My guitar - and me...

Decided to take a photo of my trusty guitar with me reflected in its shiny surface, just for something different! Our singing performance went well this afternoon and was much appreciated. The guitar feels like an extension of me when I play it to sing along to - I'm not the world's best player, having hands that are really too small to play proficiently, but I do love playing. I first got a guitar when I was 17 - I remember going to the shop to buy it with my own money, as I'd started work by then. I think it cost £6. To start with I used to play and sing folk songs, then I went on to Christian music once I was attending a church and was quickly drafted to play in the music group! This guitar is my fourth one - I have got rid of all the others except my last one, which was a second hand Hagstrom and was still going strong but became too heavy for me to manage. I'm fond of it though, so am keeping it for the time being. The one featured in this photo is a Yamaha dreadnought guitar, so still fairly heavy - but I love the sound of it. It also has the advantage of a narrow fretboard for my short fingers. When I see the ease with which people with long fingers play guitars it makes me a bit envious, but at least I can play, and my playing is appreciated...so I will carry on as long as I am wanted!

Thank you to everyone who expressed concern about my painful back - I was careful yesterday and stayed home and used my heated blanket pad and it was remarkably better today. I was without pain for most of the afternoon, and just had to take a couple of paracetamol when I got home.