Our friend Elizabeth gave us a set of Christmas crackers that each have a mini-bell inside. The set comes with some simple tunes written out by numbers, for post-dinner tune-ringing fun. So we gave it a try, and managed to play a few tunes, with help from my sister to correct the mistakes in the supplied notation. These mini-bells are smaller than the ones I have converted to proper clappering, so now I have another challenge, to convert the smaller set and produce an ultra-light eight which might also work to augment the existing mini-bell set.

The other part of the crossover was that while we were staying at my mum's, her tune-ringing friends Alan and Wendy came over to talk to Tina about setting up a website for their handbell group. Alan and Wendy are also change-ringers, mainly on tower bells but also on handbells, so we invited them to stay for some ringing. We had a nice little session, during which Dorothy rang a course of Bob Minor for the first time, with a little help, and Thomas rang courses on the trebles and tenors. Dorothy is keen on joining the Scottish Association, which provides for membership on the basis of handbell ringing, the required level being a course of Bob Minor on the trebles or tenors. That seems within reach now; it's just a question of finding time to fit in some more practice.