Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Being Friday the 4th of October, 2013 ...


Being also the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, on this date in 1582, (it was Thursday that year,) Pope Gregory XIII instituted the modern-day calendar by abandoning 10 days from the month of October.

I hereby declare ...
"The morrow shall be the fifteenth day of October."

Historians were thrown into utter confusion ... and remain so.
There was widespread civil unrest as common people believed that the Catholic Church had thereby stolen 10 days from their lives.

Notwithstanding the above, 15 people and a stuffed penguin came along to The City Folk Club to share and enjoy music in good company.
('cos that's what we do so well.)

We welcomed Cindy and Jan who discovered us by some strange misfortune.
They seemed to enjoy the evening.
That was very encouraging.
We hope you'll come again.

Dogsbody, in the chair, using only three fingers, was less than outstanding but everyone else done good.


It's a mandocello, tuned DADG.
We made music.
We were only benignly unpleasant to each other.
Ken said a rude word: hurdy-gurdy!

Roger, quite unnecessarily, apologised for 'over-exposure'.

A theme organically evolved that involved dancing.
(Please understand that our venue has no licence for such frivolous activity.)


Across Texas in 3/4 time.



Paul and Roger had us raptures with this.
Some of us shed tears.

It would be churlish to say any more.
We all went home with good feelings, looking forward to our next congregation: Friday, 11th inst.

6 comments:

London Apprentice and Special Bitter said...

Why not tune your mandocello to a major chord and use a slide? This would obviate the need of all your fingers.

Colin said...

But I like those passing minor chords.
... and what about D 9th aug.?

Colin said...

Now, what's a 'slide'?
Educate me!

London Apprentice and Special Bitter said...

Yeah you have a point with flaky chords like that. To get the monors some people fit one of those specialised tuners that allow you to let down (and pull back up) by a preset amount. Adjusted to half a tone & fitted to the major third note/string would produce a minor chord wouldn't it? Hey why not go the whole hog and get a pedal steel guitar?

Colin said...

Plot lost!
... but thank you for the advice.

Colin said...

Would you like to buy a mandocello?
Or I have a bowed psaltery that needs three strings replacing.
That activity regularly draws blood1