Whitby, the middle section

Monday was a lovely day, but very busy in Whitby,  with it being Regatta Day. Sat in the sun and watched some dancing at Scoresby monument, which isn't there any more.

Then went to a talk on Dry Stone walling by Will Noble, who  I really know because he sings at the carols at Dungworth every year.  He has a lovely voice, but I'm afraid he sings one of my least favourite, and least Christmassy Songs, The Mistletoe Bough. We call it the Miserable Bough and usually go to the loo during it. Sorry Will :-).

But, his talk was excellent. He told us how he began working with his father who was a farmer and a stonemason when he was just a kid, and how he's just really picked everything up. When he was 13 he quarried enough stone in the field next door to his house for his father to build a wall ("I just liked digging holes....").  I was amazed at some of the things he's done. Built walls in the show gardens at Chelsea Flower show, and worked with the artist Andy Goldsworthy.  He helped to build Stone River, in the grounds of Stanford University. Now his two children, Cuthbert and Lydia are following in his footsteps. An excellent hour - I really do like these little quirky things at Whitby!

Then off to the Shambles pub to meet friends and family, and some dolls house shopping with our granddaughter in the shop downstairs. Thanks to Lily I know have a tabby cat to put in mine.

Next we all went off to Dance Adversity Challenge - a university Challenge spoof between two dance teams - this year it was Shropshire Bedlams against Hexamshire Morris Men refereed by Stanley Accrington. All good clean fun, and Saul Rose hasn't got a competitive bone in his body....

Pie and mash shop had sold out of pies on way home, so we had to make do with an inferior Pukka pie from the chip shop. 
Then back up onto the top of West Cliff with our friends and family to watch the firework display that marks the end of Regatta. I love a good firework show, and this was excellent, fantastic view from the top as the fireworks were set off from the east pier.

Then we went (with the kids), into the Late Night Laugh concert, which didn't start till 11, and some of them made it through to the end at 1am. It was a great night.
John Connolly:

 Keith Donnolly and  Stanley Accrington:

I didn't get a pricture of Keith Donnolly - I think it was because I was laughing too much! Only night of the week we didn't get any dancing in.

Tuesday morning was another trip to a talk, this time from Peta Webb on the Songs of the Titanic. Peta had a CD of songs from different parts of the world, in different styles and taked us through them. They varied tremendously from the slightly jolly ones, to the very stirring "be British, women and children first" type, and the negro and gospel ones. These were very moralistic and saw the sinking of the Titanic as a sign from God that humans were trying to push the boundaries too much. There was also a belief that blacks were not allowed on the Titanic, so this was in some way retribution for this.

Then I went for a walk to the end of the West Pier. Nice to see the bridge to the extension had been repaired. I wasn't too keen walking over it though, there's big gaps you can see the sea through. Well, they looked big to me!

It was nice to see some impromptu clog dancing on the pier, and the beach was full.

 More dancing at the bandstand,

 and a climb to the top where there's a fantastic view

Then a walk up to the Met  to see the Jez Lowe and the Bad Pennies concert. A huge queue, but we all got in. It was a great concert, with a mixture of old and new songs.

Then back down to the Coliseum for the second comedy event - Family Folk Tunes, a spoof of Family Fortunes. The sky turned ominously dark, and as we got there, the heavens opened and there was a thunderstorm. Unfortunately the venue saw fit to keep the doors locked so we all stood out in the rain, huddled under two umbrellas - in shorts! The Nobles vs the Ferry-Kenningtons, and they really had asked 100 folkies the questions.

 Of course, we had the obvious one:

After a regroup, a meal and a couple of drinks we made it back to the Late Night Extra. Lovely walk up as usual

Great lively night with caller Martin Harvey. Lots of dancing, and in the foyer the Speed  Ploughing Competition. How fast can you play Speed the Plough on any instrument. My favourites were air concertina and comb and paper. Ouse Washers Molly did a dance spot

and I even got to do a Kerry polka with Alice.