15th August 2014 - Of Compositions and Compliments

Thought for the day: "Breaking news! A cartoonist was found dead in his home. Details are sketchy."

Strange how you can spend your days...  After traveling to Germany and recovering from the trip, and sorting out some photographs, and updating Facebook to make room for a new group of links, with the bards and the players, sorting a few bills and accounts, I spent yesterday writing a wedding ceremony for friends.

When I say wedding ceremony. I mean a hand-fasting. In this case, friends wanted to get married in the Registry office with only the Best Man, Bridesmaid and Witness, and then celebrate the main part of the ceremony with their friends and family, perhaps 100 - 120, in a field. They did not want religion, Wicca, or spiritualism involved, but after talking with them as Celebrant, they felt that traditions and symbolism would be a good idea....

The choice therefore became clear to me, to have a five-fold binding, four coloured ribbons and a kiss.
And of course a "Jump the Broom" at the end - to symbolise the sweeping away of the past and a "jump" into the future...

In this case, there is also another advantage, in that another good friend looks after Birds of Prey. Tony and Sheila run Raptorcare and do demonstrations regularly with their birds and so the final part of the ceremony is to include the guests lining up to form a passage for the Bride and Groom to recess, and for Tony to fly the Bird to them as a last gesture of "Love being on the wings - With Dreams and Songs to sing..." 

And so, with a little research on other ceremonials, I found myself considering how to put together a meaningful ceremony that would not bore the guests, would mean something to the Bridal Couple.
I think I succeeded, and am now only waiting to hear from the couple of any amendments that may be needed. Otherwise I must get the Bothy ready as Bertha is involved as well as the Crimson Moon and I will have to get an area set up for tomorrow afternoon.

If all goes well I shall blog the final version on Monday after the weekend - hopefully with some photographs..

Meanwhile in other news, I noted a lovely comment made upon the Bards Guild Notice Board on Facebook. A mention from one of the other Bards, who goes under the unlikely name of Seamus Mac Elroy.
Now, I did not know that a Macelroy was !!
The urban dictionary tells me :

"
noun. a person who resembles and acts like a socially retarded dancing sprite.
verb. being suddenly forced to bare unwilling witness to unacceptable interpretive dance in a household space or in ones personal space.

noun: As Dirk came out of his room, he was bewildered by a Macelroy performing the splits between two walls.
verb: While enjoying the comfort of home in the company of friends, Jarek Manquggo and Umgay Lipo were unabashedly Macelroy'd by means of a spinning pirouette by THE Macelroy."

  
 So my unlikely German friend had a greater knowledge of the English myth and culture than I did !!

Dressed in this (one of my photos from the event ) he is distinct as a Scottish, Irish song singing, tartan clad (though not in his great kilt at this time) Elf!!  (Yes he has  pointy ears!) together with the beautiful Steffi, he was one of the great characters of the event. A great voice, good guitar and pleasant company with, luckily for me, a good knowledge of the English Language.

So it was a pleasure for me to read an unsolicited statement on the boards, not directed at me but giving me a mention. I copy it in German with a Google translation which may not be totally accurate - but captures the spirit.. 

"Ich wollte noch einmal erwähnen, das es mir ein außerordentliches Vergnügen wahr, mit euch allen diese Woche voller Genuss, Musik, Party und guten Gesprächen zu verbringen. Vielen Dank noch mal an Mi und Sarah für die richtigen Worte zum rechten Zeitpunkt und immer einem offenen Ohr für einen Chaoten wie mich. Auch vielen Dank an Vollsanger für nie endende gut Laune die er ausstrahlt. Vollsanger: "you are every time 100% Right !" An alle Barden, Bardinnen, Feuerkünstler, Tänzerinnen, Händler und welche ich noch vergessen hab, "es wahr mir eine Ehre !" Nun wünsche ich euch viel Spaß zu Hause mit eureen Liebsten und ein ruhiges und entspanntes Wochenende.

Seamus

I wanted to mention again that it me extraordinary pleasure is true to spend music, party and good conversations this week full of enjoyment, with all of you. Thanks again to MI and Sarah for the right words at the right time and always have an open ear for a chaotic like me. Also thanks to Vollsanger for never-ending good mood that he radiates. Vollsanger: "you are every time 100% right!" All bards, Bardinnen, fire performers, dancers, traders, and which I still forgot "it true me an honor!" Now, I wish you much fun at home with your loved ones and a quiet and relaxed weekend.
Seamus

Makes the day seem better all the time  - Thanks Seamus for those words ...

-o0o-

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