Christmas preparations started today - 5th December

Christmas preparations took a bold swoop forward today. Two hours of brass and copper cleaning with MASS (which lasts six months, praise be!), then clearing the front porch. Windows, woodwork, carpet - all have to be spotless. Then the fun begins as I go under the bed (all good things are kept there) and bring out the boxes. Here are just two shots as it became dark. The Pionsettia is the one surviving from Stewarts - the second sitting beside gave up the ghost yesterday. The Cyclamen were purchased in Columbia Road Flower Market on Sunday and taken into St. Paul's Cathedral for the Eucharist so they are sort of blessed. I love the rich dark red. I wish I could have carried more for the selection was mind-blowing. More brass, copper, silver and glassware needs to be sorted later in the week - fresh supplies of MASS on order (from LAKELAND online - but it is no longer stocked in their shops - very odd indeed).

Twice a day and six times on Saturday

Opening up the iMac this morning, I discover that CINDERELLA is to play at the London Palladium for five weeks over Christmas. Paul OP’Grady, Julian Clary, Niger Havers, Lee Mead, Amanda Holden and someone called Count Arthur Strong are among the performers. Tickets starts at £22 or so - but I dare not look to see what the top shots are!

However, just take a glance at the times of performance. Two shows a day for six days of the week is pretty taxing, but Saturday there are Six, yes SIX performances! Starting at 11am with the last show at 7.30pm, I would guess some of the stars may need to be carried out in Sedan chairs by the end of the evening, carted off to A & E or taken to the nearest care home for overnight respite! Sunday they get a good break in the late afternoon - perhaps to pop out to do some shopping or to have a booster injection!

I think I will give this a miss for on Saturday you may get trampled underfoot as one audience leaves and another tries to get in (and I am busy on the other days).

Sunday 1:00PM  6:00PM

Monday 2:30PM  7:30PM

Tuesday 2:30PM  7:30PM

Wednesday 2:30PM  7:00PM  7:30PM

Thursday 2:30PM  7:30PM

Friday 2:30PM  7:30PM

Saturday 11:00AM  1:00PM  2:30PM  4:00PM  6:00PM  7:30PM

I will send this to a few friends to brighten up a frosty Monday morning. Happy Christmas!

Regards

Ron

The Second Sunday of Advent in London

Left home at 8am on Sunday 4th December - to Columbia Road Flower Market for a feast of colour and Christmas Trees - then to St. Paul's Cathedral for Sung Eucharist, snack and coffee at Paul's, over the Millennium Bridge to the Tate Modern Christmas Market, walked to London Bridge and home. Great day - cold but bright sunshine. Home at 4pm to vegetable stew from the freezer.

It's nearly Christmas!

Christmas is just around the corner for the Poinsettia are to be seen all over town! 

Poinsettias are widely grown indoors over Christmas for their brightly coloured red and green foliage. Common name: Poinsettia; Botanical name; Euphorbia pulcherrima. The species is indigenous to Mexico.

These photographs were taken on Saturday 3rd December.

Why! Why!

I bought two Poinsettia at Stewarts in Christchurch (my favourite big garden centre but not as good at Mathews Plants in Harlow) last Saturday, a week ago. I read the leaflet and vowed to keep them both. I placed then in the porch with the outer door locked at all times - so no draughts - and the inner door open - to take up the heat from the house. The leaflet said 10 to 12 degrees - It has been that most of the time. So why is one alive and looking gorgeous while the second is giving up the ghost as I write! HELP! What is happening? Is it me? I have not watered as the leaflet said use tepid water but wait till dry.

Richard meets Socks - again!

1. 

Youngest son RIchard, home last weekend from Norway, enjoyed meeting Socks again - and I guess Socks was happy too, although he does not speak Norwegian so we could not be sure!

London on a crisp November day - for Christmas shopping!

In London on Tuesday for some Christmas Shopping. The shop at St. Paul's Cathedral has been refurbished and has lots of high quality and reasonably priced goods. Outside on the south side men were erecting Christmas lights in a massive tree. Using abseiling ropes and tackle, you will be able to make out one man high up top. Then a walk over the Millennium (Wibbly-Wobbly) Bridge to the Tate Modern Christmas Market to make a further purchase. Great day. Cold but sharp. And the travel does not cost me a single penny as we Londoners and old have freedom passes on bus, trains and underground. Woopee!