Many good years

Today this trusty old blog becomes archive-only as it is time to wind it down. I will leave it online as it is a lovely record of much good T'ai Chi from 2006-2023, that's quite something! Thank you to everyone who has read or contributed to this blog over the years. The internet was such a different place then, how things have changed...

Links and info updated 02/11/2024.

In a bid to follow the Classics and simplify life, lessen entanglements and reduce stressors, I am pulling in some of my tendrils in the online world, to concentrate on the roots: real lived life. T'ai Chi informs every aspect of my life and continues to transform every aspect of it in sometimes obvious but more often subtle ways. I spend part of each week with my flatmate and oldest T'ai Chi buddy Duncan Price, which is a great joy. (He, along with David Hurn and Kevin Grey, were the first students of Mark I met on that blessed day I found the T'ai Chi Centre back in 2000. I walked into the garden at Art of Health and Yoga in Balham, London, and knew I had found 'home'. It is a delight to still be friends with these excellent people.) In the autumn I'll be studying some interesting Nei Gong with Duncan. I am also very happy to say he is now organising monthly push hands events in the South West and is teaching his classes in Bournemouth. 

I still study with Mark Raudva at the T'ai Chi Centre, whenever I can get to London or when he comes to visit in the south west. 

I continue to teach T'ai Chi, Chi Kung and Heartwork, privately at my home and also online, this can be found at greatrivertaichi.com. I have begun teaching Heartwork in the USA, details are at my Instagram along with free Chi Kung that I posted for people's wellbeing during lockdowns, all found here. I recently taught aspects of T'ai Chi and Chi Kung in new and diverse contexts, such as multi-disciplinary workshops, weeklong courses in Davon or with the Dark Mountain Collective. This is heartening and rewarding work. 

The Taoist Classics provide the greatest resource and I am rereading the Thomas Cleary editions for the umpteenth time. I hope to write a few long pieces about the links between Iain McGilchrist's The Master and His Emissary and the states of being described in the Classics, over the winter at my Substack Uncivil Savant, where I write about Tao, the embodied life and art where Earth matters. During 2023, paid subscribers get access to monthly Chi Kung lessons and a meet up at the end of the year. Here's a link to the video of a conversation we had at Iain's home in January 2023. 

I now travel to teach art for a large part of the year, when I am not at home writing the follow up to my debut book Found and Ground. Writing and art have overtaken T'ai Chi as my main livelihood, which is wonderful and always interesting. All my art and teaching can be found at FoundandGround.com and at my Instagram. 

As I personally no longer teach T'ai Chi in Scotland or Sweden since Covid lockdowns and life changes brought that era suddenly to a close, it seems more appropriate for a locally-based newsletter or email round-robin to emerge than to continue this format.

In London I recommend Mark Raudva's classes and events which can be seen at www.thetaichicentre.co.uk. If he sets up a blog or similar, I will add the link here. He has an Instagram but currently does not use it much. 

In Gothenburg, Sweden you can study with Christina Fors. 

Kevin Devine's daytime classes continue in South London, he can be contacted at kevin [at] kevindevine [dot] co [dot] uk

In Aboyne, Aberdeenshire you can study with Anneke Stolte who can be contacted at annekestolte [at] hotmail [dot] co [dot uk

In Kintore, Aberdeenshire you can study with Scott Allan who can be contacted at activeresources [at] sky [dot] com

In Monymusk, Aberdeenshire you can study with Paolo Marioni who can be contacted at paolo [at] greatrivertaichi [dot] com

Kevin Grey provides superb TCM tui na, acupuncture and herbs at his practice in Tooting London. 

I will update this last placeholder post as and when any links or details change, as best I can. 

May I take this opportunity to thank every student who has studied with me, for however long, for their attention and energy. Thanks also to all those who have instructed for Great River T'ai Chi over the years and to those who now run their own classes or schools. May you have as a rewarding and heartening time as I have done. 

You can contact me via my website home page any time. 

Warmest good wishes to all who read this, yours, Caroline Ross.

Great River T'ai Chi School, founded 2002.

Picture, sunset from the end of my road, January 2023.

Warmest greetings to all Past Great River students, wherever you may be.

It's almost 10pm and I have just spent 3 hours going back over almost 18 years of this blog, saving some photos, writing, quotes and links that I have been meaning to gather together for quite some while. I was not expecting to be so moved by seeing all our faces getting younger by the minute, as I scrolled back to when I started this blog in 2005, three years after I officially started teaching T'ai Chi.

