My wife and I have just had my parents move in with us. They're getting on in years, Mom's getting quite forgetful (to put it mildly) and Dad's got enough to handle with just the two of 'em so since we have room and I keep musician's hours (home during many weekdays) we asked 'em to move in with us.

We've done a lot of singin', something we always did when I was child in their home - and I ask them for some of the songs they learned from their parents, and grandparents - it's proven to be a nice thing ... but I have to relate one story that got me a private laugh tonight.

Dad is Irish Catholic and Mom English/Scot Protestant. Tonight Mom and I were in the kitchen, preparing dinner, and I was humming the Risin' of the Moon - and Mom hummed along, then surprised me when she knew man of the words - so we both sang along while the potatoes got washed and put into the oven. Then we started siging Grace (song about the death of an Irish Rebel leader from the Easter Uprising) ... she knew some of those too, and we sang along together. She asked a bit about the story, and then sang a few more lines, but then she said almost to herself, "it's a good thing my mother's not here; she'd say; 'what're you singing that stuff for?'" and then we both chuckled.

Memory's gone, but the sweetness and humor are still there ...