Willows well stripped!

For those who like their willows well stripped, their white sargeants dashing and their circles circasian shaped the public hall was a "must place to be" on Friday evening for a sold out barn dance in aid of Aphax funds.

Great thanks to an excellent caller and band who got the majority of 100+ people onto their feet to do things most would never have imagined possible.

Thanks also to the willing folks of ADCA who organised the evening and provided a humungous supper of ploughmans and home made cakes and manned a very active bar.

A big surprise for all was an impromptu ballad to the indefatigable Ralph Warburton, performed by our local balladeers Pete Marshall and Ian Haughey with a cake to celebrate Ralph's imminent birthday (for a number ending in 0 it is rumoured).

For those who did not get to hear it, it is repeated here, unfortunately without the music:

And they call him Ralph and he wears a big black hat and they call him Ralph but he's a good guy and he puts up flags and trees at Christmas and plants out flowers, pretty flowers, in the spring.

It was more than thirty years ago when he first drove in to town
in a two tone Austin Healey village bound
He headed for the co-op looking for some wine
and he parked the car on the double yellow lines

And they call him Ralph and he wears a big black hat and they call him Ralph but he's a good guy and he puts up flags and trees at Christmas and plants out flowers, pretty flowers, in the spring.

He always had a thing for ladies underwear
Littlewoods was the reason why he cares
he took his expertise to far flung foreign lands
their underwear always in his skilful hands

and they call him Ralph and he wears a big black hat and they call him Ralph but he's a good guy and he puts up flags and trees at Christmas and plants out flowers, pretty flowers, in the spring.

He's never liked committees but he's been on quite a few
ADAS and ASET and the carnival and the burial Board its true
A Festival of music and art and poetry
whilst raising lots of funds naturally

And they call him Ralph and he wears a big black hat and they call him Ralph but he's a good guy and he puts up flags and trees at Christmas and plants out flowers, pretty flowers, in the spring.

Now he's done a few erections, – we are talking about marquees
with a team of no good work-shy volunteers
He tells them "don't get ahead of yourselves " -theres not much chance of that
not unless its the pub that they are at

And they call him Ralph and he wears a big black hat and they call him Ralph but he's a good guy and he puts up flags and trees at Christmas and plants out flowers, pretty flowers, in the spring.

(c) The Duffey Boys 2017

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