What, back already?

Yes, it's like this.

I set off early and started singing in Abergavenny. I must admit, I was euphoric after about two songs because money was showering in. One lady said, "Didn't I hear you on the radio?" Saw some people from Abertillery. So, I'd made probably about thirty-five pounds in a ccouple of hours. Saw a few people from Abertillery, so that was great.

Then, I decided to go to Brecon. Had to pay to park for a start. Only a pound but, still. Plus you had to put in the last three "digits" from your registration number. What they meant was "letters", I reckon. Very irritating.

There were quite a few people around but it was quite hard to tell where there was any concentration of people to speak of. Had two falsish starts - about four songs for a ccouplle of pounds. Then, I asked a local for advice and she directed me to the entrance to the indoor market.

The acoustics were really great in there - a wooden roof - but that didn't really translate into anything much. Had a great chat with a bloke who'd been to the Abertillery Blues Festival. Sand for about an hour for about five pounds.

Then, I decided to have lunch and that was £1.80 out of the five pounds kitty in Brecon. Then it started to rain really hard with more forecast. So, I was a bit discouraged and decided to come home at that point. Petrol money to be considered as well.

Is this viable, I asked myself? Made fifty pounds in Raglan this morning with lots of good chat with the locals and not much sense of the same people giving over and over again. Decided to start singing "Don't think twice, it's all right" and the sublime "last thing on my mind" by Tom Paxton.

I think I will have another go later in the summer.

Went to the Monmouth Festival in the evening. Got some brownie points with the kids by pointing out the lead singer of the Automatic in the crowd milling around. They were pretty good, I thought but they're not the same without Pennie - obviously. First became aware of them on the Adam Walton show long before Monster came out. Began to sing it at youth club and promised the kids they'd soon be familiar with that chorus!

And the latest?

Well, I didn't get onto the Music in Hospitals thing. As I suspected, they didn't like me talking to the imaginary inmates during my songs and thought I should have dressed in evening dress to play Dylan covers. Funny old world.

On the other hand, the busking continues to go well. Fifty pounds last Saturday morning, talking the total to about £500.

Also did an open mike with Rachel last week in the Ship in Raglan. Her usual guitarist wasn't about so I learned half a dozen of her songs and played them. Had a good time. There's another one tonight. Don't know if I can face another one so soon, though. Not when television has reached such a highly developed level of entertainment.

Reminds me: I Said to Charles Fountain after the Ship, "These open mikes are conclusive proof of evolution. At the age of fifty everyone has developed a distinctive style and repertoire and is now fossilised in that."

Why are you always talking about money?

Well, it's going quite well, really, so I am a bit excited.

Yesterday morning I did just under an hour in two goes on Raglan High Street and made sixty pounds.

This afternoon, I went down to the Usk Open Gardens open-air service and busked outside as people went in. First time outside the village.

I think the numbers were a bit down but that's not suprising considering kick-off in Usk was at the same moment as England started their World Cup match against Germany.

Did about forty minutes before the service and about ten minutes after and came away with forty-five pounds.

So, over a hundred pounds for the weekend.

This morning I gave my third hundred to the treasurer, bringing the parable of the talents total to about £560 in the bank.

I am excited but there are more interesting things to talk about than money, I agree.

Any immediate plans?

Yes, I'm going to be busking at the Raglan VC Primary School Fete this Saturday, 19th June.

Before that, I intend to take my guitar and sign to Cwmmera to busk at the Rural Churches Fellowship Rally. Just hope I can make myself heard over all those rally cars.

Then, I want to go to the Usk Open Gardens on 27th June.

So, all in all there are still some opportunities round here before taking to the open road.

By the way, I know there are several people reading this who are not yet "Followers" and who don't "Comment". It would be great if people could declare themselves by doing one of those things. Look forward to hearing from you.

Are you doing anything at Raglan Festival?

Just did.

We had the magnificent Devil's Violin Company at the chapel tonight. As usual, Daniel, Oli, Luke and Sarah did a fabulous job, weaving together stories and tunes. There were loads of children there but they didn't lose them for an instant. What a great advert for the power of story-telling even in a video age.

So, I sang outside with my busking sign and then processed in singing Blowin in the Wind. I improvised a little blues:

"Woke up this morning, found I had a disabled toilet to pay
Woke up this morning, found I had a disabled toilet to pay for
So all you praying people - that'll give you something to pray for.

Woke up this morning, found I had seven and a half thousand pounds missin
Woke up this morning, found I had seven and a half thousand pounds missin
But let me tell you people, at least we've got something to . . . show for it."

Result? Forty-two pounds!

I was able to give a hundred pounds to the treasurer and the grand total is up to about £160.

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.

Wait! What is the money for, exactly?

If you read this blog, please become a "follower" - side bar to the right. Also, take the time to comment.

I'm glad you asked about the money because the work begins today.

Here at Raglan Baptist we have two buildings - a chapel from the 1860s and a converted house from who knows when. We call this the Fellowship Centre.

Both buildings are at full stretch now.

As well as Sunday services, we have keep fit and dance classes in the chapel.

In the Fellowship Centre, the list is long and constantly changing.

Raglan Rhythm and Rhyme caters for babies and toddlers
Delight is for Infants - games and Bible stories and singing
Fortified is for Juniors - ditto
Friday youth club for Secondary school students

Women's Institute
Ladies' Fellowship
Bible study and prayer group
Seniors' luncheon club

Welsh playgroup
Welsh Conversation
Music Appreciation
Fat Fighters
Coffee pot
Friends of Chernobyl Children
Raglan Saturday Singers
Holiday Club

We have a versatile and hard-wearing set of premises but, boy, do they need refreshing!

We also need a disabled toilet and baby-changing facilities.

So, today, the workmen are going to be knocking the gents and ladies into one and ripping out the plumbing and putting in new fittings and redoing the walls. Well, today and the next three weeks.

When all of that is done, we are going to redecorate and the Fellowship Centre will be ready for the long haul.

Hence the Parable of the Talents. And hence the busking round Wales project.

Donations gratefully received at
Raglan Baptist Church
Usk Road
Raglan
Monmouthshire
NP15 2EB
UK

Welsh songs tomorrow

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 are other people doing?

This Parable of the Talents idea has caught people's imagination.

People are getting together and making:
Cakes
Cards
Soup and bread

There's a computer whizz setting up a website. Sorry, don't know the address yet.

Somebody who's fired up by development issues is going to lend my money to an organisation in Africa. Details at www.myc4.com

Best of all, people are talking together about their projects.

Why, people are talking together so much, we may be able to form the next government!

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.