- Auntie Glad cut up one of the exhibit cakes which had been placed in the kitchen for safety and distributed it for the refreshments!
- Mrs Williams ( not her real name) who lives very near the hall spent the day muttering and yelling about the " inconsiderate parking" which galled me seeing that she was once the Flower Show Chairman and knows full well the amount of work that goes on setting up exhibits.
- Mr Rowlands ( our biggest vegetable exhibitor) broke down ( car not emotionally) before the show and missed the deadline for entries. He arrived an hour late, and through a bit of hysterical pleading ( on my part) we were able to get 6 out of his 20 exhibits placed and judged. Thought the man was going to have a stroke!
- The winning chutney was in the wrong jar!
- Through personal circumstances several of our domestic class and Veg entrants were unable to show this year which is a shame and pretty understandable but I was slightly miffed by a couple of no shows including one villager who, when seeing me in the pub after the show stated loudly that they hadn't got a decent thing in their garden to exhibit! ( not realizing that had just gone past their house and had seen the beautiful display on offer! - attendence apathy does irritate me, but I guess it's as valid enough reason not to come as any other.
- Real life sometimes gets in the way of this chocolate box view I have of the world and it's good to be reminded of the fact sometimes. Teenage boffin, Cameron is having a bad time (with a poorly grandmother) and I was glad to share some advice about nursing care with him as he checked on how his chutney got marked. Trelawnyd Val, I understand was having a hard time too, as The Flower Show was always loved by her partner Peter who died in the spring -this year's show must have held bittersweet memories for her.. We send her our love and best wishes.
- Although we made slightly more money this year than we did last, attendence was noticably down yesterday, which depressed me somewhat. I guess Flower Shows are a bit of a dinosaur nowadays......
- Hey ho
"I'll admit I may have seen better days, but I'm still not to be had for the price of a cocktail, "(Margo Channing)
What went wrong
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I'm sure everyone that participated and attended had a warm, nostalgic and even patriotic experience. It must be a great feeling to know you helped carry on such traditions. To those that stayed home....their loss!
ReplyDeleteIf it had all gone swimmingly without a hitch it would have been such a flat experience and you'd have had nuffink to write about.
ReplyDeleteI am reminded of a village stalwart who promoted, supported and participated in all the village traditions. He mournfully said to me one year, concerning lighting of luminaries on the evergreen decorated bridge every night at Christmas, "Who will do this when we are gone? My children aren't interested." He died of a heart attack one year, at the end of the bridge, lighting luminaries.
ReplyDeleteThe village carries on the tradition. There were younger people who recognize the value of history.
Well John i would have loved to have gone to your Flower Show... I would have loved to have helped you and made your life easier... I think its a great thing you do there . Theres bound to be good years and bad as far as attendance goes and entries...people's lives wax and wane too... I saw alot of comments on some of your posts saying we wished we had a Flower Show to go to.. I'm one of them... So chin up ! Auntie Glad looked like she had a fabulous time and as her health may be failing i'm so very thankful she enjoyed herself. Hugs! deb
ReplyDeleteIf I ever get to plan a trip to Wales it will coincide with the Trelawnyd flower show. No kidding.
ReplyDeleteMe too!
DeleteMe three!
DeleteWe'll come next year too! first saturday in August, Right? Will add it to my list of places to visit.
ReplyDeleteYou would be very very welcome
DeleteAunt Glad cut up someone's cake? How did they take that? How did Auntie Glad take that when she found out? Or have all involved agreed to say nothing?
ReplyDeleteAnd how WAS that cake?
DeleteI hope someone had a good sense of humor and appreciated Aunt Glad choosing their tasty looking cake to cut .
ReplyDeleteAt the end of the day ...it was just a cake..regardless of looks or taste.
But there is no other Aunt Glad.
And the list of things that went right, would go on for pages.
ReplyDeleteVillage Horticultural Shows bring people together; never a bad thing.
ReplyDeleteToo bad there's no such thing as magical teleportation in real life because I know ALL your blog readers would gladly attend the Trelawnyd Flower Show. I know I certainly would if I could!
ReplyDeleteDon't give up the flower shows. We need as much British nonsense as we can get these days.
ReplyDeleteAunty Glad cutting that cake. I couldnt read any more for the tears of laughter. May she go on forever. And the Flower Show John.
ReplyDeleteThis is like a bloopers reel of a movie! Sorry to hear of Cameron's grandmother; I'm sending a silent note of encouragement to him and to Val.
ReplyDeleteThe attendance may have been just a blip; next year could be up again.
