All Go

The pace is starting to pick up now (and I wasn't exactly standing still to begin with!) Am now booked on Tom McConville's fiddle workshop (I honestly don't know why I bother considering stuff since, the second they enter my mind, I'm pretty much certainly going to them! Impulse control, I seem to lack it...) and have booked for Shepley Spring Festival (didn't actually mean to do that at that particular point but, since the early bird prices stop at the end of February, glad I did.) The Festival plan is now, IVFDF, DERT, Bristol, Oxford Folk Weekend (being put on by Ian Giles as a stopgap for the actual festival. I do like Ian Giles!), Holmfirth, Shepley, steward at Ely, Sidmouth and Shrewsbury. May consider Bromyard depending on who's on and what I feel like. Fortunately my cheque from British Gas came through which will cover the costs nicely provided I remember to put it in the bank. Should probably do that tomorrow.

Am also actively in the process of finding a fiddle teacher so that's something at least. At least I'm still practicing. Am also working through the Folkworks tune books I got at Whitby. scary how many of them I recognise. Completely unsurprised at the fact that I still can't remember the names of any of them.

Have been looking at the programme for IVFDF. As pre usual, most of the stuff I want to do clashes but, so far, the plan is to switch between the French Dance and the ceilidh on Friday night, (May venture in to see Jim Moray if there's room), then Irish Step, Contra, Step Clog and Rapper workshops on Saturday followed by the Contra evening dance before I slip away to the Tickled Pink ceilidh and then Border, North West Morris and Melodeon on the Sunday. As I say, that's the plan and I have never followed a plan in my life. Must remember to take my melodeon anyway so that I can get the straps attached.

Got told at work that I seemed in a particularly sunny mood today. That'll be what listening to Belshazzar's Feast all morning will do to you. Definitely still enjoying the job, the fact that I can listen to my headphones while doing it is just a happy little bonus.

At some point I will tidy my room. Probably just in time to move out of it at the end of the year...

Coach Fatigue

Spent this weekend (well, the Saturday anyway) in Edinburgh with Mons Meg in order to get out one and only rehearsal for DERT (yes, we're taking it ultra-seriously this year...). Caught the national express coach up on the Friday night and it was packed to the gills so by the time I got up to Edinburgh (having passed through snow in Northumberland, not that that worried me at all, oh no!), I'd concertina'd up nicely. Add to that the fact that I'd had no sleep at all due to personal space defence (and I think my personal space is getting larger as I get older. At this rate, by the time I'm 50, I'll have to go and live on a deserted island.) and I was heading for silly mode the minute I got into the city.
Had a lovely Saturday. It was great to see Mons Meg again and to dance in The Village. We made the most of our practice time and I think we've got a respectable (if not precisely prize-winning) dance and our borrowed Monkey dancer fitted in just fine. The pub tour was also great fun (although the audiences were a bit odd. They cheered us at the end, fair enough and we wound up with plenty of money in the hat but very few cheers for the tumbles which is unusual. Never mind) I thin the stand out pub (for possibly the wrong reasons) was the Southsider. We walked in just as a live band were doing their soundcheck. On questioning, they said they were going to just try one song for the soundcheck and then we were fine to dance. They actually did 2 songs which were...not my cup of tea precisely but, heigh ho and then we went on to dance. We had a hairy moment when Mary Ann went a bit haywire and we ended up with our new number 3 on the wrong side of the sword for his first tumble. He managed to fix this by jumping over the sword while it was still at thigh height and then doing his backward tumble. We were all suitably impressed, the audience seemed harder to please. Far more annoting was, the whole time we were dancing, the drummer putting beats in. I'm not entirely sure whether he was just trying to join in (in which case, that band need a new drummer because I don't think he managed to hit a beat during the whole dance) or whether he was trying to put us off in which case he failed (I suspect our cock-up was us putting ourselves off as per usual) because he was up against a melodeon and, while he was amped, melodeons really don't need to be and they come with the beat built in, so to speak. We finished the night with 2 good dances, one at Doctors (the site of Trina's former bloodbath. Well, one of them anyway) and the second at the party of one of Dot's friend where the audience were super receptive and I think we did our best dance of the night. We all ended back at Trina's (with the usual suspicious cocktails) and just had a great evening. I was really sad I had to leave so early on Sunday morning (and incredibly grateful that I still seem to be immune when it comes to hangovers), I'd have loved to stick around and go round Edinburgh with everyone else but the coach called again. And what a hellish trip. Another packed coach with people encroaching on my little bit of space from all sides and a heater that they couldn't turn off again so we were all roasting for 10 hours. I think that irritation and access to twitter may be a bad combination for me since I think I moaned on it all the way down so apologies to anyone who had to put up with that. I managed to grab a rather nice steak sandwich in a pub while I was waiting for my last connection which turned out to be far less crowded and a much nicer experience altogether (Huzzah for the Oxford Tube) so I was almost calm again by the time I got back to Oxford. However, I have spent today with a particularly quizzical tilt to my head thanks to the kink in my neck from my travels. Have decided that I need to set up a train fund, especially as I'm heading back up to Scotland for a Borderers event mid March (and I don't want to miss it , particularly after my dismal showing last year!)

