I spent Monday making and fitting a bridge to the mandolin I’ve been repairing. I’d originally intended to use the laser cutter for the outline, but there were no times free so I did it by hand with a coping saw and carving knife. It probably didn’t take much longer, because the part that takes ages is setting the height. If it’s too tall, it’s difficult to play. But if it’s too short, it won’t even make a clear note. And once you’ve made it shorter, you can’t make it taller again.

Tripod bridge on a flat-top mandolin. It's made of dark wood with a white strip at the top.

Hand-carved tripod bridge

However, it’s a procedure I’ve done a few times now, and it all went to plan. The instrument is now easy to play and sounds lovely, and it’s ready to go back to its owner.

Some friends had a spare ticket for the London Philharmonic Orchestra playing Prokofiev’s _Romeo and Juliet at the Royal Festival Hall, which worked out well as L— was away in Newport for a conference and we didn’t have to fight each other for the ticket! The weather was unseasonably mild and I walked all the way there along the river.

The full programme consisted of a UK première of Contested Eden by Lena Frank, Walton’s Cello concerto, and excerpts from Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet. Gemma New conducted, standing in for Elim Chan who was ill.

I didn’t know New before, but I’m an instant fan. She conducts in a kind of expansive interpretive dance that’s a delight to watch as well as hear. During the Death of Tybalt it seemed as if she was trying to run him through with the baton herself.

As I sat on the sofa on Saturday evening, passing the time while L— was out at a university reunion dinner by noodling on the ukulele as I watched a video, the doorbell rang. “Do you want to come and see the lantern procession?” asked my friend.

I had wondered what the drumming I’d heard earlier was. I grabbed my coat and hat and we walked over to Russia Dock Woodland to watch the tail end of proceedings. It was very well attended, which surprised me as I hadn’t seen any advertising for it.

It seems that Saturday’s event was a subsidiary to the main Illuminate Rotherhithe procession this coming Friday.

My mobile phone battery is now officially dying:

Due to a potential battery overheating issue, battery capacity and charging performance are reduced, and battery replacement is recommended.

You can allegedly get the battery replaced “at no charge” but I bought my phone second-hand and it’s running GrapheneOS and perhaps that’s why when I filled in the form Google told me to go fuck myself:

As we reviewed your eligibility for the Pixel Battery Performance Program. Unfortunately, after careful review of your submission, your device has been determined ineligible for an appeasement. As a result, we have rejected your request.

Please believe me when I say this decision is not made lightly, and I sincerely regret any inconvenience or hardship this may cause you. Your experience matters greatly to us, and it pains me to deliver such news.

Fun detail: the email came from “John B” at the Google Support Team.

Some links: