Time as usual is going much too fast for me. I can't believe that it is now Sunday and I still haven't had a moment to update this site... normally it is done by Friday at the latest but the last week has been seriously packed with photo events and job requests and cats needing vets and some very successful demo dancing + drastically needed gardening and invitations and unfortunately feeling a bit under the weather too... not as a result of the invitations I hasten to add. So now it's a very surprising Sunday- still with the sun shining despite all the predictions of thunder storms - not the case in Monaco as I can see looking over Pete's shoulder. The June Jamboree is only a few weeks away and I'm already working on the programmes and the music, we've sold lots of tickets but there's plenty of room on the Elea terrace so I hope people are telling all their friend's about it - it's a lovely night to bring non-dancing friends along to so they can see how much fun we have -  a lovely night to just come to! Flyers are available on Tuesdays so feel free to pick some up.

I've just been entering names into our attendance records and realized that we've probably only got 3 more Tuesday classes to go... it seems unbelievable; actually I have scoured my e-mails for a finishing date (because it is actually a committee decision not my own) and I don't think there been one decided but going by previous years it's likely to be June 14th, just after the June Jamboree.
At this moment I am all set to carry on forever - and with class numbers still hovering close to 30 even now I'm sure I'm not the only one - however I distinctly remember feeling exactly the same last year.... and then all of a sudden the real summer was upon us and as sweat poured off us I accepted that we have to stop, but it's not happening yet and we had a super night last Tuesday with some excellent dancing from visitors, as well as our newer dancers, of quite a challenging programme. Here are some pictures of a really happy night - lots of smiles, some perfect arms and even some pointed toes - wow!  :-)

Three blogs in one week, though of course I'd have preferred to only have done 2 it's still a record of sorts.  We've just come back from performing a couple of little Demo sets at the Mall. First I have to say thank-you to my fellow dancers who turn out over and again and manage to convey our joy of dancing whatever the challenges of the venue and despite our chronic lack of rehearsal time. The dances are frequently variations on the original theme but our audiences never seem to mind, in fact I suspect as non-dancers they perhaps enjoy it more! :-) We were supposed to be performing at the Harbour as part of the celebration for the Friend's Hospice's 10th Anniversary but the very strange weather this morning saw the event relocating to the Mall just outside of Jumbo - not quite so atmospheric perhaps but given the strength of the wind a much safer location for men in kilts! 
Next week's Tuesday night programme is finally available, it is fairly challenging mentally but with lots of Strathspeys in consideration of the probable temperature I look forward to seeing you there.

Several weeks ago I said that I would hopefully be uploading some recent photos onto the site within a day... 
err some time even more than a week later I am about to upload... lots - there will be pictures of the classes on the 'Photies' page (under the Society heading above) and of the Workshop Weekend - see a link from the Events -> Past Events page. I will also get some onto the Facebook page. But just in case I am yet again promising something I can't quite perform as quickly as I want to - here are a few to be going on with ... 

We are very sorry to hear that William - a former Chairman of the St Andrew Society - died a few days ago in hospital; he worked hard for the society during his days at the helm and although not a dancer himself he appreciated the value of the dancing as a source of continuity within the society and of joy for those of us who do dance. He was a staunch supporter of all our events right to the end - he'll be much missed by his close friends and family.

It is difficult to realize that a week has passed since the last class - I have usually added to these blethers within a day or two but of course this week I had good reason to delay. It's been an amazing but also a very sad week. The long awaited Weekend Workshop has been a great success with Liz Beckensale  teaching and Ian Muir supplying the music - .... far more people than I ever hoped took advantage of the classes, the Saturday dance at the UKCA was attended by just enough people to get a good atmosphere without being short of room (with a really excellent buffet from Debbie - enough food for double our number) and the Sunday Lunch at Gustoso's was as superb as it always is; for our first attempt at anything like this it was really excellent - well done to Doug who organized the event -  that the words "when we do this again I think we could...." could be overheard throughout the weekend shows how inspiring the result of his hard work was (not to mention that of Liz and Ian too). Next year of course we are being visited by the International Branch for their workshop event ... a slightly bigger affair since they are confidently expecting at least 100 - 150 participants, but especially after seeing how much fun, and how much many of us benefited from this weekend we are hoping there'll be room at some of the classes for us.
Away from all this excitement we had some very sad news, a long time and much loved member of the society died last week, she hadn't been able to dance for many years due to health problems but she still had a very active interest in the Society and contributed whenever she could - not least by sending her husband out most Tuesdays to join in the dancing even when she couldn't herself! You'll be missed Pat, and remembered with fondness.