Jilly Moose is Fifty

 

Today I worked on campus, and Hardingfele and I went for a walk at noon. As usual we complained about the new system, and then I asked her if she remembered a gig we had a couple of months before COVID hit, at a school gym. She didn't remember much about it, but I'd heard the caller thought it went terribly. I looked on this blog and there wasn't much about it, so I looked in my diary Mariah... and there wasn't much about it. We were scheduled to play for two hours and the kids lost interest after one hour, and that was all I said. Was there tension? I don't remember. Then Hardingfele said we did another gig with this caller, but it was one I couldn't go to, a Maypole celebration at the local German restaurant and our first gig during the pandemic. Since I wasn't there, I can't say anything at all about that one. Maybe I misunderstood about the caller being unhappy with us, because if she was, why would she have worked with us again? 

After work Travalon picked me up, and we went to the Nitty Gritty for Jilly Moose's actual birthday. (The festivities keep going on and on, because on Saturday a whole bunch of them are going to a Badger football game.) We met Anna Banana II (who is back in town), Hockey Girl, and OK Cap there, and Jilly Moose of course, in a light-up tiara that said "50." Rich came later, and we ordered a cake for the table but could only eat half of it. The waitress led us in singing "Happy Birthday," but I threw everyone off when I tried to sing harmony at the end. Oops!

Jilly Moose asked me to write a poem for her 50th birthday, so here goes:

Happy birthday, Jilly Moose!
Now you’re the big five-oh!
You’re officially Over the Hill
Where nobody wants to go.
Our youth is all behind us,
But at least we’re not yet old.
At least we have a decade or so
Before we reach that age of gold.
I’ve been in this club a few years now
And I’ll say it’s not too bad.
The years I’ve spent within this decade
Have been the best I’ve ever had.
Now we can see the other side
Of the Hill, and it’s a great view!
So enjoy life on the far side,
And I hope this decade is good for you.

This poem is square, with sixteen lines, so our bass player would approve. It drives her crazy when we play a tune that isn't square, with sixteen lines. Hey! Maybe you could contra dance to this poem!

Famous Hat