The month for merry Maying

It’s that time of pagan celebrations here in England. Once upon a time we would go to Butser and watch the burning of the wickerman. That was before they banned dogs from the event of course. Though Dawn mentioned that they may go anyway. Actually, as I write this on Sunday morning, I realise it was last night.

At least they avoided the rain which is due this morning and, as I look out of my study window, is hanging like a threat by a lamp post as I type. Not that the garden doesn’t need a bit of rain but we’re off to see the Wessex Chamber Choir tonight at the castle and, of course, we’ll be walking. I need to change my weather check. It just started raining.

Mirinda saw the poster for the choir on a neighbour’s fence and instructed me to ring up and book tickets. Which I did, discovering a clock repair shop in Farnham, of which I was previously unaware. We’ve only ever been to one function at the castle (venison dinner many, many years ago) and have been eagerly watching for something since. Now, unless Mirinda decides to go to the flat tonight rather than travel to Dublin in the morning, we may get to go to the castle again. It all feels very medieval.

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I have heard from Dawn that they did go to Butser and had an enjoyable, beer filled evening. Though poor Basil and Polly had to remain behind. Apparently the boys were there under sufferance.

The rain stopped mid afternoon, Chelsea won and the concert was wonderful. We were royally entertained with songs from the early 1500s right up to an ad for Ovaltine. In between songs, we had a pianist who is actually an organist but the digital organ he was going to use was somehow broken at a rehearsal so he played the piano. He had a remarkably square jaw. He didn’t look quite real but his piano playing was excellent.

We also had a violinist who played a piece which had an “uncompromising tirade of semi-quavers” as he so ably introduced then proceeded to play. He then shifted smoothly from Bach to Elgar and a piece he claimed was like sipping sherry in the afternoon.

The choir sang a wonderful version of Glenn Miller’s In The Mood and an amazingly rollicking sea shanty called The Mermaid wherein they would keep shifting to Rule Britannia. We had a delightful time.

They performed in the great hall at the castle. A splendid location for a splendid concert.