So, what are we doing for Christmas?

Only a few weeks away we will have that festive season of over-indulgence, known by some as Yuletide, so here’s a date for your diary …
 

On Friday the 21^st of December the club will meet to celebrate the winter solstice and the imminent anniversary of an historic birth in strange circumstances.

 

Entry will be FREE!
(You need not bring gold nor aromatic unguents. Sheep will be unwelcome.)

Doors open at 7.30pm, anticipating a prompt start at 8.00pm.

Please bring along a plate of food to share and your own beverages, as well as your seasonal songs/tunes. 

Kindly avoid balloons and anything else that might go BANG!


 

Friday 23rd Nov 2012

Good morn .... afternoon Blogmaster & all secret people.

 

I wondered if you could pass on my thanks to all those that attended the club last night and helped to make it an evening for the MC to enjoy. Wasn't it a relief to see PD performing and seemingly none the worse for his "turn of events?" I have told him not to repeat the nature of things again as it just isn't nice to frighten all the horses in this way! Hail to those who were able to react so well and save him.

 

Regards & L2J (To whom we owe money!) You must tell me how much as I never carry cash myself and if my aides aren't present....... well ..... I cannot pay up.

 

I remain as before several people variously Special Bitter / London Apprentice / Musically Bent. 

 

P.S. You will see that I have sent in a comment about the guides function. 

P.P.S. Be alerted to the imminent return of Parkingspaceman and take cover.

Being Friday the 23rd of November, 2012 ...

Now we have festive decorations at the guide hall
                                                                ... including glitter-balls!



Moseley was always nervous about those balloons.

 



Thirteen people turned up.

Cleverly facilitated by Berry, we shared and heard some truly remarkable music.

 

We were delighted to have Paul in our company, now restored to a semblance of health. Paul introduced us to this new verb ...

to rumbust.

 

At least 14 CiN requests were fulfilled, although Berry's request for "A 1950's show-song" had one performer in a temporary quandary.

Elayne couldn't say, "No!"

 

Now, what other clues can I divulge?

Here's one as a starter ... 

 

 

I fail to see the relevance.

 

I hope that what follows will be more obvious ...  

 





One of two Romany females.

 

 

Mythical beasts.

A Shakesepearean story of passion.

 

 

 

"Anyone for fruits de mer?"

 

 

 

This custom of handkerchief waving
must be banned on the grounds of
health and safety.

We have an invitation ...

There are plans afoot to extend the Guide Hall and improve the lavatorial facilities.

We are all invited to a Christmas Fair ...

 

 

For those who want to take advantage of the free tea or coffee, I will bring 'hard copy' of the voucher along on Friday.

Let's support this.

We need the Guide Hall.

The Guides need us!

Get Well Soon, Paul ...

Many of you have already heard that Paul was suddenly taken ill last Saturday evening while in the company of three lovely ladies.
(That's the way to do it, Paul!)

... 999.
... Ambulance.
... A&E.
... Hospital admission.
... Home by Monday, awaiting out-patient investigations.

I have no doubt that you will join me in wishing Paul well for a rapid and full recovery, because we love him so very much.


Look carefully.
Just like Paul's guitar ... those eyes follow you around the room!

Being Friday the 16th of November, 2012 ...

Well, there we were for our annual effort in aid of Children in Need.

A Scottish leprechaun turned up.
She had the magical ability of subliminally extracting money from any unsuspecting individual who dared speak to her ...



It's all for charity ...

Requests always bring out the very best in our participants and we heard some wonderful music.
Listen to this self-penned piece from Mike ...

And Roger sang this ...

Thank you to everyone who donated raffle prizes, and bought tickets.
The raffle generated £48.00, and Pam, in her absence, won two prizes.
There was £80.90 in the collection pot.
Add to that £115.00 already donated for the sponsored requests ... that means that we can donate a magnificent total of £243.90 to help disadvantaged children in UK.

Thank you to all our generous friends who helped to make this such an enjoyable and successful evening.



