As a relative newcomer to this live, folk music kind of event, I don't have the history of friendships that Gervase has mentioned and it's probably fair to say that I am too cynical to allow the sentimentality to reach me. Considering this along-side the fact that I don't really sing, you could be forgiven for wondering why I bother with Towersey at all. Well, for me it's all about putting the real world on hold for a few days, getting drunk, talking outrageous nonsense to broad-minded people who will hopefully have forgotten (and maybe forgiven) in a year's time. It's about paddling in mud, it's about sitting in the bodr.. bohdr.. bodsomething workshop with fifty other beginners, all beating the crap out of a fairly loud drum with a wooden stick to a thunderous rythm that perfectly fits "Running Bear loves Little White-Dove" and it's about hurling yourself at crowds of like-minded psychotic human projectiles in the so-called dance tent. Thanks Gervase, Micca, Morticia, LTS, and all the usual suspects for significantly shortening my life expectancy. I comfort myself in the aftermath with clean bedding, hot baths, wholesome food, clean toilets and soluble-aspirin.