24 March   Bus Fiasco   Par Concert with the Champagne Ladies

 

In Par, northeast of St. Austell on A390, there are two St. Mary’s churches.  The one we are at is not the one we are going be singing at—this is why I don’t like GPS.  Grant is usually on top of things, but who knew?  Shortly a car drives up and says he can be the guide car to get us to the other St. Mary’s Methodist Church in downtown Par.  Grant finds out that there are two low train trestle en route and has to see them to determine whether the coach can go under both safely. So, he drives us back towards St. Austell, turning southeast on the Par Moor Road—a half mile to the roundabout--and about two miles to the trestle.  He safely gets us under the first trestle and proceeds to the next .2 miles ahead.  The sign says 11.9, but the bus is 11.14.  Grant is not willing to chance it so with the escort and John, one of the husbands, blocking traffic, he backs the coach up 310 feet and turns around in the parking lot of Imery’s Minerals parking lot. Very skilled maneuvering. 

Once the escort is back in his car, he leads us all the way back around to A390, passing by the other St. Mary's church and taking a right .2 miles beyond into Par. Confused?  We are too.  It’s about a mile down Trenovissick Road, that turns into Par Road, that tees with A3082 --Par Moor Road (!) 445 feet from the trestle we had just tried to go under… ?!?  If you look at the map, all we had to do was go east on A390 .2 miles and we would have been where we needed to be. OMG.

Of course the coach cannot get into the church parking lot, so we park and walk a full block around to the church (right next to the same train tracks we had just dealt with.  The church is a tall block with and attached social hall. We enter through the central doors into a foyer where a raffle is set up.  The doors into the sanctuary have mutli- colored glass panes in them.  The space is a modest size with a three-quarter balcony above.  There a good set of choral riser with a back railing centered in front of the altar.  We are a half hour late for the practice.  Since we are told we are first on the program we hustle to the back of the space and through a side door and into a hallway with bathrooms and to the left--down a slope, into the social hall. The Champagne Ladies are already there.  We have a little time to go through the accompanied pieces and Jason tells us which songs we will sing and the order.  The Champagne Ladies give us little lapel pins of their groups' logo to put on. 

Our portion of the concert goes well and the full audience is responsive.  We trade places and the Champagne Ladies take the stage.  They are brilliant.  Obviously the group of about thirty were originally a Sweet Adeline’s show group.  Their program is truly varied, including Eurthymic’s “Sweet Dreams”, Carly Simon’s “Let the River Run”, and Abba’s “Super Trooper”!  Amazing!  Kind of put our esoteric program to shame.  There is great applause all around.  After they insist that we join them at the Par Pub three blocks away for food and drinks.  Because of Grant’s strict schedule, we can only stay a half an hour. 

It’s a brisk walk over, but it is warm and crowded in the pub.  It’s a small space and Friday night is hopping. There’s guys in the corner playing darts, and lots of folks--all ages –around the bar.  The bar tender has put a sheet of plywood over the pool table and turned it into a table.  Now he is laying out a feast of Bara Brith bread, meats, huge blocks of cheeses, grapes and two steaming platters of pasties. 

Wow! There is literally no place to stand let alone sit.  It’s loud and ruckus but warm and spirited.  Once we eat, the singing starts—by the men!  One of the songs is a slightly risqué sea shanty with a hundred verses and an easy refrain.  You couldn’t help joining every time it came around. 

All too soon Grant really needs to leave so leave to the sound of joyous singing as we load the coach.  Those that want to stay on and party, arrange for cabs or locals will take them back later.  Amazing evening after all.