Thanks, Backwoodsman. To be honest, I don't miss it that much - I'd more or less already stopped playing in public. Now I've even more time to spend in the gym in a vain attempt to regain my youthful six-pack, writing (first poetry chapbook finished and half way through second novel), walking and on my volunteer Tree Health Survey work for the Woodland Trust - and to marvel at just how brilliant my daughter is (and i didn't teach her a thing).

Glad to hear the Lowden is in top fettle - mine needs resetting but I probably won't bother. Daughter wants me to take her to Acoustic Avalon in Leicester in November. Have you ever been - last time I went I had a nice chat with George Lowden, Paul Brett and James Patrick Eggle.