Still, all worth it for rapper and DERT. Only 2 weeks left now! Little bit excited, just a little bit...

Have booked my coach tickets for IVFDF (I know, I know but this journey 's only a couple of hours so nowhere near as bad!) next weekend so looking forward to that and am contemplating going to Tom McConville's fiddle workshop in Lewes on March 12th. Have had a look at the music and it may be a bit of a stretch but I love his style and I can usually pick up something, even from difficult workshops, to have a go at (The one with Matt Cranitch being a case in point) besides which, I still haven't found a fiddle teacher and I'm desperate for some form of tuition. Yep, I think I'll give it a go. Now just have to find my chequebook. Just let me go and get my rope and climbing harness....

But still, DERY, DERT, DERT!!!

Cheltenham and Other Festivals

Spent last weekend at Chetlenham Folk Festival. Obviously I ended up stewarding during the thing I really wanted to see (which would be Jon Boden and the Remnant Kings) and, it being on the Friday night, I didn't have time to swap with anyone but it turned out well since the person I was on the doors with didnt like them so let me do all the inside stuf so I caught mosy of them and they were brilliant. Loved all the different mixtures of instruments (although have to say that Paul Sartin looks terrified of holding the melodeon, never mind using it) and the mix of songs from the album (greatly added to by the sound of the oboe, I felt) and from the Folk Song a Day project were great. Gorgeous rendition of 'Rigs of the Time' all on strings and really liked Sportsman's Hornpipe (at least, that's what I think it was) leading into 'Penny for the Preacher. Also really liked the song about Francis Drake (whose title I just can't remember). I was off duty in time for the singaround afterwards which was great fun. We all sang along to 'Butter and Cheese and All' which was being recorded for the dollowing day's podcast and The Bailey Sisters treated us to a lovely rendition of 'The Cuckoo' before Paul Sartin brought the house down as well as not so much lowering the tone as boring a hole in the bottom and scuttling it with the hilarious 'Cock-a-doodle-doo'. Just a really nice end to the evening and I hope it catches on.
Saturday included, Jackie Oates, The Askew Sisters, Freya Abbott Ferguson, Hannah James and Sam Sweeney (introduced as Hannah and James by a slightly confused Pete Grasby which resulted in ahuge cry of 'Sam' from the audience which apparently made Sam Sweeney, backstage, wonder what on earth he'd done!), Pete Coe, The Crucible Trio and Kerr and Fagan who were just brilliant. Also managed to buy some fingerless gloves and some new melodeon straps (which was a little more involved than I suspected since the original Pokerwork strap fittings won't take the nice new straps so I'll have to get new fittings which PJ sadly didn't have with him at the weekend. He has, however promised to bring them to IVFDF and fit them for me and, in the process of all this, found that my current fitting was hanging by a thread so he fixed that so that my melodeon won't fall off the current straps in the meantime so disaster narrowly averted there). Also bought the new Blowzabella CD, 'Dance' which is just great!
On Sunday I managed to catch Mike Wilson and Damien Barber and their song to talk ratio is improving (although not by much! Doesn't matter though. Could listen to them do either all day). Went to Simon Care's melodeon workshop and he really is lovely. Didn't really teach us anything new but spent the whole session just reassuring us that what we were all doing was absolutley fine which was actually really, really helpful. I'm booked on one of his workshops at Squeezing Shropshire later in the year and I'm really looking forward to it. Finally managed to see most of The Melrose Quartet's set (and they were very, very good) before having to head for the train. Which was cancelled so they put us on a bus which didn't quite make it in time for my connection (although we were treated to a highly exciting 3 point turn in some incredibly narrow streets) so I had to wait an hour for the next train. Still I got back in one piece and it was still less time travelling than any festival I've managed from Edinburgh. Travel notwithstatnding, I had a great weekend with some lovely people and some fantastic music (and even ran into a Mons Megger. We turn up everywhere you know!) and Cheltenham has now been added to my list of likely festivals.

