NEFFA report

We were only there from 4-10:30 PM on Saturday, living our usual lives otherwise. I keep finding myself unsure about whether I am in the middle school or the high school. We first participated in the everybody chains contra session. Accurately named. I stayed in the room for the contra medley. Lisa Greenleaf wasn't there, but her warning poem was read. I don't think anybody had trouble with the calls, but our line had a mess when some people lost track of which couple was 1 and which was 2. We stayed in the same hall for part of the Dances from Brittany session. We did one dance, listened to a few more, discussed whatever happened to my bombarde (must be in the attic somewhere, but I never replaced the original reed). Walked past the honky tonk sing-a-long and decided not to go in. Did the first two or three dances of the 75th anniversary session. Sat listening to the hammered dulcimer concert until Arthur found his chair too uncomfortable. Went to the Romanian dance party for a little while. Had a couple of scones and a hard boiled egg for supper. Every year we lament the loss of the wonderful diversity of food available at the old site in Natick. This year, the only hot foods were pasta, the Lithuanian booth, and a hot dog food truck, none of which we ate. We need to remember to pack more food for ourselves. Sat briefly listening to Pirate Chanteys. Musically I liked them, but not lyrically. Did the first three dances at the Anglo/Scottish Ceididh. I had been to a similar one (also with Alex Cumming) at Arisa a couple of years ago and knew that I would find his musicality and calling good, but his patter irritating. At any rate, the dances were very energetic and pretty silly. We switched over to the Bulgarian dancing with music by Zdravets, and stayed in the room for part of the Cajun jam + dancing. Didn't do any Bulgarian dances, but did do some Cajun two-step and waltz. Back to Bulgaria, in the gym, with Divi Zheni, and stayed until the end of that session, listening, reminiscing, thinking of absent friends, and wondering what it would be like to go back to singing in that style. When I first started going to NEFFA in the late 1970s, it was to sing. I don't remember when we started dancing as well, but a long time ago.
I bought a tiny hand-made metallic lizard.
Things seemed less well-organized than usual to us - some sessions didn't start on time.
On the other hand, we had very good luck with the bus to the off-site parking. We didn't wait at all, in either direction.