This wednesday's session at the Prince Albert was dedicated to "Absent Friends", of whom there were several. Whilst Dave,Norma,Rosie,Alan,Dave F,Alison, Steve et al, were sorely missed,the usual furniture-shifting rigmarole was not thought to be necessary !

After a tune "warm up" led by Richard (Seven Stars), Dick got us off to a start with "Let Union Be", later essaying "When you smoke Tobacco", which is something well in the past for both of us. Ian sang a version of "The Nightingale" (but not the one in Berkeley Square), and, later, "Missed the Bus". Martin & Kerraleigh were on seriously impressive form, with "Mistress", by Melissa Nadgers,(or something like that !), "Carpetbaggers" (Jenny Lewis) which sparked a discussion about the eponymous novel by Harold Robbins; the self-penned "End of a Rope", and Nina Nastasia's "I Come After You", which not surprisingly prompted some ribald comments.

Stuart & Delia,having arrived bereft of instruments (sticky keys,apparently), gave us, courtesy of Mr Acker Peller, "Billy is the Boy that I Adore" and "The Wind May Blow your Plaidie Awa' " (both Delia) and the Baring Gould "The Bellringing" and the "The Grey Funnel Line" (Attrib. C Tawney but not Conf.), both Stuart. It was great to see Glen yet again,and she tried to please (but not with Edam cheese) with her own compositions "Take Your Time" and "My Sister The Sea". Lovely.

Karen dispensed with my services for "The White Hare" (a spring song), although I was re-instated for "Maid of Culmore" and Briege Murphy's atmospheric "Cloghinne Winds". A solo (but not for long) Richard sang Paul Caplan's very funny parody of "John Henry", about adding up without calculators; later offerings, with Andy, included "Little Ball of Yarn", "Star of the County Down", and J.Taylor's humourous "Red Velvet Steering-Wheel Covered Driver".

A Fennerless but game Simon proved to be up for it with some rousing (no, not like that) tunes, viz. "All The Ways To Galway" and " List For A Sailor", and sang "Sally Free and Easy" (Definitely C Tawney). Representing Bledlow Ridge, our other Martin sang the very bluesy (by Johnson) "Love in Vain", and "Helplessly Hoping" (S Stills, of C,S,N & Y).

An altogether very pleasant evening was spookily rounded off by The Orpheus Choir's very own John singing "The Black Freighter", and ----- we didn't have to replace any tables,chairs,etc ; Hooray !!

Next week,we shall be at the Dog & Badger in Medmenham ( plenty of room there !).

Yours Truly "Eleven Years With The Grey Funnel Line" Roger & Out.

A ps from Karen - the chocolates donated by Rosie and Alan were very much enjoyed by us all, particularly Delia and Stuart! Quite a lot of merriment & banter over the evening, including the source of The White Hare - collected in a toilet by Bronwen and on on of her Seelie Court album, which caused mention of our old and dear friend Martin Herbert who is currently living in Finland! It wasn't strictly true that we moved no furniture!! Various chair lifting and moving incurred by Richard and Karen to enable armless chairs in the middle for musicians.

PPS It's St Patrick's Day next Wednesday so be there with your Irish contributions!