Lunchtime Concert

Brentwood School

Big Band

Well what can I say about yesterday's concert in the Cathedral - STUPENDOUS.

Brentwood School Big Band was founded in 1983 and has been steadily establishing its reputation at home and abroad with regular concerts in England and Europe. During a very successful trip to Slovenia they featured on a culture program for a local television channel. Last summer they enjoyed a trip to Barcelona, and in addition trips to Siena to take part in the Summer Music Festival. The band has also released a number of CDs showcasing the talents of the students. Their programme included pieces from Count Basie and Duke Ellington, Amy Winehouse, Whitney Houston, Sinatra and Fitzgerald. The students are also encouraged to improvise their own ideas.

The Cathedral was packed, standing room only.

∼ Be safe and well∼ 

Polly x

Valentine's Day

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Valentine's Day originated as a Christian feast day honoring a martyr named Valentine, and now it has become a cultural and commercial celebration of romance and love in many regions of the world. 

Couples often celebrate by exchanging gifts and going out for a special meal or preparing one at home. If you want to mix it up a bit I found a few ideas online. Depending on time committments you could:

💘 Have breakfast in bed

Start your day with romance, make heart-shaped eggs, toast, bacon, pancakes. Then, depending on circumstances, stay in bed, do a crossword together, binge-watch your favourite shows, reminisce about your wedding day, holidays, family times, or how and why you first fell in love with each other.

💘 Book a staycation.

My daughter and son-in-law don't do Valentine's Day, they treat themselves to regular weekends away in gorgeous hotels. 
You don’t have to go far from home to have a getaway and leave routine behind. Book a night at a nearby hotel. Order room service, watch a film or just enjoy some quality time together.

💘 Go to an arcade.
Life can get busy with responsibilites but it’s important to wind down now and again. Why not release your inner child and head to an amusement arcade. Engage in a friendly shooting or racing game, and grab some drinks and food at the same time.

💘 Plan a photo shoot.
When was the last time you had your photo taken, just the two of you? For a lot of couples, it might only be one or two holiday snaps or even just the wedding photos! Hire a photographer, or, for an inexpensive option, ask a friend to take a few casual snapshots. Then (and this is the most important part), actually print them out and display them in your home. You could make it your Valentine's Day tradition.

💘 Have a cosy meal in, mix up a few cocktails - there are lots of recipes online, and play a board game. Pick a favourite from your collection or ..... try a new saucy one!

💘 Send your partner on a treasure hunt to find little gifts. Put handwritten clues around the house, or leave trails of rose petals.

💘 Happy Valentine's Day 💘 

Happy Birthday

Our church café is one year old.

We had a lovely morning yesterday 

with lots of visitors enjoying drinks, cake, sausage rolls and bacon rolls

and balloons for the children to take away with them.

∼ Be safe and well∼ 

Polly x

Lunchtime Concert

Robert Poyser

Organ

Robert Poyser's performance at today's Cathedral concert was excellent. He started with a vigorous rendition of 'Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra', better know as the opening music to 2001: A Space Odyssey, which was swiftly followed by something completely different, 'Blaze Away by Abe Holzmann', a rousing march probably better known as a popular choice for seaside bandstands all around the UK many years ago.

In their heyday there were over 1,500 bandstands in Britain. Situated in public parks, on piers and seaside promenades they attracted crowds of hundreds and even thousands. I don't know how many are still in use today.

The concert continued with pieces ranging from rousing to gentle and tinkly, yes organ music can be tinkly!

My friend M doesn't usually like organ music but she enjoyed this performance.

∼ Be safe and well∼ 

Polly x

February

The sun is still low in the sky but daylight hours are slowly lengthening. Since the loss of Rufus I haven't been out for a walk, he was the incentive I needed to get out on cold miserable mornings. But Sunday was a glorious day so I took myself out. I didn't do any of my favourite routes because it would have made me feel sad so I chose a road route alongside the fields. It was a nice walk in the sunshine. And today I joined a Heart & Sole group for a short walk.

I'm always impressed by Mother nature, she creates these darling little snowdrops, so delicate but they survive harsh winds, frost and snow.

I'm hopping between a few things at the moment, a bit of quilting, a bit of art, but mostly work on my Lake View dolls house which is taking soooo long. My current projects are making a TV and an armchair.

Tonight's tea was a jacket potato with beans and cheese and a dollop of branston pickle, always a favourite because it's quick and easy to prepare, and tasty. Another easy, quick and tasty meal is tomato soup with a Greggs vegan sausage roll, Iceland sell them to cook straight from the freezer. I think I will have that tommorrow.

