I saw the Treorchy Male Voice Choir at Beverley during the Folk festival in June. They were performing in the beautiful Minster and it was magical. I went "on spec" on a rainy evening and stayed, spellbound. I think they hail from somewhere up Cwm Rhondda, don't they? My son is at university by Pontypridd. (Glamorgan Uni at Trefforest, where Tom Jones comes from. He had a house on Laura Street last year, just up the road from Tom's. Tom Jones attended a funeral party at the house next door one day and they didn't know till they saw it on local TV). I can't get the lad to appreciate anything more than rugby! Brass bands send me all gooey too. Here in Yorkshire we are spoilt for good bands! Tonight is our carol service, lit by 150 candles in great arches across the nave of out village church. (I have shortly got to go up there and label every one - people sponsor them for themselves, family, or in memory of the "departed"). Unfortunately ours is only a Victorian church although in the Gothic revival style. But our village is mentioned in Domesday! Until 1852, everybody had to either go to the nearby village of Kellington which has a very old church, seemingly on a pre-Christian site, and with connections to the Knights Templar, or to Snaith Priory, which is still the mother church of our parish, and which is at least early 13th century. I could hope for snow tonight, but we don't get much as we are very low-lying here. We are only about 30 feet above sea level, being the bottom end of the Vale of York, and in a large river plain. We actually had 5 members of a local brass band a couple of years ago to play for us. WOW! (The 2 weddings of band members have been quite something, with a wonderful entertainment while registers were being signed). Ok. Am starting to drift, unlike any snow we may get!

cheers

mouldy