Slightly Surreal Flower Moments

" One of the judges wants a cup of tea with a STRAW! " Hissed a slightly fraught Ann
" Have we any straws ?"
We were in the kitchen of the memorial hall and Ann was serving the Flower Show Judges tea and fancies!
Puzzled at the request, I looked out at the tea tables, each one covered with an antique embroidered tablecloth and sat with the cookery judges was a sternfaced lady whom I didn't recognise.
"Who is that?" I hissed back
" She told me that she is a judge" Ann whispered still searching for the straw " I can do without all this! I've got barabrith to butter!" 
The cookery judges seemed a little bemused by their silent companion but sat politely giving her an occasional smile and it was then that I recognised her.
She was the wife of an exhibitor who was laying out his carrots.
" She's had a stroke " I told Ann " Thats why she looks so stern"
Ann found a straw and as she took the " judge" her drink giggled " I hope she can swallow alright! - I don't want to kill a customer!" 

Terry (A  Flower Show Committee Member) whilst looking at a charcoal study of a fairly large nude man ( one of the entries in the art section) was overheard talking to fellow committee member Derek
" Is that our John do you think? " 
Derek thought for a moment " I thought it was a woman"
Cheeky bastards

Mrs Trellis looking worried at the domestic class showing table
" My boiled egg entry is a disaster! I've cooked half a dozen and not one has turned out right...I'll be 
eating egg mayonnaise for weeks!"
For those that don't know we have a " boiled egg" class where a peeled boiled egg has to be presented for judging on a bed of lettuce placed in a saucer   

Photo taken by fellow blogger Sue Hall
And my favourite overheard comment by one visitor to another at the monster marrow table
" Denise!.......Denise! ....That would make your eyes water!" 

Sweet

There are many reasons why we enjoy the Flower Show
But this is the biggest reason!
The genuine tears of joy when someone unexpectedly wins a prize, or a cup or a sweet comment on an entry given

Showtime 2017

All done for another year.
An amateur vegetable grower cried when she won best exhibit in show for her onion set. 
Another new competitor in the floral art, who only entered as it gave her something to concentrate on after a stroke won a cup which made her shed a tear and Anthea D was cock-a-hoop to get a special rosette for her Victoria sponge Cake!
It was worth all of the effort just to see that!
As usual the Show ran itself, with the dozen committee members making it all look very easy.
Thanks to them, and to the competitors who support the show. 
It was fun











 



























Eve Of the Show


456 entries taken a quarter of which have already been placed on the hall tables
Auntie Glad's Stall is stocked and ready.
The kitchen is full of homemade cakes to sell
The village schoolchildren's artwork has been hung and the bunting unravelled
I'm buggered

Friday's Blog



I won't have time to blog tomorrow so here is Friday's post!
A few people have asked why I was in London on Tuesday...well the best reason ( but not the only one) was that I managed to get tickets to the Royal Ballet for The Prof, who adores anything classic! ( he is working in London all week)
The Russian Marinsky Ballet was performing Swan Lake and although the tickets were very  expensive, the experience was absolutely sublime .
Viktoria Tereshkina as the White Swan was glorious but it was the precision of Corps de ballet that really brought a tear to the eye!
I had to  thank My Sister and Eirlys who looked after  William, Mary and George at the last minute and Greta who took in Winnie!
I feel sorry for Greta's dogs who normally share a lovely comfy bed in their classy kitchen....the big girl ousted them for the duration

Ps it was lovely to meet the village lady with frothy labrador today! As we said hello , she told me that she loved going gently.....

Apologies

I have to apologise to the residents of Rhodfa Arthur for the big creamy stain on the road by the Church. I've been ferrying flower show stuff to the village hall and left one of the raffle prizes ( a bottle of Irish liqueur) on the roof of the car.
One less Raffle prize....hey ho!
When I got back this little fella was sitting on the garden wall. No note, entry form ...nothing..so if anyone wants to claim him, please give me a ring


Laughter and Tears around a table

The train was packed.
I was on the 9.10am from Euston and was due back in Wales by midday, which was good as I still had a ton of work to do for the Flower Show and I am on a six hour Sams shift this evening to boot! So much for retirement.
A large Jewish family of five took up most of the seats around me leaving me and another middle aged couple opposite me, the only strangers in our part of the train. Next to me was teenage son of the family who looked perhaps fourteen. He was busy on his ipad
The mother of the children spent most of her time fussing away. She handed out food, constantly asked the children and her husband questions and organised the journey within an inch of its life.
In between all this she engaged me and the other couple in polite conversation.
Where we were going?  how awful it was to have only one toilet in our part of the train working ( yeah thanks Virgin Trains) would we like a polo mint?
All very nice stuff I must say, but dovetailing all this she kept on at her teenage son about what he was doing?
Was he on facebook? Was he emailing his brother in France?
What was he doing on his ipad?
It's terribly antisocial you know......!
Finally the boy snapped but did so in such a delightful way the couple opposite to me and I all burst into fits of laughter!
After the mother had asked him for the twentieth time what he was doing on his ipad.
The boy slowly put the ipad down, and said in a very loud and serious voice
" I 'm watching gay porn on it mother!" 

Anyhow, this afternoon I have been making traybakes at the kitchen table and as I did so, watched Mark Gatiss' recent Talking Heads tv show QUEERS. One monologue where Ben Whishaw plays a World War One soldier  in love with his commanding officer was incredibly moving, and I must admit I shed a small tear as I
Folded in the self raising flour.
Try and watch it, if you can get BBC IPLAYER
Hey ho
Ben Whishaw