Just to bring this full circle:
I never got the mpc off the Walton. Someone gave me another Walton which is in good pitch. I now have "whistles coming out the wazoo" according to one daughter.
I played recorder most of the night. The Hohner was in fine fettle.
Made an ass of myself as usual on the hornpipes which always get too fast for my fingers.
Fields of Athenry was the most requested song but the Walton's medley of Galway Piper/Tell me ma/Mairi's wedding received favourable yowling.
It bad enough trying to find time to breathe in a hornpipe; when a young lady is puffing clouds of smoke right next to you, it's murder.
1st and 2nd place in the limerick contest went to Brits. A guy from Ottawa was third with: "There was an old hermit named Dave, who kept a dead whore in his cave. He said,'I admit, I'm a bit of a twit, but think of the money I save.'"