Ted's Place

 This is the view from Ted's place.  Ted is an 80-something-yr-old from church, who has been building a place up in the mountains for many many years.  At least once a year he invites a crowd up for lunch.  Every time, I have declined the invitation.

I am not a very social person.  The idea of being in the mountains with a group of oldies... well, it's not a terribly inviting proposition.  At a Christmas party last year, I had a brainwave.  I much prefer playing at parties rather than being a real guest, so I thought if I took my trio up and played, I could still accept the invitation but not feel socially awkward.  Ted was thrilled with the idea and has been handing out invitations for about a month.  Because yesterday was St Patrick's Day, there was a bit of an Irish/green theme.  I didn't actually end up taking the trio, as my brother (the cellist) was running a half marathon this evening, but Jeannie and I played duos. 

I wore a green bracelet from the Eumundi markets, and lime green retro platform stilettos.  No pic of them just yet, but I'm hoping to wear them this week.  It seems there were as many comments about my shoes as there were our playing.

We started with Jigs, Reels and Hornpipes and then moved on to tangos.  This group (maybe 40 people, at a guess) was the most appreciative audience we'd ever entertained.  They danced, they clapped, they cheered and whistled, and all at the right times.  They even fed us.  After we'd finished, another guest (who happens to be an actor, entertainer, amazing brain) sang a song and told a story, and another guest sang a song also.  There were a few tears...

I was very glad to be playing (and therefore have only a short time for socialising), and very glad to have Jeannie there as well, but even gladder to have finally accepted an invitation to see Ted's place.