Monson Party - 15 July

Two of our men had birthdays recently. John and Jeremy Monson are 80 and 50. So we had a celebration in the Harpenden village hall, with music, country dancing, food and drink.

I'm sure there are more photos of the occasion, but here are some blurry ones of the birthday boys cutting their cakes, using the official London Pride Cake Sword (a nineteenth century cavalry officer's blade, I understand).

People from at least three generations had a good time, with country dancing for as many as willed, at all standards.

I will remember the sight of Peter K, partnering Noah and dancing the woman's steps. Very dainty.

At one point, a circle dance left Peter waltzing with John, both in kit. It made me wonder. How about a whole 3/4 Morris tradition, developed by itinerant Austrian musicians, and only just re-discovered? We could start with Sweet Jenny Strauss and go on from there...

Kitty and I stayed till the end, and went home on a train which stopped at West Hampstead due to engineering works (it was true, we could see they guys on the tracks).

We got in at 12.30. Alison said she hadn't expected to be waiting up for some disreputable guy to bring home Kitty from a party - at this age.