Statue Of My Liberty

 I have a family here in my village.
And just like a blood family , I don’t always see some of them that often ,
But our lives are intertwined by a commonality of history, and sociability and events and community ..
And I love that 
Monday many of the villagers went to the Trelawnyd Community Association’s quiz held in the pub .
I met up with  Affable Despot Jason , his wife Clare and daughter Liv 
Liv was the wisecracking 8 year old I used to babysit who used to back comb William into a Tina Turner lookalike and who would make zombie cookies with me before smashing windfall apples with me for the pigs to eat in her new school shoes.
I haven’t seen her for an age, 
Now she’s talking about university planning 
At the quiz I told her that last year I bought a Lego Statue of Liberty and shared that I hadn’t made time to construct it 
I could make it in a day “ she boasted
“I bet you 10£ that you couldn’t “ I challenged 
I lost 10£


Quirks

The living Room Cards years ago

 We all have personal little quirks 
I know I do.
And mine , at this time of year, do centre about posted Christmas Cards 
Since 1989 I have the slightly irrational wish to have enough Christmas cards to hang around my living room. In Providence Road in Walkley, Wynyard Road in Hillsborough and in Bwthyn y llan in Trelawnyd , I have always surrounded the living room with Christmas Cards. And I’ve always been pleased that it has happened…every year…….every year for 36 years….
Is it all about ego? ….perhaps?……is it about validation ? Could be …..Neediness?  …….you never know 
Habit? …too right ….
Last night I posted my Trelawnyd Productions! Christmas Cards…thirty cards all told  …..26£ 
A reduced number than I usually send ….
A statement which is sad ….that posted Christmas cards seem to be a bit of a dinosaur nowadays 
I have to accept that because of financial constraints people just don’t send Christmas cards anymore

Hey ho😩

Gifts


 I’ve been on a study day for half the day and shopped the rest. I bought bits and pieces for the Show’s raffle prize - a Christmas hamper and then purchased a light up Father Christmas for a second prize. The cardboard cottages which house my family gifts  needed a clean and a dry after Weaver had weed on the table which featured them. Each one of my family will get a selection of small tiny gifts then a certificate of donation to a charity which I hope is close to their heart. 

It’s stormy today ,,wild and stormy.

Pub Quiz

Tonight was fun. 
Affable Despot Jason , wife Claire and wisecracking daughter Liv and I formed two teams in the newly resurrected pub quiz at The Crown. 
What fun
The place was busy and Liv & Claire were third placed and me and Jason were second 
( Beaten by villager leader’s Ian and Helen et al) 
Nice to see that it’s going to be a regular night out….
Liv was a joy to catch up with too, after much discussion she’s agreed to complete my Lego Statue of Liberty set in one day 
We bet 5£ on the outcome 


Liv and Mary in 2017


Respect


 This video made me pause today. A simple testament to faith in a Spanish Cathedral where parishioners pay their respects to a blood stained Madonna .

I found it incredibly moving and rather profound. 

Just about to take Trendy Carol’s husband to the hospital for a check up, then it’s supervision then the pub quiz at The Crown 

Heyho

Food Out


 The food at The Crown ( Our village Pub) is bloody lovely. I finished nights, getting home around 9 am, slept three hours then met my friend Ruth for a traditional Sunday roast dinner . 
Nice to see the new landlords so busy. 
The pub is manning the bar at the show night which is kind of them .
Tonight I went to my sister Ann’s for supper
Another real treat…..

Goosed In The Knackers

The Bastards

This post was written exactly eleven years ago…how things change but a nice one remembered

Meet " The Bastards"These two young and badly behaved lodgers have arrived just before Christmas and will be guests on the field until sometime in February. They are the property of the owner of a local bed & breakfast, who is off to Malaysia for a month. I didn't know him from Adam when he turned up with the sob story of not having a goose sitter, but true to form, I accepted the challenge, even though the new bees are two of the most narky, bad tempered birds that I have ever had the misfortune to meet.
Ever since they arrived the resident flock of geese, the sheep and a few of the older, slower hens have been pecked,intimidated and bullied , so much so That I have had to employ a daily regime of behavior modification in order to assert my dominance over the pair, who think nothing of slipping an orange beak down the crack of your underpants in order to grab a pound of flesh when you are bending over a feed bucket!

So, every morning I will drag each bird out of their house. Take a firm hold of their neck and wings, then will take a walk around the field with the bird tightly tucked underneath my armpit.
It's an old trick that can tame an aggressive cockerel, for after a while, you can actually feel the bird " relax" a sign that it has accepted you are the boss.
It's labour intensive...but effective.
And so, every morning I look like a strange Scot playing a set of white bagpipes around the field, as " The Bastards" are hopefully transformed from evil devil birds to a pair of twittering canaries .
Having said this, I was goosed in the knackers rather violently only this morning, when I dropped my guard opening up the goose house......

The resident goose flock
Russell, Camilla Parker Bowles, Winnie, and Jo

Ps. The Bastards stayed for over a year, before a lesbian Policewoman from Llanfair TH called Bunty finally took them over. 

A week to go

 

The Manley's came up trumps tonight and erected their old folk backcloth to the huge area of white behind the village hall's stage.
It looks fab. 


They are a powerful force   the Manleys ...a bit like The Tracey's out of THUNDERBIRDS.
Director Kira sorted out the sound checks for Chelsea ( our solo female singer) and she sounded fantastic as did the folk trio brought by Alun ( who won many a bread catagory in the Flower Show)
Affable Despot Jason slapped me on the shoulder and quipped " Bloody hell John I think we may have a fab show!" 
And I think he maybe right..
One choir has suddenly backed out but ive thrown myself at the feet of my choir and i think they will fill the gap nicely.

The show,isnt just a silly village show in my opinion
( which in some daft way of course it is)
Its a suture which binds people and community together. 
Something to be vaguely proud of 
Something to be shared
And celebrated  
And enjoyed
" I'll need a massive drink on Friday night" Kira shared before we left the hall
And we all agreed rather 
vociferously , like teenagers at their first party