On Monday, I got to see The Remnant Kings again at the O'Reilly Theatre in Oxford (and, oh, the novelty of a gig I can get to with a short bus ride...). They were even better (possibly because I wasn't having to keep ushering people through doors during it). Was absolutely fascinated by the workings of the phonographs (one of which was right in front of me) and I also now have some slight urgings to have a go at the concertina after watching Rob Harbron. He really is a bit good. Anna, who I was at with, apparently fancies the double base, but I'd never be able to see over one!). We had a bit of a mad dash for beer during the interval since the bar was apparently in another building which made it interesting to find and it took them ages to serve us. (We were quite calm until we'd noticed that the band had just been served and were heading back. Panic set in a little then. The sing around was great fun again. This time we got to join in on 'Cupid's Garden' for the podcast. Lovely rendition of 'Don't Go Out Tonight Dear Father' by Jon Boden with slightly hilarious backing vocal antics from Messers Sweeney, Harbron and Sartin and we got a couple of numbers from Ian Giles to join in with. I do like him. He always seems to be so surprised to be talking to people. And, of course, Mr Sartin managed to get 'Cock-a-doodle-doo in again to general merriment.
Lovely evening with good company and good music.

Festival-wise this year, I'm definately going to IVFDF, Bristol, Shrewsbury, Holmfirth and Sidmouth. I was planning on the the Oxford Folk Festival and The Big Session but the Big Session is reduced to one day at the 'Beautiful Days Festival' which I can't make while they look for a new venue now that they'll not be using the DeMontfod Hall anymore and Oxford has just had to cancel due to economic difficulties. Fingers crossed that both of these manage to get off the ground again in 2012 because they're both great festivals and I shall really miss them this year. Anyhow, am currently considering Sheppley, Beverley and Ely. Sheppley's looking pretty good at the moment (list includes Bellowhead and Belshazzars Feast) and I really enjoyed Ely last year (may volunteer as a steward this year). Will have to see.

In the meantime, this weekend, I'll be heading back up to Edinburgh for a DERT pratice (and, hopefully, a pub tour) with Mons Meg. It'll be nice to dance some rapper again (rapper withdrawal is a bit severe currently since the Mables are busy trying to organise DERT so aren't really dancing at the moment) and it'll be lovely to see Mons Meg again too. I have missed them!

Also, at some point, I shall get round to sorting out my room since it is ridiculous to need a climbing harness in order to find clothes!

Don't Panic, Don't Panic!

Rapper workshop went very well. We had 5 and a half sets who all seemed to have fun and then we carted them all off to Bennets where we had a pretty good dance (and a very strange discussion about the shipping forecast and the possibilities of a monopoly type game based on it) and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. We seem to have gained 2 dancers and a fiddler (who, last night, turned out to be a pretty good dancer too) so things are looking hopeful on the Mons Meg front.

I've had the flat confirmed, which is a huge relief but have yet to start packing (mostly cause I'm in panic mode where I run around like a mad thing, picking stuff up and putting it back down and getting precisely nowhere.) Meanwhile, hating the post and whoever put the lock on the main door of the stair since I've been having to run back and forth to the depot (which isn't close!) on the say-so of cards that are themselves 10 days late to collect normal letters. So looking forward to having a main door address.