If you are reading this, and know me from classes, whether very well, or just for a brief time, then I send you my warmest good wishes and hope that this finds you well and well-loved. How incredible it has been to immerse myself in memories of the wider T'ai Chi family by looking through this blog in its entirety for the every first time. There was the news that I was inviting my teacher to come and teach my students at Drumblair Lodge, Aberdeenshire, in the Winter of 2005-6. Wonderful to know that many of you still practise and teach what you have been learning all these years. This makes me so happy.

I recently heard back from Megan, who used to study with Mark a decade ago, and who remembered me as 'always being there'. Indeed! It was good to be able to share lots of what is in the school's Dropbox, so that she can practice at home, now she is far away. Every year someone drops in at Mark's who used to study with John Kells, as happened last week. Mark told me how relieved and at home the student felt being in his class. 

There are so many people I miss, some moved away, some left, some passed on. Everybody left an impression. Some of my old students now study with Mark or Kevin, others elsewhere, others no longer practise. For those that do, I hope that T'ai Chi brings you a still point in your lives. Since the pandemic stopped me teaching in person in March 2020, I have only taught online, and currently I do not teach at all. After 20 years, it was a good time to take a break. Now, nature, writing, teaching craft and making art take up much of my time, but Central Earth is still fundamental. I am waiting for a dear relative to have a place I can stay in London in the near future, and then I will be able to come and study with Mark at Tuesday and Wednesday classes sometimes, with a quiet, safe place to stay, (which is essential for me, since last year's uprooting events). I plan to be at the November workshop if I can find someone who can put me up. 

I had forgotten how much we had all shared here on this blog, news, poems, classes, photos, comings and goings, births and deaths. I intend to leave this blog here, as long as Google leaves Blogger here for free, I guess. If you'd like to be in touch, my email address hasn't ever changed, so you can find me if you want to. In the meantime I can feel it will soon be time to wend my way back to T'ai Chi classes, though probably not teaching in person. I am going to help Mark record an online course, and see how that goes. I may also do a short one for all the chi kung I teach, as it has been so helpful to my friends with long Covid, which was a bit if good news recently. 

I have spent at least 20 years in rooms with people, wonderful people, whether for T'ai Chi, art, or before that, a decade of music indoors in studios. It feels like a combination of time outdoors, family time, and private time is still what calls me at the moment, for a bit longer. So if I don't see you in person very soon, but you are one of the excellent people I have had the pleasure of just seeing scrolling back through this blog, then may I wish you a very fruitful autumn and peaceful winter. Warmest greetings to you from stormy Bournemouth, 

Caro. 

The drawing board this week, putting the final 

touches to my natural paints book which will 

come out next June with Search Press.

Early Winter Taichi gathering with Mark at Twickenham

 All students are welcome to join Mark at the regular Twickenham venue from 26-18th November, 2022. Cost is £50 per day, sessions run from 2-9pm with an hour's break for food. Get in touch with Mark if you have any questions. 

If anyone in South London knows they are going to all three days and could put me up for the period of the workshop, please do get in touch, I would be very grateful (and happy to pay!) Caro.

Scottish workshops with Mark begin this weekend

From Saturday Mark will be in Aberdeenshire teaching the autumn workshops, followed by 121s with all those who booked one. If you'd like to join Mark, give him a ring, there are still places. 

Wishing a good workshop for all who go.

Summer news

Here's a couple more photos from Mark's workshop in July. Thanks to all who came and made this a great event. The consensus was that Mark should run a 7 day workshop in 2023, (national circumstances allowing). The venue has set aside the week for us and could not have been kinder and more accommodating this year. Thank you Leander Sea Scouts!

Salutations

Kevin assisting Mark

I am away until October, fishing, teaching, travelling and also still recovering form Covid. I have made plans to record online chi kung courses in the autumn with filmmaker Jonny Randall and we will also assist Mark with making online T'ai Chi courses. I have updated the Great River website with all the info from the instructors. If you see anything that needs changing, let me know by email. 

Lastly, Mark turns 60 at the end of the month! One of his old students and I will be celebrating with him most likely by going fishing. If you need his address for any cards, just drop me an email and I'll send it to you. Thanks to those who have already asked about it.

