Leadingers-

You must have dialed a wrong number. We were all there having a great time!

It really was a fine dinner and song party, about a dozen or so folks. Let's see:

Sinsull (Mary)
Maine Dog
Kendall
Jacqui
Tami (Ranger 1)
Deb (with Kendall and Jacqui)
Tom (Curmugeon)
Linn (Batgoddess)
Barry
Deb (Tru-Brit)
Jeri
JudyB
And yours truly

Did I miss anyone?

The BBQ meatballs were a great success! There were grapes and cheese. Entrees included the Beef Stroganoff, the Chicken Tahjine, the Tuscan Bean Stew, Limoncello (I'm not sure what that was). Desserts included assorted chocolates and the baked cheesecake with strawberry-rhubarb glazing. The bar included various beer and ale, red and white wine, and assorted hard stuff that others might better describe.

But the singing was the best. There were several patterns throughout the evening: the drinking songs, the sea songs, the long ballads, the railroad songs, the songs from the Great Southwest, the tear-jerkers, and the theme songs for various well-remembered radio and television shows.

I got to try out the "News in Daly's Bar," my newly adapted poem from Cicely Fox Smith which even in its abridged form could be described as a very long ballad. I'm still very much in love with this song but I'm curious whether it has any such effect of others.

I also sang:

West Indies Blues
Dead Dog Cider
The Outside Track
Mid-Watches

When we left after 11 the party was still going strong, and for all I know, is still going stong, except for Barry who evidently wimped out after Midnight.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble