10th July 2008

Since I last wrote, we have passed midsummer. So it's all downhill to Winter now. The nights will be drawing in, Christmas catalogues will start arriving and shops will start getting festive. Ho hum.

Meanwhile, back on the session front, things are going well in the two camps of Irish and Mixed Lumpy. Last night's Irish Session was sans piper so there was a distinct lack of jokes, but maintaining the educational theme, we all learnt a lot about the Faversham priesthood following a thread that started with Slides. For those who are interested, many of our discussions start this way and end somewhere completely different. This one went Slides and Polkas, small steps, crammed in kitchens, round the room and mind the dresser, local priests against the dancing, local priests (characters), priests here (characters), St Jude's shrine, uses of the various ecclesiastical buildings. We also played some fine sets, revisiting many that we hadn't played for a while.

Saturday saw some of us take part in the Barfrestone Arts Festival which was held over the whole weekend. It was really a session outside the Yew Tree public house with representatives from the Irish and Mixed session and from Deal Hoodeners. No fee, but free food from the Barbecue which was quite nice. It was a typical Kent event. The tiniest village imaginable, in the middle of nowhere with no signposts, holding an Arts Festival (A display of local art in the village barn and some music in the pub). And very pleasant is was too.

I will at this point unashamedly promote the new book of collected tunes called 'Son of Bear Bones' and published in a similar format to the original 'Bear Bones' book of yore. There are some 90 tunes mostly in sets and contributions have come from the Watershed Band (Mike, Ruth and Shelagh), Barbara Kelly, Ralph Jordan, Colin and yours truly with a few borrowings from the old Green Band and Desperate Measures and one set from Flowers and Frolics. A bargain at only £4.50 available at the session and selling like hotcakes.

This Sunday is the Irish session at the Chequers at Challock from 8:00.