Have a great August, see you in the autumn. Very best wishes Caro.

The long-awaited 15th Annual summer intensive

Dear friends, at last we are able to announce The T'ai Chi Centre 15th annual summer intensive. It will be a four day event this year, to ease everyone back gently into the workshop habit. We were not able to afford the newly refurbished Petersham premises any more, and the dates we wanted were not free anyway. Our recent venue in Kingston have kindly moved a booking for us to have our preferred last week of July slot and have not raised their prices, for which we are grateful. 

Here are the details so far.

Dates: 2pm Saturday 23rd July until 9.30pm Tuesday 26th July 2022

Times: 2-5pm and 6.30-9.30pm daily

Cost: £50 per day, £25 per session. (Concessions £24 /£12) or anything between these that you can afford.

Address: Leander Sea Scout Hut, Albany Mews, Kingston Upon Thames. (No entrance from riverside, Lower Ham Rd.) Local parking restrictions may apply. No parking at venue. 65 bus stops very nearby. Train: Kingston, 20 min walk.

Food: Bring your own food for the break between sessions. Tea and soft drinks provided.

Nearer the time we will know if anyone can stay in the venue overnight. For now it is best to assume not. We have the venue from 12 noon Saturday until 10pm Tuesday. 

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all who still peek into this little portal. I hope you had a great Hogmanay and that the year ahead brings you joy and connection. 

I am tucked away until July 2022 writing a book on natural paints which was commissioned by a great UK publisher. I'll also be teaching with Dark Mountain Project, Schumacher College and Dartington Trust this year. Taichi classes with me continue online only each Tuesday morning as I have decided to take the sabbatical that never happened, as I don't call 'being unable to teach during a pandemic' the same thing as a conscious break from a beloved livelihood.

Classes with Mark resume next week in London, and classes with all of you in Scotland are publicised locally and here. If anyone teaching in Aberdeenshire would like me to put the class info on the Great River website and Instagram, just email me the details and I can put it up in minutes. 

In the meantime my personal Taichi practice remains outdoors, under a spreading oak tree, back where I used to do it, 35 years ago. Other than that, I am keeping myself to myself and looking forward to turning 50 at the end of the month. All good wishes to you from the seaside. Caro.

T'ai Chi news and classes in person and online

Mark will be teaching one more online class on Monday 20th December then taking some time off until early Jan. As soon as I have dates I'll post them here. 

Tuesday in-person classes will resume in Tooting on 11th January 2022. There is no class on 21st December.

121s are available by Zoom, Skype and in person at Mark's studio.

Caro's weekly Zoom Short Form class resumes 4th January.

Kevin Devine's Short Form class at Tooting Lido resumes in the New Year on 12th Jan.

There will hopefully be a 3 day mini intensive (sat-mon) in January or February, a great suggestion from Chris! If you are interested, drop a line to Mark so we can gauge numbers. 

I wish you all a peaceful and restorative Christmas and New Year.

Love Caro

New Aboyne class

Anneke has a new class starting this week in Aboyne, here are the details:

Tuesdays 9.30-11am starting this Tuesday 2 Nov 21 

At Aboyne-Dinnet Church Hall, Huntly Road Aboyne

drop-in class £10/£12 per class (if group is big enough, I can offer further discount)

come along or drop me an email  anneke (at) hotmail (dot) co (dot) uk

Fetternear Hall housekeeping information

 I’ve visited the hall to see the changes as a result of the refurbishment work and here are a few things you need to know:

There is no longer access into the hall via the kitchen, so please come in through the main front door.

As usual the small hall will be laid out as our dining room - please leave any cold food on the “buffet table” in there.

If you are bringing food that needs to be reheated, bear in mind there is no longer a microwave. If a number of folk need to be reheating/cooking, please agree amongst yourselves who will take care of watching / stirring to minimise the number of people in the kitchen at one time. Where possible, bring hot food through to the small hall for serving.

Update: you can bring food to share or your own packed lunch - whichever you prefer.

There is a brand new urn in the kitchen for teas/coffees (so no more waiting for kettles to boil!). Mugs, milk, sugar and a selection of teas will be available in the small hall.

We will use the hall’s plates and mugs and I will bring cutlery and some basic utensils. Feel free to bring your own plate / mug / cutlery if you prefer.  

