Christmas memories 1, Santa arrives

There was always a very exciting Saturday in late November or early December when I was a little girl.  That was the day Santa arrived in town.

I was brought up in Scunthorpe and the big retailer in our town was Scunthorpe Co-operative Society.  You could get anything from the Co-op.  My school uniform, and shoes, Mother's knitting wool and most of our kitchen equipment was from one of their stores.  The High Street had several Co-op shops including a pharmacy, a jeweller and a department store.  My sister's first "Saturday" job was selling ties in that department store.

I digress.  Back to Father Christmas.

Santa had his grotto in the Co-op departmental store but he had to arrive with ceremony so on the first Saturday in December a very special passenger arrived at Scunthorpe railway station.  He then had to travel to the shop in style but style in Scunny came on a co-op lorry.  It was always decorated and I can remember the day that Santa arrived in a space ship (see photo) but in other years he arrived in a train, an outsized cracker or even on a sleigh, always based on a Co-op lorry.

Every child in the town would be taken to see his arrival and he would be greeted with great cheers as he made his way up the High Street and most of us knew that some time before Christmas we would be taken to see the great man.  I'll tell you about one of my visits another time.

What a month!

I can't remember when I last had such a roller coaster of a month!  

My dear friend Amy came to stay for a few days early in the month and as always we hardly stopped talking!  We went to The Deep, the wonderful marine aquarium in Hull and as always I was mesmerised by the creatures which inhabit our oceans.  I just love watching fish!  I took loads of photographs but they were uniformly awful so you won't be seeing any of them.  We also had a day at a spa which was wonderful.

I had seven meet-ups for coffee or lunch.  I think everyone is trying to get  meet-ups accomplished before December!  Most of my friends will be spending December supporting their grandchildren at school plays and carol services, acting as taxi drivers, or as elves for Santa so early socialising with friends is essential if it's going to happen at all.

I had my annual visit to Donna Nook to see the seals.  It is the most amazing sight.  I never tire of seeing this mammalian maternity site.

The bathroom floor has been replaced, not good while it was happening but it now looks much better.  

I've managed to get rid of quite a bit of "stuff" including a recliner chair so the house feels as though it has lost weight.  Plenty more still to go, though.

As I reported yesterday, I published my Kindle book. 

The month has, however, ended badly.  An old friend's son phoned to tell me his mother's life will soon be over.  At one time we were very close and our friendship was still important.  I set out to visit her (it's at least a two hour drive) but about ten minutes from home I was in a road traffic accident.  Not my fault and no-one was hurt but I'm a bit shaky.  And I feel very sad as I won't see my friend again.

Feeling excited

I haven't been around much in Blogland but I haven't been entirely idle.  I've had a crack at publishing on Kindle!  

You can find Teabreak in the Archangels' Restroom on Amazon.  I'd better come clean though - most of the material has been on this blog over the last few years.  I'm still quite excited though!

Would anyone mind if I have a moan?

I'm not a happy bunny.  That doesn't happen very often.

It's not been a good year domestically.  Back in March the kitchen floor had to be replaced.

So in May the kitchen was decorated.

And then the hall and dining room were decorated.

And while that was happening I discovered that the hot water tank was about to burst, so it was replaced.

And now I have discovered that the bathroom floor has to be replaced.  The stopcock has been leaking, probably for years and the floor is rotting.

Where are the tissues?

One month slides into another

October has been a very pleasant month,  Weather-wise maybe not brilliant, but very pleasant otherwise.

A personal highlight of every October is that I mark another year.  I'm now 66 and still wondering what I will do when I grow up.  I think birthdays get even better as one gets older,  These days I acquire very little "stuff" which needs stuffing away somewhere but instead I get loving messages and cards, I'm treated to special lunches and I get loads and loads of flowers.  For a week or two it feels as though I am living in a florist's shop!  

Some of my birthday flowers

I've had the decorator in which always feels like a very mixed blessing.  It's lovely when my house feels extra fresh and clean but I find preparing rooms for decorating and then setting them straight very difficult.  Fortunately I have kind and loving friends and cousins who would do far more for me if I would let them and they are happy to come and do their bit.  

I've got a good start on writing Christmas cards and most presents have been bought and are ready for wrapping.  

And November begins tomorrow.  A friend will be coming to stay for a few days.  November is one of my "me months" when I allow myself more time for myself.  And it's the month when slow cooked soups and stews, hot buttered crumpets and cosy days at home come into their own.  Wonderful!

A Quick Update

One "thing" is conspicuous by his absence from my Blog.  The mighty Jack.

I am missing Jack's help very much.  I have been very lucky and have found someone to help me with the garden and some DIY but Jack and I have been friends for many, many years and despite what he tells you about what a dictatorial bully I am, I let him do (more or less) what he likes in the garden.  The front garden is referred to as Jack's garden!!

However, I am not missing Jack's friendship for the simple reason that I have visited the great man every few weeks.  I went this week and I can promise you that he is as cheeky as ever.  He is waiting for knee surgery but is still the same old Jack.  He and Mrs Jack now have a Shih tzu called Millie who is keeping both of them on their toes.  His own garden looks immaculate and Mrs Jack keeps him in order as well.  They enjoy their caravan at Mablethorpe and they have a son and a daughter as well as three grandchildren to keep them busy.

In his absence I have planted three hebes in "his" garden.  He loathes hebes but I didn't know that until I had planted them.  However, he now has a very definite reason to come back and get me back in order.  

I know he will read this so - "Look after yourself, Jack.  The garden and the blog are both missing you".  

Today is the day you meet a unicorn

Now there's lucky for you.  Unicorns are known to bring good luck so today is definitely your lucky day.  

I met this chap at the WI (Women's Institute) on Thursday.  He is wooden and was a little plain when I met him so I decorated him using pyrography (pokerwork).  It was my first shot at this craft but I was very well supervised!

I don't think I'll be doing any more so he's come on my blog to see if he can find any friends.  Any takers?

Hopscotch

Hopscotch was an odd one.  It was a game which adults could remember from their own childhood and so it was approved of - but not at our school!  The problem was we weren't allowed to chalk on the playground and hopscotch needs markings.  

These days most playgrounds have painted hopscotch pitches.  I found this one at the Eden Project when I was in Cornwall.  This isn't quite the same as "our" layout but there are many variations.  The idea was to throw a beanbag (or whatever!) into the first square and then hop over it and continue down the pitch and back again.  On the way back you stopped at square two, picked up the beanbag, hopped into square one and home.  You then threw the beanbag into square two and repeated the hopping, this time hopping over square two and so on.  The people awaiting their turn watched with eagle eyes and woe betide a hopper who put a toe where no toe should be or if the beanbag didn't land cleanly within its proper square as that was instantly the end of the "go".  To overbalance was the end of respectability and a cue for pitying or contemptuous remarks.

No-one stopped us from chalking on pavements so it was a good game after school.  I remember it especially in the long summer holidays.  I actually preferred playing alone as the wait for one's turn could otherwise be very long!