Mothering Sunday

Carnation
(poetically called the "gillyflower")

I have to admit I've not totally recovered from my lurgy, and my disruptive cough meant that I felt obliged to leave at the break of last week's session. Nevertheless I was there for most of a cracking first half.

A leak from the gents toilets meant that the carpet had been rolled up and a dehumidifier installed. That didn't stop the folk club though, which, undaunted, continued with normal proceedings in the remaining carpeted half of the room. It was cosier than usual, but no worse for that.

Although there wasn't officially a theme for the evening, various people picked up quickly that it was the closest Dragon session to Mothering Sunday, and that Friday was itself International Women's Day.

Mothering Sunday is of course a Christian holiday celebrated throughout Europe that falls on the 4th Sunday in Lent. It is not to be confused, whatever greetings card manufacturers try to persuade you, with Mothers' Day, which is an American invention and was first celebrated in 1908, when Anna Jarvis held a memorial for her mother. The date varies, but in many countries it is celebrated on the second Sunday in May <Your correspondent steps off his soapbox>.

Visitors were Carole, who sang well to Kevin's guitar playing, and Paul, who together with mysterious friend apparently last visited the club about eighteen years ago, when it was in Downend. Neither played on this occasion (at least not while I was there). Apparently Paul had his guitar in the car, and his friend, on the previous visit, having played with his wife, had been told by Mike that he ought to go on the folk circuit - which he never did.

Derek's first Mothering Sunday song had the refrain "Sing hey the rose and the gillyflower". Apparently the gillyflower of literature is the carnation. Colin on the other hand brought us down to earth, though still on a family, and particularly grandmother, theme with My granny was a plucker.

One particular treat for me was Steve singing one of my favourite songs: Jackson C Frank's Blues Run the Game (No offence to anyone else, I have a lot of "favourite" songs).

Then came the break and I made my exit, coughing all the way home. I hope everyone had a great second half. I don't know whether there is an official theme for next week, but here are some thoughts considering the date:

• Ides of March
• Hungarian Revolution (1848)
• Ry Cooder's birthday

Then over the weekend there's:

• Bacchanalia
• Lawrence Oates said "I am just going outside and may be some time."
• Saint Patrick's Day (OK, that's the most likely one)
• Caroline Corr's birthday