I had another rehearsal this morning (Mahler Symphony of 1,000). Jan points out this is against the Trades Description Act in the UK (in the US, Truth in Advertising)--we'll only have about 500, including orchestra.

More to the point, I was severely tempted to cut class and go out to the Southern Maryland Celtic Festival--it's a GORGEOUS day. The Celtic Festival is where the sea chantey group I used to have performed. We called ourselves all sorts of names--including St Elmo's Quire--found out later a group on the west coast had the same name. We'd rehearse with whoever (out of 7) were able to make it--usually about 2 rehearsals per year--then go out and sing lots of sea songs with good choruses--so the audience could join in. Having been in audiences at festivals, I know that's always a big plus. And some offbeat songs--a version of Lorelei that Ella Fitzgerald, I think used to do--really sexy solo by one of our gals--who really put the song across. (We all looked forward to that). And we did songs like "Tanqueray Martini-O".

Then one year, we couldn't even get one rehearsal with all 7 of us (floating membership ,anyway). So we went out there anyway. And they liked us just as well. After all, sea songs is a genre you can have rough edges on.

Then afterwards there were great parties. At one of them I heard Cicada Serenade, sung by a Mudcatter (pre-Mudcat of course)--I think it's Skivvie.

And I decided I wanted to learn that. So about 16 years later, I got access to a tape with it. Jan and I learned it--and sang it at the Getaway--the year before the next cicada visitation in our area. And Jan even had a whole repertoire of stage business and gestures for it.

But this year we're not making it out there at all--also, Jan is not really in great shape--especially for clambering around hills like they have out there. My mother and her husband wanted to go out there too so I was going to take them out there. But now an old high school chum of my mother's will be in town. That obviously takes precedence--after all, the Celtic Festival happens every year.

My father died the same year as Cay's wife.   Both couples had been in the same church for 30 years. Cay and my mother got married the next year. It's a great match. Cay loves music and has a great sense of humor--as far as I'm concerned that's bingo. He's also a 92-year old kayaker--he's in amazing shape.