We will use the dishwasher in the kitchen rather than washing up by hand. If you have anything you don’t want to go through the industrial-strength machine, then please take it away with you to wash at home.

The notices in the hall stating that masks must be worn apply to events open to the public. You may wear a mask if you wish, and guidance is to wear a mask if <1m from another household. As always I’m sure you’ll be considerate of your fellow students - remember you may not be aware of their personal or household situation and circumstances.

Regarding payment for the workshop, I can take cash on behalf of Mark. Let me know if you are paying by bank transfer and also if you need Mark’s payment details. 

If there is any other information you need I’ll see what I can do to help. See you soon!

one week to the workshop

The Autumn workshop with Mark will start next week, Saturday 16th October at Fetternear Hall. The details are in this post.  If you booked a 121 with Mark, but didn't get my email earlier this week with the schedule, please get in touch and I'll confirm the date/time you are booked in for.

Once I've been to the hall early next week, I'll let everyone know the practical arrangements re food etc by email and put an update on here by Wednesday. If you need any other information, please let me know and I'll do what I can to help.

I'm looking forward to seeing everyone and enjoying our first workshop together for two years.

Aberdeenshire Autumn Intensive

 I’m pleased to confirm the schedule for the Aberdeenshire Autumn Intensive with Mark.

The workshop will be at Fetternear Hall from Saturday 16th to Wednesday 20th October, sessions are 2-5pm and 6:30-9:30pm each day. The price is £22 per session, £12 concession. As usual, come along from the first session and then stay for as many as you like. There may be some limits on numbers of people in the kitchen etc, but I’ll advise everyone of any relevant Covid related requirements nearer the time.

There will also be a Left Side class with Mark on the evening of Thursday 21st October at Monymusk Hall. Time and price to be confirmed.

121s will be scheduled for Friday 22nd through to Sunday 24th October, and will be held at my house. Times are usually 2-4pm, 5-7pm, 8-10pm. If you’ve requested a 121, please let me know when you are/are not available and I’ll put together a timetable to suit.

If anyone needs advice or assistance with travel or accommodation, please get in touch and I'll do what I can to help.  It may be possible to stay with local students, and I also have information on local holiday accommodation.

Summer workshop

Thanks to all 20 folks who attended the summer workshop, and especially thanks to Mark for his great teaching and Chris and Mary for hosting us. Personally, it was exactly what I needed and my entire organism was glad of the pushing hands, Heartwork, horizons and conviviality. Here's a few pics and a special wave to those who could not come along this time. 

making an impression

wabu

love from us to those who couldn't come along

horizons

When Mark is teaching any Zoom workshops this summer, you'll receive an email for the class as usual. In the meantime I am on holiday and on sabbatical. See you in September. Warm greetings, Caro.

Summer workshop changes & 121s with Mark

Here's the latest changes on the workshop.

The 24-27the July workshop will now be held at Holly Rd, Twickenham, at Chris and Mary's place, as it was not possible to host at Hampton Court after all. Please contact Mark by text or phone for further details. Timings and prices are unaffected. Cost will be £45 per day or £25 per half day, by cash, bank transfer or Paypal to Mark. Concession price is £24 per day.

Mark has cancelled the hall booking for the large Leander Sea Scout hut as it is too large for the amount of people who have confirmed they are coming along.

The traditional weeklong workshop is instead 4 days with 3 days put aside afterwards for 121s. If you would like one on 28, 29, or 30th July, just get in touch with Mark to book a slot.

We'll be bringing our own food, rather than sharing, but tea will still be provided. Handwashing facilities and hand gel will be available. If you need details about parking, public transport or whatever, just get in touch with me for Mark's contact details if you don't have them.

Mark is calling it the 2021 4 day Summer workshop. The 'T'ai Chi Centre 15th Annual Week-long Summer Intensive', which was cancelled last year due to Covid, is still postponed, and we hope it will run as normal next year, perhaps at the brand new Petersham Sea Scout hut and field, which has been rebuilt since we were last there, years ago. 

Taichi class updates in London, online sessions and Summer Intensive news.

Mark's Long Form Tooting classes are now running at the usual venue Trinity Church Hall on Tuesday nights 7-9pm. Class last 2 hours, there is as yet no partner work, due to govt guidelines. Class costs £15.

