It's all gone quiet again, hasn't it?

Yes, but I've been busy.

I've been working out my audition for Music in Hospitals.

Also. on Saturday, my usual busking day, I had to go to a funeral. I was glad to do that, of course.

I've also been writing a talk for the Roy Noble show on Wednesday from the Royal Welsh Show. Guess what it's about? Auditioning for Music in Hospitals, of course.

I did write to them asking if I could busk on the field but they somehow got the impression I was offering to provide entertainment and they declined my kind offer.

Oh well, must get used to being misunderstood when writing simple prose, I suppose.

Don't you realise people will lose interest if you stay in Raglan?

It's alright.

I went to Abergavenny this morning to test the waters.

I had to pay some money into the bank so decided to have a go. There was a spot outside the former Chinese pharmacy so I set up camp there.

At first I was dismayed - there are lots more people than in Raglan, of course, but people find it natural to scurry past or even saunter by without acknowledging your presence at all. This has always seemed rude to me towards anyone - homeless, charity collectors, anybody.

Little by little, a trickle of coin (like that?). I sang a song with a lady who had a learning disability. "I want to see the Bright Lights Tonight." That was a nice moment - the kind of moment you'd like to come back in the last moments. Met a couple of people from Abertillery who go way back.

And, at the end of the hour, £23. That does include a five pounds gift from a well-meaning friend. Thanks! But still, £23.

It's time to do some sums. Petrol money. Lunch money. It's not all that clear that it's worth leaving Raglan.

What do you think?

Why don't you start?

I have now.

I was so motivated by seeing the new disabled toilet that I made a start this morning.

Everybody was thrilled with the new facilities and I made sure everybody at our coffee morning went in to have a look, although I didn't stand over them to make sure they had a go. The actual WC part is very spacious and has baby changing facilities as well as the usual handles and so on. Also, we've somehow managed to enlarge the lobby betwwen the toilets and the kitchen. The whole lot is sky blue and so light . . .

Anyway, just as I was about to go out singing, a lady gave me £20. Great start.

I stood by the post office next to Steph and Shirley who were selling tickets for the Festival next weekend.

"Blowin' in the Wind." What else can you sing to inaugurate a tour raising funds for a toilet?
"Streets of Raglan"
I was fortunate enough to be singing in French when Megan, a former French teacher at the girls' school went by, so we did an impromptu rendition of "L'amour est un oiseau rebelle" - the Habanera from "Carmen"

I told everybody about our fundraising activities - sometimes in song and people were generous beyondd what I thought.

A couple of hightlights - the two people who came up and spoke about disabled relatives and a career working with disabled people respectively.

About £45 on the street and £20 before setting out.

This disabled toilet has been a long time coming. This busking trip, too.

My running total is about £120 now - can't be bad.

Is there no other way?

I am rereading "UK on a G string" by Justin Brown for inspiration.

He is a New Zealander who made a bet over a rugby match with an Australian.

If New Zealand lost, he had to go to Britain and raise the money for his return ticket by busking door to door.

I might have gone busking in Abergavenny today but it was raining hard - I felt sorry for the three kids turning up with their saxophones and music stands for their stint.

I was travelling around with the Grass Routes bus in preparation for my test next week. It was surprisingly intensive. We picked the customers up in Glascoed, Goitre and Usk, went to Abergavenny and then came back for another set of people from Raglan and area. Then we went back to Abergavenny and picked them all up again - twice. There was just time for a bacon sandwich in between trips. What a great service!

I resisted the temptation to burst into song and pass the hat round on the bus.

Plus, I am not really looking forward to those country lanes when I get behind the wheel.

Today?

Not just yet.

Every Monday morning I go in to Raglan Primary School and do an assembly.

We normally do lively songs. There's one I like at the moment with the action of a submarine submerging. Don't ask.

This morning, I decided to have a dry run for Wednesday afternoon when I have to sing live on the Roy Noble show on BBC Radio Wales.

So, I asked if they knew what busking was - they did. I asked who the greatest living songwriter is but they didn't know. Fortunately, one of the staff did, so I sang Blowin in the Wind and Streets of London. The, I made some point about war, homelessness and people's indifference to the problems of others.

I got the staff to pretend to be passers-by and they did a good job, making encouraging remarks, not paying any attention and sometimes pretending to throw money.

Anyway, I glanced into my guitar case - great: full of money! Twenty pence pieces and fifty pences mainly.

Then, when I came to put my guitar away, what a let down . . . PLASTIC MONEY.

Well, that's primary schools for you.

Surely not another interruption?

Yes, I'm afraid so.

Yesterday, Cath Martin of the Roy Noble show phoned up from BBC Radio Wales.

Could I come down next Wednesday at three and be on the programme?

I was already booked in to do the Wednesday Word - a kind of Thought for the Day - the following week and I must admit I was hoping to get away with mentioning the busking trip but this is better. Perhaps they'll let me mention it next Wednesday, too.

So, they want me to sing some typical busking songs. Asked Steve Ashley and he said "Ballad of a Thin Man" and "Like a Rolling Stone" but I think I've already mentioned that they have too many words.

I need to cut to the chase, so "Blowin' in the Wind" and "Streets of Cardiff (London)" it is.

Charlie also suggested writing a song about the busking trip so here it is:

"Busking for Raglan Baptist Church, doo dah, doo dah,
Wherever I can find a perch, oh doo dah day.
Going to sing all night
Going to sing all day
Unless you get your money out
I won't go away."

Oh, the report should be at www.mon-tv.com today

Wasn't it Welsh songs today?

Yes it was but sometimes things happen and you change your plan.

So, yesterday Andy Sherwill of www.mon-tv.com came to the Senior's luncheon.

That was great - cottage pie and veg and rhubarb and ice cream to follow. The disruption caused by the work on the disabled toilet didn't seem too bad, either.

Then, after the lunch we had an interview outside and then inaugurated the busking tour of Wales!

We went down to the Ship (under new management now) and I sang "Is Your Love in Vain". £7.21 made. Can't be bad for one song. If it's always like that I won't complain.

Oh, and one of the neighbours said she'd sent the South Wales Argus report to Roy Noble at BBC Radio Wales. I'm on the show on 2nd June so you never know.

The report should appear at www.mon-tv.com over the weekend.

Any interest yet?

Quite a lot.

The South Wales Argus phoned up yesterday and even sent a photographer up to Raglan.

I just hope it's not going to be another "Rockin' Reverend" story.

The reporter asked me to try and get some people together for the photo so Cheryl, Ian and Julie were available. They talked about their own ten pound projects.

Cheryl has invested in development in Africa - a gentleman buying and selling beans and potatoes. Julie's project is a swimming club. Ian has set up a website to license . . . Was it things he's invented to make life easier for people who use computers? Something like that.

Should appear at www.southwalesargus.com and in the paper in the next few days.

Or you could just search the web for "Rockin' Vicar".

What's it all about?

It's about the parable of the talents.

I gave ten pounds to all the people in our service in Raglan on Sunday 2nd May 2010.

They had to go away and make as much money as they could with their ten pounds.

I'm supposed to get my dough back on 5th October,

As for me, I'm getting a sign made with "busking for Raglan Baptist" on it along with the church website address: http://www.raglanbaptistchurch.org.uk/

I'm going to set out with my guitar in August after a couple of dry runs at the school fete and the music festival. The money I make, I'm going to reinvest in petrol and food and start from Abergavenny, going on to Brecon and then all points west.