Being Friday the 20th of February, 2015 ...

On this day in 1626 John Dowland, English composer and lutanist, was assumpted into lute-players' final repository ...

OK, nobody sang that.

It was a slowish start, so Bob took the opportunity to acquire some pearls of Berry's wisdom ...

See how attentive Bob is to Berry's generous instruction.

There being only five available tables we had a pentagonal set-up ...

Someone asked, "Is there occult significance to this arrangement?"

Angela was in the chair.
In anticipation of a gig, Angela, Paul, Roger and Lucy went through some of their engaging repertoire.

Tell us about the gig then ...

Angela, Paul and friends are being spotlighted at The Willows Folk Club in Arundel on Wednesday, 25th March.

Shall we all go?

Tony sang something truly gruesome ...

The worms crept out and the worms crept in ...

Courtesy of Ken, there was psychopathy ...

... which he followed with a very amusing account of an elderly dominatrix with a whip, a rope and loose dentures ...

Mabel hasn't weathered well; she's eighty-four next week.

There was one suicide and two accounts, (well, three ... if you include Tony's  cat,) of grave digging ...

Dig my grave both wide and deep.

Mave invited us to join her in tending to root vegetables ...

I be a turmot hoer,
From Wiltshire I did come ...

Conor sang about a Biblical figure ...

Holy Moses.
No, that's Charlton Heston.

Not withstanding all the above, we departed with peaceful, easy feelings ...

Thank you, Lynda.

... and thank you, Angela, for looking after us.

... and to everyone who came along.

Sale of desirable antique chairs ...

Here's an offer you can't refuse ...

Yes, the Guides are acquiring some new chairs, so they need to sell off about 100 of these vintage pieces of furniture.

Being foldable and stackable they won't occupy too much room in your loft; ideal for occasional parties, or when the extended family invades.

Just imagine how they'd look if decorated in shabby-chic!
The splits in the seats simply add to the charm.

You can select as many as you want of the most bottom-polished ones.
Leave £5.00 cash, or multiples thereof, in an envelope in Mrs Ware's pigeon-hole, or cheque payable to Friends of Guiding in Regnum District.

Being Friday the 13th of February, 2015 ...

Notwithstanding superstitions about bad fortune, Friday and the number thirteen, Paul took charge and reminded us that the morrow would be the feast-day of a third century Roman saint ...

So he opened with a song about birds and bees ...

We continued with a number of songs about love: found, lost, unrequited, fulfilled - and otherwise.

None of us, however, felt inclined to accept an invitation to ritual foot-washing ...

We were pleased to welcome Patrick again.
He sang about the injurious effects of an antisocial habit ...

Smoke, smoke, smoke that cigarette.

Tony sang about toe rags round blistered feet ...

Yes, it really is time that Dogsbody acquired
some new socks!

Conor and Colin engaged in conversation about the so-called Irish Pirate Queen from Clew Bay during Elizabethan times.
Nobody is quite sure why, but here is a delightful image of Granuale, AKA Grace O'Malley ...

The number of deaths sustained by the Spanish Armada remains uncertain, but we had account of at least one unlikely maritime procreation.

There were three trains!
Here's one ...

City of New Orleans.

 and even one Railway Hotel ...

"Sorry, dear, it was the best I could do!" sang Phil.

Now, who remembers this evocative film theme from 1960?

Les did and sang a song about land ownership ... (and they still squabble in the Middle East!)

Then all men and women sang ...

and we went home.

Being Friday the 6th of February, 2015 ...

Just to jog your memories, here are a few images relating to our activities ...

Paul had us 'steal away' ...

There is interesting and unsubstantiated conjecture that this song had coded instructions for African slaves seeking to escape from bondage in the US via what was known as the underground railroad.

Escape at Sunset
Janice Huse

Lucy had the blues about this timepiece ...

.

Tony said farewell to an Aberdeenshire home to undertake an unsavoury profession ...

Paul took us to sea as well.
We got very wet in this craft ...

... but we landed high and dry.

Roger, following an apparent theme of maritime journeys, charmed us with an account of a most unusual inter-species amorous relationship ...

"Now, dear, where did you put the runcible spoon?"

Then, there was a better home awaiting ...

We sang/played it much more sweetly, so we went home!

Being Friday the 30th day of January, 2015 ...

Kindly forgive the blog administrator for choosing only two of several highlights from the evening ...

1.) Mick bravely fiddled his way through this classical piece ...

Bravo! Mick, unfortunately Sarah Chang is much prettier than you.
"Was that Intermezzo from Cavallieria Rusticana?" asked Dogsbody.
"No!" Mick replied, "Why don't you do your homework?"

2.) Lynda offered this delightful song ...

"Is that a death?" we pondered.

Item for consideration ...

Being few in number, there was time to discuss the possibility of occasionally adopting an alternative format for our meetings ...

It has been suggested that we might offer to 'spotlight' certain performers: maybe 15 minutes, or three or four songs/tunes.

One participant accurately observed that we already do that because collaborations regularly perform consecutively.
Indeed, to date, has been the nature of our beast.

There was disquiet in other quarters in anticipation of the 'why-not- me' syndrome.

Then there was, "Who decides ...  how and why?"

If you have views on this proposition, (or if you'd like prolonged exposure,) please feel free to comment on this post, or email cityfolkclub@gmail.com.

Just remember this: nobody gets paid!

Your opinions are important!

Update, 9th February ...
One participant said something like, "Why bother?"
Two emails conveyed a resounding 'NO'.

We parted amicably, in some holiness, humming, (very quietly!) this melody ...

Words by Sarah Doudney, 1871
Tune: Ira D Sankey, 1884
Pub: Sir John Stainer, 1840-1901