Kitchen Garden Forum

I've just come back from the Church in the next Village, it was the childrens Christmas concert, and very touching it was as well.
One of the little girls playing Mary had taken a tumble in the playground this morning, she ended up having three stitches in her chin, but was still brave enough to play her part and sing a solo. I have known rugby players not to be as brave.
The whole school sang a French Carol called Mon Beau Sapin, this was very good as the oldest child is only nine, even if i didn't understsand a word of it.

At the end the teacher got the grown-ups to sing a carol, well you have never heard a row like it, there were people starting to early and some to late, the children found it all highly entertaining.

Well this means Christmas is well and truly on it's way for me.

Is there anything that makes others feel that Christmas is drawing closer.

Old H

Here's Mon beau sapin. Now you can't pretend you don't understand it. You can even sing it yourself

All we get at the door here is a short burst of "We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year"
- but at least we make them sing it in Welsh as well to earn their money. "Dymunwn Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda"

Hello Old H'

I have just returned from Christmas lunch at work for staff and volunteers both gardeners and room stewards...a new idea for this year that was going to be at a local restaurant until our boss hit on the idea to get in a small local catering firm who put on restaurant meal service in your own home...and very nice too. The venue was the music room...the first time it has been used for such a meal for many years...and a very nice thank you from our bosses to those that assist in making our little world go around...

Tomorrow sees some furniture shifting...
....and sweeping up of the party streamers and the room orientated again for family Christmas..


...poor old Mary..!!

...reminded me of the stitches I got after reading a lesson in chapel back in Sunday School days....Such was my excitement at getting the task out the way I was quickly home and in a fit of madness tried to race my brother along the upstairs landing....didn't realise Mum had polished the lino in the toilet...and found myself accelerating towards the toilet pan... result lovely gash across knee and 2 stitches.. ..
..it got me out of allsorts of jobs for the following few weeks. but I don't recomend it..

Clive.

Dear Alan, when i was a boy in our village, we had the most wonderful Carol singers that went round the whole village Christmas Eve. One of the men played a piano-accordion, but when he died it all stopped what was a great loss.

Dear Clive, your lunch sounds a rather jolly affair, glad you had a good time, but i do hope you were well behaved.
I always used to find it quite hard work being on my best behaviour at our works Christmas whole day party.

This has given me a thought, i wonder if i should have a works party now i'm do gardening work, probably not as i would have no one to pull my cracker with as i work alone.

surely oh you can find one of your customers who would pull you cracker if you asked nicely

Now Theres a thought Richard, i wonder if the chosen one would pay for my lunch as well.

OH, sounds quite Dickensian, oh what was that OH?
It was in Dickens'es time.

OH

Do you remember the Town Waites who used to come round the streets on Christmas Eve playing carols...the householders would pay to get them to stand outside their house and play their particular choice.
This went on all through the night... those were the days....magical

Dear Weed we don't actually have any streets where i live, just one country lane, but i have heard of such carrying on's.

Dear Peter, is that the Dickinson off of bargain hunt.

Re Christmas cracker issue - I think I've worked it out OH.

Find a young sapling tree at one of your gardening jobs. Bend it down and secure. Tie one end of the cracker to top of trunk. Grasp other end. Use sharp knife to sever string and bob's your wotsit

Sue

Dear Sue, and there was me thinking i was the only silly one on here. But saying that, i think it might just work.

OH, hold out your right arm, hold out your left arm, place righ hand on left hand and introduce them to each other.

Once each knows what the other is doing they can cooperate by each pulling the opposite end of the cracker!

I got a paper clip out of a cracker today...

...a very practical choice of crackers by our boss...perhaps he has seen our potting shed filing system

..thinking on..some folk got nail clippers


and...Do inform Luton Air Traffic before cutting sapling string

I really think we are so lucky, having such vivid imaginations that is, it means there is rarely a dull moment in ones life.

A lot of the cabs in Liverpool are covered in tinsel and lights. There are a fair few Father Christmas' driving about too. Once came and picked up Sian to take her somewhere last night. Very jolly he looked too.

I have also seen several bikers on vintage and custom made Harley Davidsons all dressed up like Father Christmas, doing the Christmas Present run for Alder Hey Hospital and Zoes Place which is a childrens Hospice.

When I was a girl, the Round Table used to come round on floats collecting for local charities. All the mums used to come out and give them mulled wine or a drop of whisky. I think Santa was well and truly plastered by the end of the run.....

My favourite time was nearly 12 years ago when I was very heavily pregnant with my son. He was due on Boxing Day but didn't arrive till New Years Day. It only seems like yesterday too......