The pipe workshop at Celtic Connections was great fun. I even managed to get a tune (using the broadist definition of the word) out of them by the end of the day. Would actually consider adding them to my current instrument collection if I could afford them but I can't which is probably a good thing. Should try and achieve a playable level with the melodeon and the fiddle before I attempt anything else (so that could be a good long while).
The concert on the Sunday was also good fun. Not sure about the Cairngorm piece they opened with. all very good musicians but the tune would barely have stretched to 4 minutes, never mind the half hour it lasted! (Plus one of the fiddlers looked like he was ducking bullets the whole time he was playing). Interestingly (for me at least) the lead fiddler was the younger sister of one of my university dancy friends. Saltfishforty and Spiers and Boden were both excellent (although Saltfishforty are slightly weaker on their songs) and together they were absolutely brilliant. Sounded like there was far more than 4 of them.

Had my last proper rapper practice with Mons Meg last night. It was a good fun night with trying to put three beginners through the dance (and a dog I got to make friends with!). Plus Trina produced a cake for me (topped with a set of bellows with a face...wonder what that could possibly represent) and I got a framed collage of rapper photos and a T-shirt with the picture of us on the steps at Holmfirth on it (plus the contract that apparently hands me over to Mabel Gubbins which I find mildly suspect...). Am very, very sad to be leaving Mons Meg but glad I still get to dance with them at things like DERT and Holmfirth. (And we're booked for Holmfirth again this year. Looks like there's a good number of us going and we're all camping. Huzzah, Mons Meg encampment!)

Have notified all who need to be notified that I'm leaving; twice in the case of British Gas who, I forgot, did both my gas and electricity. Liked the poor lad on the end of the phone who clicked to it long before I did and pointed out that I may have just spoken to him...

Have booked for the fiddle workshop at Witney, the weekend next so am just waiting to hear back about that, then it's stewarding at the Cheltenham Folk Festival the weekend after that, back up to Edinburgh for a Mons Meg DERT practice the weekend after that, IFVDF, the weekend after that and then DERT and it's not looking like it'll ease up through the summer. Huzzah!

IVFDF 2010 (Friday and Saturday)

What with Roger being, how can I put this, stationary with a vengence, I decided to get the train down to Durham for IVFDF. Passed the house where I grew up on the way down and was really shocked to see that they had decimated the surrounding wood and built a huge house right next to the old bungalow (which wasn't small to start with). It really threw me to see the orchard gone. Ah well.

Got into Durham at around 6pm and managed to find Alington House straight off by basically pointing myself in the direction of the Cathedral and wandering roughly in that direction until I encountered crowds of suspected IVFDF goers. Fortunately I managed to get a ticket for the central sleeping venue, dumped my stuff, randomly met up with some of the usual suspects and headed off for the ceilidh with 422. This was a fair walk from the centre but the weather was nice, if crisp, and it was well worth it. The first ceilidh was great fun with Martin Harvey calling and some truly stonking music (I do like 422) . In the break, Star and Shadow rapper dancers did a spot which was highly entertaining and they look in good from for DERT. For the second half of the evening, 422 were getting us to dance to 80's pop songs which worked surprisingly well. I may not have liked all the songs (I particularly hate ABBA's Dancing Queen. Don't get me wrong, I like ABBA, I liked them before they became popular again but I really, really hate this song and what song do they always play?) but they also played 'Money for Nothing', by Dire Straits which is a great song and worked really well with the dance. There was a brief hiatus in the evening where the was possibly a fire alarm. That is to say there was a high pitched whistling and all the lights went out but no-one could tell if it was an alarm or just serious feedback so we milled uncertainly then decided that, since no-one was yelling at us to get out, we'd stay put in the warm and go and have a drink (and not only was there a real ale bar but it was student union prices so not bad, not bad at all). Anyhow, they seemed to get it sorted and we went back to dancing. Went back to Alington house for the late night dancing but sadly there really wasn't any room for it. We took over the sleeping hall for a short while but there were far too many people even for that space and they didn't get round to the more esoteric dances which is what I go to the late night dancing for. Anyhow, once the musicians went back upstairs to just have a session. I decided just to head to bed and drift off to the music. Sadly, not a huge amount of sleep was got, not because of the music but because I could not get warm which is not usually a problem for me. Odd but so it goes.

