Rennie, the LSH, Bobbie, Sammy and Morris Dancers

We danced out at the Ship Inn at Freckleton on Thursday 31 May. This was a momentous occasion for me because I was accompanied by my Long Suffering Husband and my youngest, Bobbie. We couldn't persuade Charlie to come along and we didn't even try with my eldest, Harry. There were two other team members when we got there and the LSH suggested they might be trying to avoid me etc but people kept arriving so I went and blacked up and the LSH got me, Bobbie and himself a drink. Sammy had also arrived and came out and gave me a hug. Her friends from Freckleton were there too so I waved at them through the window. Here is a picture of us before proceedings got underway. I'm on the right and I might look like I'm having a sneaky puff on a cigarette but I assure you that is not the case. I gave up 2 years and 8 months ago and I have not smoked since.

When enough dancers had turned up, we danced our first dance, Ragged Crow. I don't know this one and I have to watch from the sidelines, so I grabbed a tambourine and provided some percussion. You can actually hear me on the video, jingling on the upbeat and before you shout "Which video?", here it is.



I'm not absolutely sure of the order of things but we danced a Tinners Rabbit and I went third, a position I'm comfortable with. We also danced White Ladies, which I actually managed to do faultlessly. I hold my partner entirely responsible for me not going wrong. He has this way of keeping me on the right track at all times. Here's a picture from that dance. We also danced Ashpole and I managed to go wrong loads and loads of times. In mitigation, I must plead that I was not dancing in my usual place, but then a good Morris dancer should be able to dance in any position (within the dance, I'm not talking about dancing doing a handstand or anything silly like that). During the dance, there is a hey with swings. This photo is as I am about to go into a swing with Brent.

We also did another Tinners with audience members and Sammy and her two friends were dragged into the dance. I went first this time and felt very important and very experienced! My "civvy" dancer was one of Sammy's friends from Freckleton, Jackie. She actually wants to join the team, which is great, and apart from nearly having my eye out with her stick, she did very well indeed. At the end of the evening, we had a team photo taken and then we went into the pub and the musicians started playing. A couple of the team sang songs and we all joined in on tambourines, marracas and various other percussion instruments, including the LSH and Bobbie. I took this picture and I particularly like it because of all the top hats on the tables.

Bobbie tried on my hat at one point. Brent asked her if she knew what happens when a non-Morris Dancer tries on a Morris Dancer's hat. She said no and he replied "She becomes pregnant." She hurriedly took it off again. After a fair few tunes and a few pints and two songs, we left and went home. By the way, none of the Morris Dancers had to pay for our drinks, which was very kind indeed.

Finally, here is one more video and it is us dancing Tinners.