The Strangest Plum Puddings That Ever Have Been

Last night I played harmonica solo for a morris dance for the first time ever. OK, so it was during a practice session, but a first is a first. This was the Black Joke from Adderbury, a tune I know pretty well and have played plenty of times at home, or in sessions, and even tootling alongside other musicians for dancing, but solo was a whole new experience.

I had to learn to start properly: for many dances you can just play the tune through a few times and the dancers will come in when they are ready, but as is the case with most Adderbury dances, this music starts with a big chord and then we're straight in with a swagger round. After some advice from the other musicians (who were all dancing) I finally got it right and, apart from a bit of a stumble (which the guys gamely danced through) I think things went OK. We got through the dance, anyway.

Our new squire is keen to add some variety into the side, so I suspect now I've been blooded I'll be asked to play more often. We'll see how things go.

The first rule of Symposium is... Stuff that, pass more mead!

Last weekend was the annual Pembrokeshire banquet and for the first time we went down as a family. The theme was time travelling, so I got kitted out in pirate kit (with many thanks to <3 for providing a great costume), <3 in her Victorian ball gown, and the Youngling dressed up as a little girl who didn't want to wear any of the lovely costume options we had taken along. Oh well.

The Youngling lasted for a good half of the evening before being deposited back at the B&B under the watchful ear of a babysitter, and was remarkably good natured given how far past her bedtime it had got by this stage. An abiding memory for me is during our first spot of entertainment (for some reason, the organisers regularly allow <3 and I to make fools of ourselves in front of everyone) while I played some tunes and <3 danced and sang, the Youngling joined in with the dancing and looked very cute and extremely pleased with herself.

The banquet itself was, as always, fantastic, with a spread ranging from "hunter-gatherer" style hors d'oeuvres (pigeon bites, smoked sprats, mussels, etc.) through the now traditional carni-pleaser "beef cooked like bear" to the superbly decadent Edwardian blancmange. And lots of ale and mead, of course.

No idea what next year's theme will be, but I'm looking forward to it already.

Oh, and thanks to Fi for the Photo.