Anyhow, dragged myself along to the student union at 9am to go to the workshop on how to cope in a session. Some very interesting and helpful information and it was nice listening to them play but I shall have to redouble my efforts with the clarinet and fiddle cause I want to join in damn it! Rapper was next up and High Spen was teaching. As always, the class was seriously over subscribed which meant that space was tight and you kept havingt to wait until a teacher was free to learn anything else but it was still fun. It's the first time since last year that I've danced in a set that was roughly my height and it really was a nice feeling. Most of our set had also done some rapper beforehand so we managed fairly well and we all knew each other so we spent a fair bit of time giggling. All in all a good fun and interesting workshop but I think they might want to start limiting the numbers (this means I would need to arrive much earlier in order to be certain of getting in!) in future IVFDF's.
I stayed on for the Playing for Morris workshop (again just listening in) which was really good with lots of helpful advice on the difference in playing for different types of folk dance. I paid particular attention to the advice on rapper and border obviously. After this, I went along to the clog workshop. I couldn't be bothered to head back to Alington house to get my clogs so I did the class in my rapper shoes. Good to know I carted my clogs to the North East for no particular reason. Still, at least it was a nice outing for them. The clog itself was fun and all the shuffles must be improving my rapper stepping. I put my name on the e-mail list for the clog workshop weekend so fingers crossed that's on when I'm free.

I caught the end of the display ceilidh, although I didn't really feel up to dancing (apparently being laid up in bed for over a week and then dancing like mad at a folk festival leaves you feeling knackered, who knew!). I enjoyed Exeter's dem to ABBA's 'Does your Mother Know that You're Out' (something of an ABBA theme this year) but then, I usually do.
I dithered between heading for a shower or going to see the Eliza Carthy concert but eventually the need to have shower won out and I had a nice walk through Durham to find the leisure centre. I feel incredibly disloyal saying it but Durham is a far, far prettier place than Newcastle. Anyhow, shower taken (and that was possibly the best £2.10 spent of the weekend!) I headed back out to the outskirts for the Contra ceilidh. Vertical Expression were on good form so the music was fantastic and Adam was calling well but there seemed to be some difficulty with the mic so that there were problems calling the dance at the far end of the hall which wasn't helped when people started to pour in and talk while they were trying to walk through. The lighting was also peculiar with the top end of the hall in darkness and the other end brightly lit so the caller couldn't see the end sets which can't of been helpful (Also people seemed to have lost the ability to form fours from the top of the set, which was bizarre). Adam had to give up on calling a couple of the more complicated dances because the instructions just weren't getting through but other dances were substituted and I really enjoyed it despite the problems. I stayed on for the Whapweasel ceilidh cause I was too knackered to head out for the Northumbrian one which I kind of regret because, although the music was great, it was too loud, there were still the same calling problems (and I know it wasn't the caller cause Gordon Potts is usually great) and I just didn't have the energy to deal with it. Still I enjoyed the music and it was fun watching people on the floor before I headed up to the balcony and had fun playing 'what sort of dancing does this person usually do'.
I headed back to the hall after this and went to bed to the sound of the session again. Sadly another chilly night and not much sleep.

Yet Another Catch Up

Got pretty much laid flat by the flu over the last week or so so have been a bit remiss in updating this so time to catch up.

First of all, went to see Damien Barber and Mike Wilson on the Wednesday at the Pleasance with some of Mons Meg. They were very good, particularly with the shanties, their voices go together really well and the chat between songs was also very funny (I do like the stories of having to suck crisps in folk clubs when little so as not to annoy people with the crunch). They were supported by Wendy Arrowsmith who I've not heard before but was also very good. Particularly liked her Whitby lifeboat song. Wasn't too sure about the irish singer at first. There's a tendancy among irish singers to overdo the ornamentation (for my taste anyway) and she did at first but then she seemed to ease out of it and I felt her singing improved because of it.

Also went to see Pete Morton (he who did the hilarious Geoffrey Chaucer Junior thing at Whitby last year) at the Royal Oak. I really enjoyed his sets. His music is very perky and all about love and what have you but manages to stop short of crossing the line into annoying which could be partly due to his stage presence (or corner of very small pub presence) but it seems to work. He did one of the Chaucer songs which was hilarious and he mentioned that he was bringing the Chaucer show to the Edinburgh Fringe. Unfortunately, I think I will be away when he does which may be a blessing since it was just so funny and surprising the first time that I don't think it will ever be able to measure up again.