I've just realised the winter clematis didn't flower, it looks ok but this is the first time it hasn't flowered in quite a few years. Perhaps I didn't prune it properly 😞 

∼ Be safe and well∼ 

Polly x

A Good Read

Love Marriage by Monica Ali tells the story of two people, two cultures, two families.

Doctors Yasmin and Joe are engaged to be married. Their families are quite different. Yasmin is part of an Indian family and is a second-generation doctor while Joe was raised by his mum, Harriet, a world-famous firebrand feminist. However, both Yasmin and Joe are harbouring secrets, and as the wedding day draws closer both families are forced to confront the unravelling of those secrets.
   
I enjoyed this, there’s a lot going on, it covers a lot of territory and multiple storylines. But it is mostly Yasmin’s story, how her view of the trajectory her life is taking makes her realise that what she truly wants may not be what she thought.

∼ Happy Reading∼ 

Polly x

Burns' Night

Burns Night (January 25) is a celebration in honour of the Scottish poet Robert Burns (1759–1796). He is best known for writing "Auld Lang Syne."  Many Scots celebrate Burns' Night with a traditional reading of some of his works. One particular favourite is the "Address tae the Haggis," where everybody stands as the haggis is brought in on a silver salver whilst a bagpiper leads the way towards the host's table. The host or a guest will then recite the poem while slicing open the haggis at the right moment with a ceremonial knife. 

   

At my village celebration last night we didn't have a silver salver, a bagpiper or a ceremonial knife, but we did have traditional Scottish music playing as our wonderful, indefatigable host and her husband led a small (2) procession of helpers around the room up to the top table and then sliced the first haggis open with a very old impressive looking knife. 

   

The food was delicious

the dancing was lively. Everyone had a good time

It's said that Burns was a notorious womaniser, thought to have fathered at least 12 children by four separate mothers, including women who were essentially his employees. Seven of his children were illegitimate, including the first four by Jean Armour before they were married in 1788, when she eventually made an honest man of him!

∼ Be safe and well∼ 

Polly x

My Pub

Our village pub is almost ready to open for business. It's been a huge undertaking involving volunteers and trades people.

In it's heyday it had been a lovely old pub. But over the years as patron numbers dwindled and old became it's downfall the owners decided to retire. Before our community owned it a local business person bought it with a view to selling it on as two seperate dwellings but as a 17th century listed building that would have been very difficult.

Last May volunteers started clearing out rubbish and stripping wallpaper.

        The wiring was very old

Some walls had multiple layers of paper and blown plaster

Me stripping wallpaper. I can't take credit for all of this, my friend J did some too, along with lots of other volunteers.

   

This was found under some of the wallpaper. It reads "Decorated by Peter" I thought it was Valentine but I think the first letter of the surname might be an O. I can't make out the date but the year is 1989. Then it says "I know it's bad ??? strip - Ha Ha" and the drawing.

We also did lots of other areas. Then I started working in the cafe and some of the work became a bit more difficult so I didn't do any more. 

And when contractors arrived volunteers weren't allowed in because of health and safety and insurance issues.

The focus of the work then turned to the garden

    

where the volunteers worked very hard

Tea break delivered by one of our cafe ladies

Everyone did a stellar job

The tarmac guys did a great job

A lot of contractors kindly offered generous discounts or freebies

It was a good idea to refurbish some of the original furniture to save money

Cleaning the floor in preparation for the carpet fitting

Just before Christmas the volunteers were invited to a pop up pub evening.

This was the tree that we entered into the Christmas tree festival. It was a tribute to everyone who has stripped, scraped, scrubbed, filled, painted, swept, cleaned, dug, planted, built and upcycled to bring our pub back to life.

                        Before

                        Before

                        Before

                        Before                          That seat on the right could be as old as the pub.                                                                            Everyone agreed to leave it there as homage to all the old                                                             boys who have sat on it over the years, drinking their beer                                                             and putting the world to rights🍺

We were blown away with how lovely our pub looks.

Last Saturday was a pop up pub night for everyone. It was a huge success. It's taking a while to get a tenant in but the committee don't want to rush into it, it's vital to get the right one. Until then there will be regular pop ups.

Phew what a long post, if you're still here thank you for your staying power!

I hope you have enjoyed it.

∼ Be safe and well∼ 

Polly x