This young labourer had such an handsome face ...

"Are you sure about that key?" asks Andy.

Paul's guitar has eyes that
follow you around the room.
That's really spooky!

Here we are again at that London asylum.

Max and Sylvia finished off by singing, "Thank you," on behalf of us all ...



Children in Need ...

It's tonight!




Bring money!

Doors open at 7.30 for a prompt start at 8.00pm.

Beresford Greene speaks; twentieth fit ...

It's me again!

 

"I don't know whether
I'm coming or going!"

Did you hear that [this week] is the 90th anniversary of the BBC? Well it is! However, I can recall quite clearly the 30th anniversary in 1952. That was pre TV and pre-everything.

In 1962 they celebrated 40 years of radio broadcasting - which to me then seemed a long time. I have here in my possession, a small 8" 33rpm vinyl disc that was issued as part of their celebrations. It has some very reminiscent snippets on it. Thanks to the wonders of modern rechnology, I can let you in on the sounds of the BBC from over their first 40 years.
See [sound files below.]

Enjoy!

Berry 

 

Children in Need progress report ...

The 'requests' money is counted to date.

Your generosity has already generated £115.00 that will be donated to Children in Need.

It is rumoured that one of our congregation spent a significant proportion of his winter fuel allowance on requests.
I hope that performers are all now aware of what is required.

That's not all ...
We have already received £1.00 for raffle tickets.
We hope for considerably more sales on the night, and we look forward to people donating desirable prizes.

Also ... the entire pot collection for the evening will be donated.
Currency of the folding variety is easiest to count!

However you feel about charity, please come along.
The list of requests promises some superb music from your favourite performers.

There's a lot to get through, so please arrive early for a prompt start at 8.00pm.

Being Friday the 9th of November, 2012 ...

It is rather a mild evening for the time of year: no rain, minimal wind and only one radiator occasionally makes hydraulic noises.

Oh, joy ... those balloons have gone!

Dogsbody is little late. Stagecoach has recently altered the bus timetable so he is still setting up when two ladies arrive.

“How can we help?” they ask after the customary hugs and ‘mwah-mwahs’.

 

Laura, who's read the instructions, erects the music stand, (an acquired skill requiring a PhD in Chinese puzzles.) Lynda sets up chairs and distributes candles.

 

Then the ladies engage in a girlie conversation worthy of ‘Grandmothers Anonymous’!

Dogsbody, being congenitally devoid of any grand-paternal instinct, briefly goes down the road to the local convenience store.
As he returns to the hall he dimly perceives in the autumnal twilight several people approaching, some bearing instruments.

We have a quorum!

 

Several performers are sensitive to the notion that we are approaching the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleven month ...



 

Laura collaborates in a song about the evils of strong ale...

 

 

Another performer gives an erudite defence of a clergyman's questionable association with a choir-boy ...

 

 

 

 

Otherwise we did or usual stuff with a number of glorious and harmonic collaborations.

Then, having had such fun, we all departed in near silence so we didn't disturb the neighbours.

More about Children in Need ...

Only one week to go, and we’ve already sold 5 raffle tickets for those as-yet unidentified prizes. We hope that participants will generously donate desirable prizes.

 

The sponsored requests-thingy has generated an additional 35 requests, so we’re well over one hundred. The money has been collected ‘on trust'; (I haven’t counted it all yet!)

Clearly, as in previous years, we won’t get through all those requests in one evening.
Worry not: there will be other opportunities for you to fulfil your obligations in the coming weeks … months … years?

I will try to e-circulate performers within the next few days. If you are unsure, please email: cityfolkclub@gmail.com, or telephone 01243 574021.

 

The entire pot contribution, proceeds from the raffle sales and the requests will be donated to Children in Need.

 

Now, here’s one desirable raffle prize …

 

 

The New Penguin Book of
English Folk Songs
Ed. Steve Roud & Julia Bishop,
Pub. in association with EFDSS, 2012