August 8, 2010

• I needed that holiday...

  Lots of late nights, lots of gin (I think I drank my bodyweight in gin), lots of dancing.  I learnt two new Cotswold morris dancing traditions (Bampton and Longborough - I can still feel the Longborough in my calves 48 hours later, it was such. hard. work. as it's very slow music to dance to - lots of opportunity to think, lots of opportunity to get it wrong).  I rejoined my morris side, I bimbled round Sidmouth, and I took a fair number of photos and some video (currently uploading to the laptop).

  It was a folk week, and it was a weird week.  It was completely and utterly divorced from reality.  It was like being in some sort of strange 1960s free-love-hippie experiment at times, with all sorts of interesting pairings and people pulling each other.  I rarely went to bed before 4am.  I was up at 9am.  This added to the surrealness of some of the week.  I spent my time with Hammersmith Morris.  The Morris Dancer (no, I am not adding him to my list of swains, shut up at the back), had very kindly arranged for me to go to Sidmouth folk week on a Hammersmith Morris Partners' Ticket - for free - so I supported them.  Lotsly.  I'm pretty much at the point where I wish they would expand their repertoire a little, as I'm not sure I want to watch Trunkles again.  No. Really.

  Anyhow, I took lots of photos when it was sunny, and none while it rained - wet cameras is why I ended up buying a new camera a fortnight ago, and finally managed to take the perfect photograph of Smiffs leapfrogging.  This has been something that I have been trying to do for years.  It's possibly harder with the new camera, as the shutter delay is vastly shorter, and I'm not quite used to it yet.  Plus I always want to press the shutter button on the beat, and that doesn't work either.

  

  I spent a reasonable amount of time sitting on the beach.  I played with S's daughters (I went out with S just after I first joined Xanga, and there is probably a picture or so from 2004 there).  They are both lovely.  The elder is a little wary of me, but the younger is 18 months old, and just at the age where the whole world is her friend.  She is lovely. Giggly, chattery, and toddles over to have fun.  Doesn't mind being cuddled either, but is far too active to want to stay in the same place for very long.  We spent quite some time putting the lid on a paper cup, and taking it off, and putting it on, and pretending to drink from it, and putting stones in it.  It is a very stony beach at Sidmouth.  I decorated the Morris Dancer's arm.

   

  

  Of course, what you really want to see is a double set of Smiffs dancing Sweet Jenny Jones.  Ta Da. (Here if it doesn't embed)

  My highlights.  A Rosza with The Morris Dancer.  Schottische with S.  Various dances with my Uncle - there was not enough ceilidh dancing, as I didn't manage to make it to any of the afternoon ceilidhs.  Hammersmith's spot on Tuesday night, with the Committee Band playing for them: the atmosphere was completely and utterly electric, and I am so pleased that I was there.  Sitting and drinking gin until the wee small hours, talking rubbish and singing Flanders and Swann (quietly).  Buying some simply gorgeous wool in a local shop.  Watching the jig competition, and persuading a rather fine dancer and the best melodeon player I know to dance and play with me next year.  Learning Longborough, because when I got it right, it felt superb.  Learning Bampton, which was so bouncy and fun.

  My lowlights.  Rain.  Missing half the last LNE because I was dealing with Smiff rugby jerseys, and carrying things about the place (I can be too terribly helpful, sometimes).  Muddy showers.  Calf ache.  Appalling indigestion from a gammon steak (thought I was going to be sick on the Morris Dancer's shoes, which was really unhelpful).  Falling off the airmattress on numerous occasions, and sleeping on a downhill and sideways slope.

  And now, I need a list

  • write up notes from novel begun on station platform
  • Brownies Accounts
  • Brownies Admin - sort out the route map, find the Wildlife Explorer Badge Documentation
  • Go to the supermarket
  • Finish the laundry
  • Email Sir about Fair Isle
  • Upload photos and film
  • Tidy the sitting room
  • Finish unpacking
  • Mend the pillowcases

  I suspect I ought to get dressed first.

  xxx

  • 6:39 am
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