Posted by harwilli55 on Sunday, April 11, 2010
My friend Kate who is a banjo player has collected quite a group of OT friends. In that group, are the sweetest couple you could possibly meet. In their retirement, they both decided that they would learn to play musical instruments. Flo chose the Mtn Dulcimer while Jim chose the Hammered Dulcimer. They have fast become full members in the OT community and participate in most of the jams.
A couple of month's ago, during a conversation, Kate found out they were celebrating their 50th wedding aniversary. So Kate decided they needed to have a 50th Celebration Jam at her house.
Now, my friend Kate, is one of the most active people I have ever had the pleasure to meet. She does not allow a minute of any day to hold any slack, nor be without a planned activity. While planning and preparing for the celebration jam yesterday ( Sat night), Kate this past week, has visited by rail, her family and friends in Connecticutt and NYC, then come home, only to take off down to the VA NC border to spend a night in a cabin visiting and spending time with her niece, plus hiking some of the area trails, and riding a rails to trail bike path. But wait.....that's not all, for that was in the morning...then she drove an hour and a half to another town....went shopping.....took another ride on another rails to trails bike path....then went to have dinner with the " HoneydewDrops", then watched their show afterwards, then drove home another two hours, to begin cleaning the house and yard for hosting. And that was all on Friday.
After a couple of hours of sleep, Kate awoke to continue cleaning....yep....with toothbrush in hand....no crack or cranny would escape cleaning. There wasn't a wall, a ceiling, floor, window, or door that would be missed. And while working on the cleanning.... a ham was being cooked....homemade foccacia bread......potato salad......pasta salad......cheese to be sliced.....etc......
We, those of us attending started arriving about 6 pm. The house was sparkling clean and the aroma from the kitchen wafted incredibly delcious scents. By 6:30 pm 20 had arrived and we were treated to food first. Yummmm.....plates were full....conversations were animated.....the Anniversary couple feted.....and celebrated with hugs all around.
Fitting 20 people in a fairly small living room for some would be problematic and perhaps even a bit claustrophic, but with this group, closeness just made for warmth. Then we started playing and the great thing was how that small room collected the sound and made it feel BIG.
We had quite the collection of instruments. 7 Mtn Dulcimers, 1 Hammered Dulcimber, 3 mandolins, 4 Banjo's, 3 Guitars, and 2 Fiddles, plus the occasional appearance of the Limber Jack.
The happy couple led off the jam with " Soldiers Joy" and " Angeline The Baker". For the next two hours we played "D" tunes....from " Bonepart Crossing the Rhine" to Dubuque" to " Whiskey Berfore Breakfast". Lots of whoops and joyfull laughter in between tunes.
We took a break to change keys to "A". Dessert ( Dark Chocolat Cake & Heathbar Cheesecake) and champagne were served. Toasts abounded with wishes for another 50 years of wedded bliss to Jim & Flo. Boy, were we feeling good.
We settled back in for a round of " A " tunes for the next 1 1/2 hours. This group always ends the jam with " Hangman's Reel" which was played at a fevered pitch for a good long trance inducing period. Lots of " WoooHoooos" resounded and at the end, smiles, high fives, and hugs completed a wonderfully satisfying evening. We packed out instruments, helped clean up, and left Kate's house as nice as it was before we arrived.
Kate, by the way, confided that she was going kayaking early this morning with a group of friends.....
Harlan
3 comments on “50th Wedding Anniversary Jam”
Rene Says:
Sunday, April 11, 2010 @1:12:42 PM
Think I need a nap after that
mudbug Says:
Sunday, April 11, 2010 @3:05:21 PM
Wow! Quite the Aniversary party!
harwilli55 Says:
Sunday, April 11, 2010 @6:09:21 PM
Yea Rene,
Every time I talk to Kate, I am worn out just listening to what she has done :-D
Mudbug,
They sure are good people to hangout with....I am a lucky man to have become a part of the community here.
Harlan
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