has been covering for me whenever I am absent and will take a couple of funerals from me this week so that I can rest a bit. we had agreed to meet before the accident happened but in the event he took me out to dinner at a fabulous Cuban restaurant. During the day I had managed to contact a lawyer (a parishioner) who was most helpful.

On Wednesday I appeared for the final school mass of the year. Folk were surprised to see me with my collar on. “What’s the problem?” “‘Flu” I replied. ” A car flew into the back of me”. They laughed politely.

After the Mass I drove my car to be assessed by their insurance adjuster. He predicted over $1000 to repair the back of the car. Then I returned home to rest before choir practice. This went well and I surprised them with my interpretation of the Mozart Ave verum.

This morning I awoke and rested in the house for much of the day. I would be meeting in the early evening to get some ID documents certified for Aviva (pension) and so that Halifax could transfer my share sale proceeds to my UK current account.