Our second visit to Chidham, 11th August, 2017 ...

Here's the table set-up before people arrived ...

Those chairs are much more comfortable
than the ones at the Guide Hall.

 People arrived prepared for a prompt start at 8.00pm ...

Note the presence of natives of the parish. They constituted 50% of the gathering.

We must be getting something right because Laurie, all the way from Littlehampton, returned to our company.
Here he is playing with the very beautiful Sophia ...

This is a song by Elvis Pretzel.

Notice the pretty flowers that Angela so generously provided to decorate the tables.

A theme developed concerning happiness.
Being a folk music club, where we often relate tales of misfortune, betrayal and death, some of us had difficulty with that.

Ken appeared to be enamoured of animals ...

Mike shared fond memories of nights of sweet repose while staying with Granny ...

Nine feet high and six feet wide ...

Geoff and Anne, joining us from Hambrook, embarked on an historical account of revolution ...

A good sword and a trusty hand!
A merry heart and true!

Then we were treated to the bird-song of megalurus punctatus, a bird native to New Zealand ...

Is my darling still true?

(Well, actually it was yodelling.)

Following this: a duo of mouth-trumpeters!

Mave always obeys her mother ...

Always look under the bed!

Geoff, (of Hambrook. not Lancing,) took us to a railway station ...

... and suddenly all the words I should have said had come.

Dogsbody remembered Bob Copper ...

Angela sent us home, kindly inviting us to take the pretty flowers with us ...

"But I'd like the jam-jars back, please."

Thank you, Angela, and everyone for your pleasant company.

Being Friday the Fourth day of August, 2017 - in Chidham ...

Well, here we are at our temporary venue ...

Dogsbody had endured sleepless nights worrying about this relocation ...

• Will we be overwhelmed by an invasion of curious natives of the Chidham Peninsula with unreasonable expectations of being entertained?
• Will my neighbour bring his grandchild who has a drum-kit?
• Are we to expect small human beings bearing ukuleles?
• How many seats should we arrange?
• How shall we orientate the tables?
• What if Ken and Mave don't come?
• Is Chidham too far to travel for our regular participants?

Such anxiety was a complete waste of emotional energy ...

• Despite prolific publicity, no natives came, albeit we were ready to welcome all-comers.
• We found enough seats to accommodate all 24 participants, including Ken and Mave.
• The arbitrary arrangement of tables was fairly satisfactory.
• The distance was not too great for Geoff, all the way from Lancing, but he'd only travelled West for lunch, and thought he'd pop in before going home. Welcome, again, Geoff!

Moseley was charged with collecting money ...

Moseley did a grand job.
Moseley was also meant to take photographs for the archive.
He forgot!

So, I will not bore you with tedious images referring obscurely to what was performed.
You know what you did so well, and a confidential record of such doings has been committed to the archive, should you wish to be reminded.

I will simply say, "Big thank you!" to all of you who came along and made this one of the best-attended and enjoyable meetings of the year.

As you will know, we have use of the same venue for the next three weeks: 11th, 18th and 25th August, so I hope you will continue your support.

Thank you, again, to all you wonderful people.
May you stay forever wonderful.
Colin.

Being Friday the 21st day of July, 2017 ...

We have known for some time that the Guides are planning to have the kitchen refurbished during August.
The plans are on display ...

Dogsbody arrived to discover an invoice for use of the Guide Hall during July. He became concerned when he found that it did not include next week, (28th.)
Phone call ... "Oh, no, you can't use the hall next week. The builders start on Monday ... earlier than we anticipated."

Undeterred, he got on with the usual business of setting up tables, chairs, toilet-signs etc.
In anticipation that participants might like to prepare hot beverages, he boiled a kettle of water.

Paul brings his own tea-bag, but not a cup.
Paul likes to make tea ...

... and ALL the cupboards were bare!

Thus threatened with dehydration, as there were no drinking vessels whatsoever, Paul nobly occupied the chair of authority.

We commenced with stormy weather ...

I'm going away for a while.

This was closely followed by unseasonal leaf-fall ...

Soon I'll hear old winter's song.

Angela's friend, Anne, played the most delightful flute to accompany Paul ...

Paul's singing in French was passable!

Mick took us on an instrumental journey in company of ...

Angela contributed to the customary death toll ...

Number 8 is all flooded ...

Dogsbody was given to wobbly disposition and managed to get to the end of only one song ...

... and we'll sail with the tide ...

Les and Pam rescued him at the end of the evening, and we couldn't leave Debbie standing alone in the rain, could we?
It was an eventful journey home.
VERY many thanks to Les and Pam.

So, now, remember this ...
We will not be meeting next Friday, 28th.
During August we will be accommodated at Chidham Village Hall on Fridays: 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th.
Prompt start at 8.00pm, please.

Click this link for directions.

Being Friday the Fourteenth Day of July, 2017 ...

Being also Bastille Day ...

A la Bastille!

"Crèpe Suzette!" sang Ken.

Roger took us to the dry and sandy deserts of North Africa ...

Oh, cursed be those cruel wars ...

Bryan gave a poetic account of failed courtship ...

But you did ask for a two-seater.
And it is British Racing Green!

The fun being over, we gently rose and softly called ...

Good Night and Joy!