In other news, Roger's immobiliser has completely immobilised him. I think I just need to get a new battery in the key so I shall take that along to the renault dealer and see of I can get that sorted. I am also still no further forward in tidying the burrow. In fact, it now looks worse since the last weekend was IVFDF (which needs a post of it's own!) and I caused my usual chaos trying to pack for it (and at some point I shall get round to unpacking).

Finally got round to replacing the fiddle bridge. It seems to have gone OK and it does seem to sound better (except for the G string but that sounded a lpeculiar before as well which makes me suspect that I should start saving to get the fiddle properly seen to but it will have to wait until after the festival season)

Glasgow and Weasels

Glasgow rapper tour was great fun. Andy did a fantastic job as his first time dancing out as Number 1 and Ian did the Tommying for the first time. It was also James' first time out with us although he played rather than danced. We started off with the usual pubs and, in one of them, the hat was hijacked by a random audience lady who insisted on taking it round for us. She was far more aggressive than any of us would have been and I suspect we did quite well there. In the Scotia, during the tumble, Dot managed to kick a man's pint right out of his hand so that it shattered on the ceiling. Very impressive to watch even if did mean that we spent the remainder of the dance dancing on crunchy glass and having beer drip down onto us from the ceiling. The man whose pint we destroyed seemed happy enough with a replacement drink and his friend, who was the one who received the brunt of the splash, was far to happy shouting 'tumble' at random intervals to care. The rest of the audience seemed fairly blase about the whole thing as well which was a bit of a relief. Towards the end of the tour we hit a couple of kareoke bars who seemed more than happy to see us. (I did like the lady in the second bar who suggested, as there was a second section to the bar that some of us danced over there and the rest where we were actually setting up to dance. She seemed fairly bemused when I quickly explained that, for the dance to work, we really had to all dance in the same place...)
Our last dance was in Babbity's which seemed to go down well before people had to head home. It was decided that James was going to go back to Edinburgh but, as there was no room for him in Roger, he would get the train and meet us there. In retrospect, we agreed that it would possibly have been a better idea to send someone who actually knew Edinburgh on the train and take him in the car but we finally anaged to get hold of him again. I went home at this point as I was feeling a little off and my cough was really setting in.
All in all, a really good night. It was nice to be able to mix up the dancers a bit, the dances went really well (other than fast and loose where people kept losing swords. Different people each time and no apparent reason. we recovered pretty well each time so not really a problem but very odd!) and it was just generally fun.

Paid for the tour on Sunday. I was hallucinating weasels in the curtains (at least I hope I was hallucinating, otherwise that's going to be a fun call to Pest Control...) for a good part of the day so I dosed myself up on paracetamol and tea and just resigned myself to watching them gambol about the drapes.

Rapper practice tonight and, while I don't feel a hundred percent, I do feel better than I did yesterday and I am no longer seeing random mustelids in the soft furnishings so I will see how it all goes.

I think it's the Highland Ball in St Andrews this coming weekend but I'm in two minds as to whether to go or not. On one hand, it's usually a good dance, it'd be nice to see folks again and the floor in the Younger Hall is lovely to dance on. On the other hand, I haven't been to Scottish Country in ages , I still haven't got any new dance shoes and it's IVFDF the weekend after and, if I want to be able to find the stuff I need to take to IVFDF, I need to tidy (I really, really mean it this time!) I think, on the whole, I will leave it cause I'll get to see folks at IVFDF where I can do dances that I do actually currently have the shoes for and that are far more fun for me.

IVFDF Musings

Well, no sudden flood last night (and no tidying either. Got through 2 more books though) so that's good. Think I will actually move away from the door tonight though cause it's a little chilly there. (On the other hand, I must make a fairly good draught excluder since the rest of the burrow was a little warmer than normal.)