Wednesday morning Short Form at Tooting Bec Lido Pavilion is running. Kevin Devine now takes the class after I moved back to Bournemouth. Class runs from 9-10am, all are welcome. Class costs £10 or £8 for SLSC members. 

Tuesday morning Zoom class with me is running each week 9-10am, all those with some experience of short form are welcome. We do warm ups, chi kung and short form. Email me or fill in the form via the Great River T'ai Chi website for the link. Class is recorded and can be watched at any time, £5 live or recorded.

Mark will continue to teach online Short Form in detail, Long Form and Left Side sessions by Zoom for the foreseeable future, at the usual dates and times he has been using since January 2021. Class prices are £10 per session. Some sessions are available recorded afterwards, get in touch with Mark for details. 

The Summer Intensive will run differently this year for 4 days. Please let Mark or me know if you plan to come. All students of John Kells, of his students, Mark, me and of all our students are welcome.

The October workshop in Scotland and regular classes for the Scottish contingent will resume as soon as lockdown has been entirely lifted. Mark will be taking over all my previous workshops, but rather than monthly, will probably be travelling every 6-8 weeks or so, in arrangement with the Scottish students. 

Online and recorded sessions, resources and classes are available on our Dropbox, if you want access, just get in touch with me. 

Personal news: I have been away for a while recovering from the events of May and my hip condition, doing an art residency, and spending time in the woods doing bushcraft and traditional skills. I am not online as much as I was, but do plan to return when I feel able to. I have plenty more essays and pieces to add to the new website blog. If you are teaching a class and want it to be listed on the website, please email me the details. In the meantime it has been lovely hearing from you by email. I am still practising much Heartwork, short form and meditation, and as my hip musculature improves, the more advanced forms and practices can make their way back into my life. For now, all situations in life are good opportunities for practice, whether or not they looks like T'ai Chi, they certainly feel like it. I have no plans to start in-person classes in Bournemouth, despite a host of great venues. I still haven't had that planned sabbatical, as Covid and then the ensuing events prevented it. Perhaps it will happen now. Very best wishes to all from sunny Bournemouth. 

News

Dear friends, due to the huge fire at my boatyard on Monday and the loss of my studio / storage sheds and over half my belongings, I have decided to move back down to Bournemouth to my dear old taichi buddy / old flat mate's empty flat, overlooking the cliff tops at Southbourne, thus solving a problem for us both. It pains me to suddenly leave The Thames and my locale, not to mention my friends and neighbours, human and otherwise. However, before the end of my mooring tenancy next March, I was already planning to move back on land due to hereditary joint-health issues which are making aspects of advanced taichi impossible, as well as causing difficulties getting on and off my boat. Until I know more from my specialists, this is ongoing. Re the fire, I am physically ok and was insured. I have amazing friends and a large family who are all being fantastic. Although I have lost many 'things', including all my taichi weapons almost all my craft and art supplies, I have what I need, so please don't worry about me.

So, though I am immensely sad to stop teaching in person at Tooting for the foreseeable future, I am delighted that regular stand in tutor Kevin Devine has agreed to take over. I have informed Paulina at the pavilion and hope that she will ok this. Kevin is a wonderful colleague and great instructor. For many years I have stood in for him at his classes when he was away. He has immensely good energy and lovely taichi.

We have heard that classes can resume on 19th May at the lido pavilion. From that date we hope to have the in-person class each Wednesday morning from 9-10am, in place of the Zoom call, as we have only been offered our old slot back, and I was keen for Kev to take it. The Zoom class was originally to replace the Tooting class for a month or two, but we all know how the pandemic went... The in-person class will cost £8 for slsc and £10 for regular folks. Please tell your old classmates that it is back on!

I will continue a weekly Zoom class on either Tuesday or Thursday morning at 9am open to all folks from Mark's or my schools, or our students students, etc. I would like to prioritise the needs of those who cannot make it to an in-person class, due to distance or health, so let me know your status. The class will always still be available for people to watch at home afterwards on Dropbox. If 4 or more regulars wish to continue, I will keep the class running. Online live or recorded will continue to cost £5 per session. You are completely welcome to do both classes as we will both be teaching what we have learned with Master Mark Raudva.

Safety at in person classes: The doors and windows will all be open. Hand-gel and hand wash facilities are good at all venues. You are welcome to wear a mask. We will not be touching until such time as it is allowed again. Bags will be brought into the classroom rather than left outside, and the kitchens are now out of bounds. You can continue to pay electronically if you like, though cash is also fine. 

