IVFDF 2010 2

Dragged myself along to the 'Folk Techniques for Classical Musicians' at 09.30. Mostly enjoyed sitting on the sofas and listening to the tune (I think it was 'Hexham Lasses' which I like, will have to check!) but I did pick up a few helpful hints on ornamentation. After that I headed off to Star and Shadow's workshop on how to set up a rapper team (I am not actually wanting to set up a new team, before anyone jumps on me, I just live in fear of having to move to an area where there's no rapper!). I really just wanted to find out where they got their shoes since it's really difficult to find potential rapper shoes in my size (Army and Navy Stores here I come!) but decided to stay for the rest of the workshop. We did a fair bit of stepping and ran through some simple figures which was nice because, for starters, I was in another short side (apart from number 3 who I think must have been going round on his knees!) and there was far more room that the previous rapper workshop as well. One of the lasses in our side seemed very interested and was one of the New Scotland lot so I did a bit of encouraging and said I'd send out details. Yay! Possibly more short people for Mons Meg!
For the last workshop I went back to the comfy sofas for the 'North East Tunes' bit. Met another lass from the Morpeth area who is now a student in Edinburgh and interested in rapper so I did a bit of a sales pitch to her as well. Don't remember much after that and ended up getting woken up at the end by Jon and Jenny. I managed not to hit either of them but I think this may have had more to do with me having got my hands tangled in my hair while I was asleep. Anyhow, I then went to get fish and chips with Jon and co before heading to the survivors' ceilidh. Due to space issues, they had had to split the ceilidh into two. We went to the one with the scratch band on the basis that they would probably play the more esoteric dances. This seemed to work and I got to dance to one of Rhodri's 'make it up as he goes along' dances which are always brilliant fun. It's not often I get to stay to the end of the survivors' ceilidh and, even though I didn't dance as much as I usually do (I really was knackered by this point) I really enjoyed myself.
Went for tea and cakes with Ian and Cara and baby afterwards while I was waiting for my train and got to catch up with them, which was nice before heading up to the station and wending my way back to Edinburgh.

Really enjoyed the weekend, got to catch up with a lot of old and new friends and I will definitely take some kind of instrument (preferably the fiddle) next year (which, incidentally, is in Bristol followed by Aberdeen the year after) because I really enjoy the musician workshops.
I also liked getting there under my own steam rather than going on the Scotland bus just because it meant I was working to my own timetable which made the whole thing just a little less fraught (also meant I got sleeping accomodation where I wanted it rather than having to go where they sent the group). Of course, Bristol being far away, the scotland bus may be the cheaper option next year, but will investigate before deciding.

Rapper was fun on Monday night (although I was late because I dozed off on the bus and had to backtrack) but my brain was decidedly missing. Shins are still sore and at some point (preferably after DERT. Mind, I feel that could be this summer's refrain, 'just after whichever festival...') I will go see the GP

Off to get a new battery for Roger's key today in the hope that that will de-immobilise him and then off to the cinema to see Alice in Wonderland in 3D with the usual suspects.

On the festival front, I am booked for the Oxford Folk Festival and The Big Session and I have applied to be a steward at Whitby. If that works out then I am also going to book for Shrewsbury and possibly Bromyard. Holmfirth I will book as soon as the website is up and running. Ah, festivally goodness.