Feeling quite glad that I managed to get my IVFDF tickets ordered when I did since they've apparently run out of sleeping space. Not that I ever do a huge amount of sleeping at IVFDF but at least I have space for the little I do. Been looking at the workshops planned for IVFDF. Obviously want to do the rapper (which is being led by High Spen so could be interesting). There's also a workshop on how to set up a rapper side by Star and Shadow. Not quite sure what that'll be like (may have a better idea when they publish the usual blurb) but may meander along if there's nothing I really, really want to attend on at the same time. Other workshops I quite fancy are the clog, the border morris, the contra, the calling your first dance class (I don't know why I go to these cause I will never be able to call due to my brain impediment. Oh, wait, I do know why. I'm nosey!), the surviving in a session class (purely as a spectator since not taking the fiddle but interested in tips for the future) and the northumbrian tunes workshop. The actual programme is not out yet so no doubt all these workshops will clash horribly. Ah well, will see what happens.

Will have another attempt at tidying the burrow tonight. (Have now reread all my Susanna Gregory books so it's a touch more possible I will actually try tonight.)

Murderous Machines.

My washing machine went for me last night! I was standing in the little kitchen area of the burrow, minding my own business, when it suddenly leapt at me and tried to pin me against the fridge! Have never moved so fast in my life. I think it's seen what has happened to all the electrical equipment in the burrow and decided to get me before I can get it. Anyhow, shall be keeping an eye on it in case it starts to become like my Gran's old machine which used to chase dogs and children round the kitchen and you couldn't turn your back on it or it would sneak up on you.

Managed to empty Roger last night but I still need to give him a good clean before tomorrow so I don't think I'll be able to make it to Dot's thing tonight which is a shame. Still, at least I managed to get some fiddle practice in last night. (Here's hoping they didn't suddenly leap ahead to other tunes while I was ill last week).

Really keeping my fingers crossed about Roger's MOT. I know he'll need something doing, cars always do, but please let it not be anything major. All his tyres have been replaced this year (and if I find whoever keeps leaving old nails on the roadside then there will be blood! And possibly tetanus!) and, other than his mysteriously draining battery (which has been fine since New Year) and the dead bulb where his mileage should read, he seems to be running well. I think that this might be my last year with him regardless though. With increasing costs of fuel and my leaning towards folk dancing rather than reenactment (apart from The Borderers where I don't need to take much with me) I think a smaller car may be warranted. He's insured till November so that gives me some time to decide. That said, he's been great this past year and a half. It may take a while to get him going but when he goes, there's no stopping him and his bootspace has been useful.

Right, definitely tattercoat sewing this weekend otherwise I'll have nothing to wear in Hathersage (Other than everyday clothes obviously, cause that would be chilly!) and, damnit, I want my own tattercoat!

Have booked my ticket for IVFDF so at least that's done. Have ordered a purple hoodie rather than a T-shirt cause the last one came in really useful. (May investigate whatever T-shirts are remaining at the actual weekend). Have been looking at the evening stuff and I quite fancy the 422 ceilidh on the Friday evening and Vertical Expression contra, followed by Whapweasel (who are also playing at The Big Session this year) on the Saturday. Of course, also on the Saturday is the Northumbrian ceilidh so there may be a bit of lateral drift throughout the evening. No idea about the workshops yet but if there are any random musical ones then I intend to go and loiter in a corner to get tips. Really enjoyed the fiddle one last year (and one day I hope to be able to put it to use!)

Ian has put up some pictures of one of our early day rapper practices on Facebook. There is a very odd picture of me curled up on the ground. I'm still wondering what on earth I was doing.

Getting Nitpicky

Very good rapper practice last night. With DERT looming, I suddenly go from ever so slighlty niggly to outright obsessive (please don't let me start dreaming about Flying Pixies again, please!) about figures. DERT's not till April and we don't even know if we've got a place in the competition yet and I'm already off! Doesn't bode well. Still we picked up on a lot of stuff that we need to correct in our Number 1 dance and we've pretty much got the basic shape of the Winlaton but we really need to start on the details.

Getting fairly excited about the Freaks in the Peaks weekend down in Hathersage at the end of the month. I will have my tattercoat finished, I will!

Must remember to book my ticket for IVFDF while I'm thinking about it, come to that. Don't think I'll get the bus down with New Scotland but will meander down in Roger since it's only to Durham. May even contemplate the train or bus. Will have a think on it.