Any queries, drop me a line.

I will still be organising all Mark's group Zoom weekly classes by email, and the summer workshop too. What will help me most is for students to keep going to Mark's classes, book in-person or Skype 121s with Mark, come along to workshops in person and online and stay in touch with him. Now I live a bit further away, it is harder for me to be on hand in the way I was for 16 years. Personally I am happy to receive emails, but I am not yet up to receiving calls. I really appreciate all the messages of love and care.

When life has settled down and I am able to come visit Tooting again and stay with family I shall come and visit morning class and join in, for fun. I will also hopefully be at Mark's Tooting classes each fortnight or so, as well as all workshops as soon as circumstances allow.

Best wishes to you all from the south coast,

Warmly, Caro. 

Brief pause and news

I am away from home while my boat is being mended and painted so I cannot do much in the way of planning, organising or blogging during this time of dislocation. Zoom class links will continue to land in your inboxes in the meantime. Email me if you want to be added or removed from any lists. I do not have a date yet for when in-person classes at Trinity Church Hall or Mark's studio can resume, but will post them here as soon as I get them. 

I have found a wonderful, affordable riverside venue for evening classes in future, where I live. I taught my Zoom short form classes there the last two weeks and it was lovely, 360 degree river views! Soon I will introduce Mark to the person who runs the space, and hopefully as soon as restrictions allow, we can have spacious, airy indoor space for pushing hands, evening groups, heartwork and occasional Sunday afternoon sessions. Watch this space!

Very best wishes to you all from near the Petersham venue, where I am staying until tomorrow. i shoul dbe back aboard my home on Friday.

Term dates and summer workshop latest

NEWS: Easter holiday. There will be no break in online classes with Mark during the Easter period, as he is not able to go away due to lockdown restrictions - and he lives only 60 metres from the studio! He understands that you might not be able to make it to class over this period, or may want a break, and will make sure no one gets left behind on anything that gets covered. However, as many folks may also be stuck at home, he thought you might like to join him for T'ai Chi anyway.

Summer workshop: I will be meeting the Sea Scouts at Petersham soon to arrange returning to that wonderful riverside venue this summer for the 15th Annual Intensive. Of course we cannot know what, if any, restrictions will be in place at that time, how long the workshop will be, if not the usual full week, and many other things. I went to see the new building yesterday from the outside, it is mostly completed and looks fantastic, airy and big, perfect for rainy days. The outdoor space is still great, big enough for classes and camping even though there is now a cool bushcraft area. The fire site is still there with plenty of wood for bonfires. 

We will provide hand gel and the new venue toilets are going to be clean and accessible, so hygiene will not be a problem. It is likely we would all bring our own packed meals this year and have a rota for serving teas, rather than a free-for-all in the kitchen. But this is all easily doable and so worthwhile. I will post more here when I know more. Last year I also bought a 4m square gazebo for when I moved boat. I will be ideal as a dry store for bags and shoes during the day so that we can stay outside for all but loo visits. Now we just all need our vaccines.

Films of Mark's Left side classes

I have just edited all three lessons so far. I will send the link to the first one with lesson 4. 2 and 3 should be with you already, if you are a member of the class.

February news & Summer workshop planned dates

Classes are continuing online until Easter with Caro and Mark. A link to the recording of last night's left Side class should be available today when I have edited it. 

We are tentatively hoping that the postponed 15th Annual T'ai Chi Intensive will be able to run this year. I will contact possible venues today and hope to have more news at Easter. The proposed dates so far are the usual last week of July (24-30th) with our usual warm-up the night before for partnerwork on eve of 23rd. Obviously everything depends on a certain virus, and on the UK government's handling of it, and on so many other variables. But I am writing this plan here, in the hope that it may come to fruition, and that we will all be able to push hands again soon. 

Perhaps we will need an outdoors venue and covered area, and to have to bring our own packed meals, not to share. We will certainly have lots more handwashing and hand gel applications, and have windows and doors wide open. Maybe tea and coffee will be made by a couple of people each break, and laid out, on a rota, likewise with washing up. We are adaptable folk, us T'ai Chi people, and with humour and a bit of planning, as well as lots of care, there is a good chance we can have our week or at least 3 or 4 days, of workshop.