Being Friday the 23rd day of January, 2015 ...

We arrived to discover the hall decorated with jolly bunting ...

Moseley, the rock-hopper was feeling lonely.

This was in anticipation of a grand re-opening celebration to be held by the Guides on the morrow.

Here is one of the curtains in the
new Centenary Room that was
partly funded by our club.

If you carefully study the following image, you will notice that we are mentioned in dispatches ...

Now, that's enough of this self-congratulatory nonsense.
What did we do?

We were pleased to welcome Berry back in our gathering directing operations with his usual sensitivity and charm.
Here he is ...

Paul sang about an amorously-induced cardiac dysrhythmia ...

Les pondered: "... it's the way she used her thighs." ...

Dogsbody sang about two fatal snow-storms ...

Sheep in Snow; William Worthington Jolley, 1906.

Angela purchased a rural hostelry using the profits of some extra-marital activity ...

Hear Kate Rusby by clicking here.

Mike recommended that one should not be encouraged to enter the water accompanied by anthropomorphic temptresses ...

The top half may be OK, but ...

Something that Phil performed led to unsavoury conversation about dogs' bottoms ...

Dogsbody can't remember why.

The day dimmed.
Roger sang 'Good Night' to Irene, (but Irene wasn't there,) so we all joined in!

Being Friday the 16th day of January, 2015 ...

No club this evening.

Let's listen to this anyway ...

... in hopes for better weather.

Yes, we will all be back next Friday, 23rd.

... and we'll all be a little older!

Being Friday the 9th day of January, 2015 ...

On this day in the year of the Lord MDCCCVI the body of Admiral Lord Nelson was interred in St. Paul's Cathedral ...

England expects ...

One contemporary (French!) artist with a vivid imagination later speculated that Nelson was beatified ...

The Apotheosis of Lord Nelson;Scott Pierre Nicolas Legrand,circa 1818.
If that's what having your body preserved in a cask of brandy does for you
... bring it on!

Others made up songs about him ...

Molly came in early to deliver a gift for Roger ...

"... for services rendered," explained Molly.

There was an encouraging turn-out of 24 enthusiastic human beings.
"Who's in charge?" people kept asking.
"I don't know," replied Dogsbody in some embarrassment.

Musicians were impatient to strut their stuff so, belatedly, (at 20.32 hours of the clock,) Dogsbody reluctantly occupied the seat of authority.

For 'director' read 'incompetent facilitator'.

His reluctance rapidly diminished as music of supreme quality was shared.

Sylvia played her dulcimer ...

Image deleted at request of the performer.
(Something to do with modesty.)

Paul H. brought along this glittery instrument ...

... and he played it rather well.

Les celebrated the 80th birthday of this folk(?) legend ...

Glory, Glory ...Elvis lives!

We welcomed John, new to our gathering, who possibly found us by unfortunate accident.
He delivered an instructive astronomy lesson ...

Lucy, accompanied by Roger and Mick, gave a most engaging and melodic account of a Scottish queen's tragic demise ...

Here's Sandy Denny with Fairport ...

... and Lucy et al done it better!

Mave brought words of comfort from  a 14/15th C. mystic ...

All shall be well,
And all shall be well,
And all manner of thing shall be well.

We all had homes to go to.
Courtesy of Roger, we departed before the wrong side of midnight.

Please remember this:
We will not be able to meet next Friday, 16th.
Thereafter our tenancy of the Guide Hall on Friday evenings is assured for the foreseeable future.

Being Friday the 2nd of January, 2015 ...

Yes, it's a New Year!

Remarkably, sixteen people felt sufficiently recovered from the season of over-indulgence to attend The City Folk Club.

Dogsbody commenced with a seasonal mudley on this bizarre instrument ...

"Those high notes resonate with my hearing-aid,"
remarked Bob.

Angela had a suggestion for inclusion in Tony's bestial repertoire ...

We like fresh fried fillets of fried fish.

Owen was interestingly obscure with a metal-folk offering ...

It worked well acapella and we look forward to episode 2 on Owen's next visit.

Conor took us to Tasmania ...

Click this link.

Elayne offered to sell bread-crumbs for a small sum ...

We think this might be where Mick spent Christmas ...

That's in the foothills of the Brecon Beacons.

Angela sang a very long song ...

That contributed to two accounts of at least twelve humanoid deaths.
Thanks to Roger, there is one less fiery dragon left to roam the Earth, and a fair maiden is spared ...

"I wish I was a maid again,"
sang Molly.

Now for the serious stuff ...

We received a card from Pat Ware, (Guide Hall bookings-person, secretary and Hon.Treasurer for Friends of Guiding.)

The text appears thus ...

Annual Report ...

2014 was a good year for the City Folk Club, although, OK, the protracted refurbishment of the Guide Hall was marginally disruptive.

We achieved one aim of making minimal profit; even zero would be fine.

(We are about music, encouragement and good company ... not profit!)

666 bodies attended throughout the year, giving an average weekly attendance of 15.14.

That pays the rent, but let us not be complacent.

Please keep coming along, regularly or occasionally, because it's you that makes the club work.

Just things to remember ...

We will meet as usual on Friday, 9th January, but we are excluded on the following Friday, 16th,

After that, all is well for the foreseeable future.