I would LOVE for there to be something like that here in town, either at the farm or in the city, but alas, nothing. I commend you for helping pull off what looks like a wonderful show. Cheers to you!
ReplyDeleteWell done to you John! ...For putting in so much selfless effort to make this year's flower show a success. Bravo!
ReplyDeleteDon't be depressed John. Imagine how the person felt whose competition cake got cut up and distributed!!! x
ReplyDeleteDon't take the things that went wrong personally John - just think of all the things that went right and all the pleasure you gave to Aunt Gladys and others of her ilk.
ReplyDeleteI was going to make a comment about the chutney but then I read on about Trelawnyd Val and Cameron's grandmother and it sort of puts everything into perspective .....
ReplyDeleteI (usually) have a chocolate box view of the world too and you know it's not so bad. Better that than gloom and doom. I also understand attendance apathy as I can sometimes be guilty of that, but am trying to get rid of it. But well done to you all. It is so intrinsically British to have flower shows and the WI and even though I don't live there I hope it lasts forever. Both my kids were born outside of the UK and have never lived there but they love the eccentricity (and so do I). Anna
ReplyDeleteWHAT WENT RIGHT
ReplyDelete1. There was a brilliant atmosphere in the hall.
2. The Hall looked amazing, well laid out and festooned with bunting.
3. The 'cafe seating area' looked absolutely FANTASTIC, with freshly ironed embroidered cloths on every table, the fresh posies of flowers in jars on the tables looked worthy of prizes in their own right.
4. The food for sale was all delicious and the coffee much appreciated.
5. Everyone was in a happy, jolly mood and the chat was all good natured and friendly.
6. The Show Secretary's opening speech was wonderful, not too long, and VERY well received, with numerous rounds of spontaneous applause.
7. None of the 'What Went Wrongs' marred the day in any way for the general attendees.
To raise even more money next year we left a suggestion with one of the committee members that some of the competition entries and all the posies of flowers on the cafe tables should be auctioned off at the end. I used to live in a village that did this, and the auction usually added greatly to the coffers of the hall and most of the exhibitors were delighted to see their prize winning specimens put to good use. It also meant that folk went home happy with purchases of flowers and fresh veg and, with the right auctioneer, it can be a happy end to a good day.
All I can finish this with is a big WELL DONE to you John and to all the committee members for the massive amount of work that goes into staging such an event and thank you for a wonderful day in your lovely village.
Thank you
DeleteThat comment meant a great deal...we will look into auctioning off the flowers donated etc next year.......
DeleteNext year....look at me x
WOW, Sue what great ideas !
DeleteYOU GO, GIRL! That was just perfect.
DeleteI hope that the organisers got to enjoy the show as much as the visitors did. Of course some things went wrong - but MUCH more went right. Love Sue's suggestion above about an end of show auction too.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to you all, John. What a wonderful show.
ReplyDeletePerhaps next year as many readers as possible should make a concerted effort to attend?
Hey Ho, well done John & all involved. My Mother in law told my daughter that she has three jars of home made marmalade to take to her daughter in Vancouver but she has mixed all three jars / flavours into one plastic tub for the flight...
ReplyDeleteIf I had been anywhere near you, I would've attended John. I wish we hadcommunity-building activities such as your flower show!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on a job well done, John!
ReplyDeleteJohn, I was reading through your list, and before I got to number 6, I was thinking that Real Life attended the event. No need for a special invitation. Real Life is real life.
ReplyDeleteSue's comment above was lovely to read, as it gives more reporting of the day.
As other folks have already asked...when is the next village celebration? I would very much want to contribute.
True. Real.
The flower show is the main event in Trelawnyd
DeleteCongratulations no matter a few mishaps in the big scope of things they really don't compare to the good time the community spirit and all the happy memories that will stay with you until next year.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry - I know you meant well.
ReplyDeleteI ran our local library book sale for years and attendance varied from year to year for no apparent reason. Do not loose heart, next year you will be swamped! Cheers
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like great fun to me so don't give up. It probably means an awful lot to those that do attend or take part.
ReplyDeleteThere is so little free and very English entertainment in England these days, we need those village events.
I loved that, it's the way things always go with events like this which only make them a bit more memorable - as in - you'll never forget that one!
ReplyDeleteI would have been there with bells on if I could have. I'll have to put this on the bucket list!
But at least you made more money! That's great! I'm sure the years fluctuate in attendance and that sort of thing. Maybe you've just had a downer year. I think the show MUST do a lot for community in Trelawnyd.
ReplyDelete