Being very old can be good fun.

Saturday 14th May 2011
An overcast and rainy day and a day that I had been dreading for some time.
We had been invited by the Burray SWRI (womens institute, called "The Rural" up here) to attend their annual over 60s dinner in the village hall.
I had visions of being the only man in a room full of doddering old white haired ladies talking about their varicose veins. however, you can not ignore an invite from the rural or you and your descendants for several generationswill be ostracised. e therefore had to go along. Jimmy, the local vicar had told me that he was going but he cried off at the last minute as he had to bury somebody (I was getting close to that myself)so I was not sure if there were going to be any men.

I need not have worried. There were more men on our table than women. There was good intelligent conversation and everyone was very welcoming. I never heard a single reference to varicose veins and the food was good.

There was entertainment laid on and I had heard that this was going to be an accordianist. Now I quite like accordians as part of a band but was expecting a single accordianist playing "come into the garden Maud" and the like. It did not turn out quite like that. My suspicions were raised when I saw Douglas Montgomery sitting in the corner. Douglas is a superb fiddle player, music teacher and member of several very good bands.

What we in fact ended up with was half of a band called "The Chair".
As you dear readers will know, The Chair is one of my favourite groups. They remind me very much of Fairport Convention on a good day.

The Chair at Last years Orkney Folk Festival

It's not long now until this years folk festival so no doubt you will be hearing more of The Chair.

Needless to say the the owld codgers meal was a great afternoon. The village hall comittee may need to do some repairs to the floor of the hall after all the foot stamping but as they say, a good time was had by all.
Just to ingratiate ourselves with the SWRI, I stayed behind and moved all the tables and chairs away for them. I was a bit surprised that all the other guests just left without helping but Hey Ho.