Oh, I do like to be beside the seaside!

[MaryR]

Some seventy of us are heading for the seaside on Monday - not that we'll see too much of it as we'll have a busy week ahead of us at this year's summer school!

People have made their workshop selections and, more importantly, their menu choices for the celebration dinner that takes place on Thursday, just before the concert. There are lots of practical workshops this year, and a fairly even split of participants across them all. Martin Baker's Chant Workshop looks to be very popular, as do Catherine Christmas's 'Who's in Charge?' sessions for Music Directors. There are also a lot of people who want to learn to 'Pray your Way' with Kit Dollard (with the help of Myers Briggs). And Bill Tamblyn's 'World Music' is attracting accomplished singers and beginners alike.

There certainly seems to be something for everyone this year and the Big Sings will be a real treat with Martin Baker, Bill Tamblyn and Martin Barry bringing us an eclectic mix.

Caroline Dollard and Martin Barry (Liturgy and Music Directors respectively) have worked hard on a programmes of liturgies and keynotes that will explore our theme. Standing with Christ, looking out through the open door of faith (Acts 14.27), are we ready to invite those outside to come and meet Him, and join us in the journey that lasts a lifetime? The week is a precurser to the Year of Faith announced by Pope Benedict XVI and due to begin in October.

As I'm on the team, I get to go early and so, this time tomorrow evening, I shall be tucking into my fish and chips at the Magpie Cafe - reputed to serve the best fish and chips in the country!

As ever, I'm looking forward to catching up with old friends, and to making new ones. See you in a week!

[Nick Baty]

Nooooooo! Not the Magpie – huge queues. Go a little further along (passing the Magpie on your left) and you'll come to another – and I can't remember the name. But it's all very nautical with wood cladding, nets and other nautical bits and bobs! Wherever you eat, Whitby fish 'n' chips is the best in the world. And so are their slot machines – have won more keyrings there than anywhere else!

[oopsorganist]

The other restaurant is called The Quarterdeck. You can see the sea whilst eating your meal which is lovely.
Best fish and chips though are "once wrapped" eaten on the sea front maybe or sitting in the bandstand.

[blackthorn fairy]

Very sorry not to be able to be with you this year - things conspired against me! Hope all goes well and all come away refreshed, renewed, inspired etc and ready once more for the fray that is out lot...

[Gwyn]

In preparation for the future, could someone translate Oh I do like to be beside the seaside" into Latin?

[alan29]

.... into ICELese.

[Nick Baty]

According to Google Translate:
O ego sicut ad esse iuxta mare
O ego vellem iuxta mare
O ego similis flexa per promísit, promísit, promísit
cum aeris cohortis ludit tiddly-OM-Pompeium-Pompeium

Translate back and you get:
Oh, I am as to being by the sea
Oh, I would like, by the sea
Oh, I like to stroll through the prom, prom, prom
with the brass band playing tiddly-OM--Pompey Pompey

[John Ainslie]

Placet mihi adesse iuxta mare...

This actually scans correctly with the first line of the tune

[SOP]

The Magpie was good, pre-booked so no need to queue - annoyed one person in the line but ...

Weather will kind to us, the whole week was very good and enjoyable.

Next year Ditchingham!!

[oopsorganist]

I have tried in vain to listen to "I shall be living" wot Bill Tamblyn sprang upon us in his Big Sing.....
could everyone just pop back to Whitby to sing it again for me?

[oopsorganist]

And we should have recorded it. I would have bought it to hear again.
Technology is not my thing. But, er, there are techno people in the society. Sale of a CD would have generated maybe £800 or so and twould pay for itself if we got some recording equipment. And there is a market for a CD which is parts sung which you can use for training idiots like me. How often do you get lots of skilled singers all held hostage in one place?

[HallamPhil]

The recording and music for Oomen's 'I shall be living' are available from Decani Music in the 'Turn your ear to me' collection from the Amsterdam School.

[Boadicea]

I believe the collection is called 'Turn your heart to me'.

[Alan]

And we should have recorded it. I would have bought it to hear again.
Technology is not my thing. But, er, there are techno people in the society. Sale of a CD would have generated maybe £800 or so and twould pay for itself if we got some recording equipment. And there is a market for a CD which is parts sung which you can use for training idiots like me. How often do you get lots of skilled singers all held hostage in one place?

For some years I did do this at Summer School, using cassette tapes to record talks and main liturgies. These days, a more efficient service could be provided using recordable CDs, encompassing talks and liturgies, for sure, but Big Sing and other items too. To do it properly, including forward planning, liaison with the Summer School team, clearing copyrights and making and distributing copies to people before they leave for home, would probably be a full-time job for someone throughout the week - but it could be done if SSG wanted to offer this service.