TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

As many of you know, since the sad loss of Carey Hancock (Ces) who was one of the first members of this board, we have held a Toast at Cropredy on Saturday night at the bar. Ces was a huge fan of Fairport, and especially, Swarb.

This year we will be gathering at about 7:30pm, in a break between turns.

Ces was also a supporter of The Teenage Cancer Trust, and every year we collect money for the charity during The Toast, and over the years we have raised thousands of pounds.

As well as Carey, many of us have lost loved ones, and this is a time to raise a glass to them.
It doesn't matter if you are a new member of the board or a long-suffering older member, everyone is welcome.
Shot glasses (plastic) are provided, and also people bring along their own 'interesting concoctions' for everyone's delight! These have included:
Marmite vodka, absinthe, garlic/chilli vodka etc.

Again, this is an open invitation for anyone who wants to join in - bringing a bottle of 'something nasty' is optional.   ;)

The Toast has become part of Cropredy for many of us, and this will be the fourteenth year of it.

Many members of the board have carried out the duties of proposing The Toast, and this year that duty will be performed by Jane Merrick.

Just to say. Please everybody, if you post here make it clear that this is an everybody welcome event. Yes it goes back a long way to Ces and Swarb, but the toast is 'Absent friends'. Bring your own memories, drink the worst and put ££$ in the fez.

A few reminders:

If you have brewed your own 'cocktail' you must drink a draft at Saturday lunchtime at the bar. If you are still alive later, you can serve it to the mob.
The is a serious fine for anybody who asks for more of any one brew.
So long as the blindness is only temporary, that's fine.

Excellent. The Raspodka is churning away nicely.

I have a little something in preparation,having ditched one effort as being too awful for words!  :o

Is there a time for this? How about when Digence does his hanky thing? Will there be official observers?

Look here Pugwash, you know the rules. Drink a draft at lunchtime and if you are still able to stray more than 50m from a turdis by 7pm, you can serve it.

Excellent, again, I do like clarity. As I’m waiting for a bit of an op unfortunately I won’t be able to check out the Raspodka. (I had a sample at Christmas and am ok now). Can I experiment on Amethyst instead?

Listen Captain, what you do on your Man-O-War is your own business but keep it out of the field please. There are children present  :o :o ;) ;D [;-) {:-)

Cheeky!

Who, Moi ??   [;-) [;-) [;-)

Oui... tu!

Shot glasses... I've found 60 unused that I will bring, can someone please bring more... Ta.

I've a pack of 80 I'll bring along. I can only hope they are robust enough to withstand Dad Volts concoction. At least for the 5 seconds between pouring and drinking  :P :P I still remember a couple of last years 'brews' melting through folks shots glasses cause they took ages looking at them.

As for the Raspodka-well I'll let Amethyst test it first  ::) ;)

As long as you try it second!  ;D ;D

You’re on! 😉👍🏴‍☠️😘

So Indian single malt, or St Ives', Dead Men's Fingers rum?  :P

Rum please.

Oh definitely the malt please. If only to be able to go back to work and tell all my Tata colleagues about it 🤣🤣🤣

This years effort from me is.....The Yellow Stuff.

Following on from the truly horrible Brown stuff of 2017 ..(correctly identified as a mix of rum,polish spirit and Carvonia by Marion Fleetwood).
And last years unexpectedly pleasant The Green Stuff (based on Juiced Kiwi fruit with Lemon Chillo and Vodka)..

I fear that the Yellow stuff is far too palatable,but hey ho its done!!!!

I’ll be thinking of all of you and raising a glasss here.....or a cup of tea more likely since I’ll be meeting new  Airb&b guests within the hour.

We’ve been visited with far too many deaths in our group of friends this past year so the remembering will be especially meaningful.

Now you're all excited.
Rum with hints of paraffin, Tabasco and wet suits.  

I'm sure I have a cd single by Francis black called dead men's fingers I don't remember if it tasted nice

Oy! This year's offering has vegetables in it,therefore logically it's healthy and part of your five a day.  [;-)

we have another 80 shots, do we need some more? shout up now, we can get them today if so.......

Dead Mans Fingers....one of my favourites!!

Oooo thats novel bringing the carrot chunks with you...

enjoy!!!!

Sadly due to a tweaked back rrendering me temporarily useless I am un able to attend the toast ( for the first time I can remember) I will be sending a surrogate suitably equipped however!

Oh dear here have some restorative Raspodka. Hope your back quickly behaves itself  [;-) [;-)

Blimey!
Must be bad to miss out on the general merriment that is the CH toast.
Man up lad, tha's fer Wakey!

Thinking of you all

And special thoughts for Shirl and Big Dave... and a few heartbreaking losses in our circle of friends here in Maine....
“Absent Friends”.    

Great job done by Jane and PastyBoy. (The Frog only phoned it in.)

After coming many years to the festival, I finally made it to the toast for the first time! Thank you to those who welcomed (I was wearing the Simon Nicol paint splatter shirt and NY baseball cap). Sorry I’m a bit rubbish at remembering names but I do remember Amethyst (Jenny), PaulT and Gareth (?). I do remember some of the concoctions however...Paul’s Polish Brandy was awful (sorry Paul) but liked the Yellow Stuff and the Raspodka Not too keen on the Palma Violets and I refused the Dirty Vodka with the veg in  :o

I must correct your description of my brandy, Chris - it was Romanian, not Polish! Though it was indeed awful.  It may well have had subtle notes of Brasso.  Good to meet you - liked your shirt!

Honourable mentions for the lemon sherbet vodka and the peanut liqueur provided by the younger members of the throng - not at all unpleasant.

I have a vague recollection of discussing Shipham's fish paste vodka for next year.  :o

Sorry got the nationality of your brandy wrong Paul. I have a Romanian friend so will mention how awful it was to him - see what he says  ;D

When you tell him the brand (Dracula Immortal), I would not be surprised if he says something along the lines of "oh that commercial muck? The real homemade stuff is so much better"!  ;D

The gherkin concoction was, err, memorable.

The Gherkin Vodka was the outright winner and the damage claims will arrive soon.

All you kind folks managed to donate to the Teenage Cancer Trust the grand sun of   £171. 65 p
Well done all . Proud to be a TAW

Oh don’t remind me! I don’t drink, but was coerced into some by a certain person when I popped down to look for someone just after the toast. Only had a drop on my tongue...still traumatised....‘Ach y fi’ as they say in Wales.

Great news about the collection  :)

Some revolting drinks, well done to all concerned!

One week on, just in case anyone had forgotten the taste...

PaulT that was revoltingly horrible. Had to check my enamels afterwards don’t you know :-\

Some shots from my phone,

Names would be good.  I still don't know what everyone looks like.

Jules

Neither do I and I was there!  ;D Actually I’m in the background in the first pic of the 3...

My son Josh is in the left foreground of Andy's last photo. (I was fixing tents at the time)