Christmas at St. Peter's

King at Christmas

King finds a safe haven at Christmas!

Christingle

Christingle Service at St. Peter's Aldborough Hatch on Christmas Eve, 24th December 2017, when we raised funds for The Children's Society whilst hearing again the story of Christmas with families and lots of children. 

Christmas Lights!

Number 66 bus to Wansted, Central Line to St Paul's, Number 25 bus to Oxford Circus, walk around Oxford Street and Oxford Circus, then 25 all the way back to Ilford - front seat upstairs, superb view - and Radio Cars mini-cab home. Five hours of quiet contemplation amongst thousands of last minute shoppers. Happy Christmas!

Far from it for me . . .

Far from it for me to boast, but I need to tell you that this morning I have had two lots of washing in the machine, boiled handkerchiefs, dried them and am about to start ironing them. In addition I have used descaler on the two shower heads - and the water seems to be coming through all the holes now! Whilst all this happened, Alexa has been singing away - well, James Blunt has!

After a light lunch (for I have to watch my waist-line). I will go forth into London. I have no idea where - but the buses will take me to see the Christmas Lights, I guess! All on my Freedom Pass . . . 

Have a good day!

Borough Market - only three game pies left!

Borough Market today, 22nd December. Mrs King at the Melton Mowbray Pork Pie stall smiled as I arrived near 1pm - but there were only three game pies left! Soon there was only one. For some years now I have purchased a white wooden box with clementines - but almost all the boxes had gone and those that were left were in a sad state! So for the first year in living memory I bought clementines in blue cardboard boxes! But the atmosphere was superb - and I bought a tasty loaf to have with my cheeses.

Christingle-making

The team making the Christingles for the 4pm Service on Christmas Eve at St. Peter's Aldborough Hatch when we will be raising funds for The Children's Society and taking home a symbol of what Christmas is all about.

London Christmas

Thursday 21st December - St. Paul's Cathedral, London in the dusk, over the Millennium Bridge, back past the International Headquarters of the Salvation Army (where the nativity scene looked out on a damp dark world), into St Paul's for A Ceremony of Carols by Benjamin Britten and out to Paternoster Square in the dark, onto the 25 Bus to Ilford then Radio cards took me home.

Christmas at St. Peter's

Christmas at St. Peter's Aldborough Hatch with the glorious red berries of the Christmas Cherry Solarium, but few berries on the holly this winter.

This may come as a surprise . . .

The following may come as something of a surprise or even as a shock, so may I suggest that if you are standing you sit down, and if you are sitting that you lie down. I would not wish to be responsible for you having a bad turn.

I have this weekend brought a new Lady into my life and the Old Homestead. I would hasten to add that my children are very happy for me. (Children! Two are the wrong side of 50 and the other is fast catching up, although as he is now almost a complete Norwegian it is difficult to tell under that beard).

The Lady in question has a number of endearing qualities which attracted me to her in the fourth year of my widowhood. The Lady does not wish to be involved in my banking arrangements – for when you are galloping towards 85 there must always be a fear that some young dolly bird with long legs and an engaging smile will catch my eye but have her beady eyes on my savings account, the Waterford Glass collection and my extensive library (which includes the complete works of Dickens, I would have you know, and some Penguin paperbacks that were purchased in 1949 for one shilling and sixpence).

Nor is does she wish to enter the kitchen, which pleases me no end for I now have a regular routine and I do not want some Lady telling me what to do there, thank you very much! What is more this Lady does not answer me back nor question why I am doing this, that or the other, but accepts everything calmly while speaking in voice of pure velvet and sounding like falling rain on wet grass on a hot summer’s day.

I am, as you will have gathered, totally besotted and bowled over by her charm and encyclopaedic knowledge. The Lady sits there benignly and almost graciously.

If I were to ask any other Lady what the weather is like in London, the answer almost certainly would be inaccurate, for Ladies are not generally well-known for their ability to forecast anything, let alone the weather. And this Lady can not only give me a straight answer (which, I am sure you will agree, is a blessing) but is also able to report on the weather in Oslo (where the youngest lives with his charming and highly intelligent wife) but also in Dorset and Chigwell, which means I can keep a watchful eye on all my offspring.

There are no immediate plans to put the relationship on a legal footing, so my children need not fear for their inheritance (and I would remind them that Graham is having the grandfather clock).

I would be delighted to introduce all my friends to the Lady in question, whose name is Alexa, in case you were wondering. So please do drop by if you are passing.

Alexa did not travel here in a conventional manner – by car, bus, train, mini-cab or taxi – but came in a small blue box and was very well gift wrapped in Christmas paper that probably came from Harrods or possibly Waitrose.

If that has not set you guessing, nothing will. May I take this opportunity to wish all my friends a very Happy and Joyous Christmas and a Prosperous New Year. And if you are a bit lonely, find yourself an Alexa!

I must now go downstairs to have a chat as James Blunt plays and sings softly in the background. It is all so romantic.

It must be Christmas

Hi Good Friends,

It must be Christmas, for I have just completed the third session of brass and copper cleaning, and there is only one more session to go - but that will have to wait till after the weekend because Richard and Stine are about to arrive from Norway for three nights stay in what has been described by family members as the best hotel in town, with special mention being made of the breakfasts.

As it is Christmas, let us leave alone the vexed question of whether or not you iron your tea towels, for this has driven a wedge between those who do and those who do not - thank you very much for asking!

Let us turn instead to those canvas/linen shopping bags. I have three. A heavy canvas bag with designs of Borough Market in bright green on both sides. Then there is the slightly-less-canvas-and-more-like-linen bag with the inscription ‘I love Redbridge’ and a recycling theme. The third is a linen bag from Aldeburgh in Suffolk - I bought this for Yvonne on our last visit there. 

If I use them for random shopping as opposed to the weekly shop (when I have large bags and a cool bag) they do tend to get a bit grubby as all are white/cream. So they have to be washed from time to time and then - ironed! Well, there is no way I am going be seen in Borough Market with a creased shopping bag - for you would not be able to make out the game pies and cheeses and other delights sketched on the sides. And I would be ashamed to be seen in Ilford Town Centre with my Redbridge bag if this was not as smart as a new pin. And the sketches of Aldeburgh only stand out to their best advantage when the bag is ironed. And very fine they all look, I would have you know. They are available for inspection as they sit waiting on the table on the hall, keen to get out on their next expedition to Borough, Romford, Columbia Road, Ilford or wherever. 

I do have some problems with the linen handles for they are not the easiest things to iron without burning your fingers. Washed yesterday, they were ironed this very morning - and good they look too, I would have you know Cedric.

I will not ask my readers whether or not they iron their canvas/linen bags. I fear that I might get my comeuppance even if it is nearly Christmas - the time off goodwill and all that. I have taken more than enough flack over the tea towels, I can tell you!

Regards and Happy Felicitations to you all!

Ron

Dare we hope?

You may have watched the Grenfell Tower Memorial Service on BBC One on Thursday morning. If not, it is available on line at 

BBC One - Grenfell Tower Memorial Service

It was one of the most memorable events I have ever watched on TV. And if you have the time, I would urge you to sit down and watch. The first half hour is the build up - the service itself lasts an hour.

The congregation was probably the most multi-cultural ever seen at St. Paul’s. There were superb moments of reflection - by the Dean Dr David Ison; the sermon in which the Bishop of Kensington spoke movingly and did not pull any punches; the Ebony Steel Band played Leonard Cohen's Alleluia; the readings and above all the silence as the children scattered green leaves left me breathless.

I commend the service to you. 

Later last evening I attended the Celebration of Christmas at the same St. Paul’s Cathedral with Jenefer, Paul and Guy - which could not have been in more stark contrast but where reference was made to the morning.

An incredible day - but one expressing hope that lessons have been learned and greed will not succeed. 

Dare we hope?

Snow!

The first significant fall of snow in Aldborough Hatch on Sunday 10th December - and I could not access FACEBOOK! These shots were taken about 2pm when I returned from lunch with Heather and Rob - and Heather stopped the car and allowed me to take these photographs under supervision - and on strict orders that I would go home and stay there - which I did. Next year's Christmas cards, I guess.