Questionable Planting?

There was a frisson of activity in our communal garden last week as I drew up the blind, to wit a burst of unseasonal leaf blowing, followed by some sort of digging activity ......

..... needless to say my interest was piqued  .....

...... so I felt compelled to open our festively adorned window (courtesy of Darrell), to ask the two gentlemen involved what was occurring, just in case questions need to be asked in Parliament at a juncture in time, because, let's be honest, they could have easily been exhuming and reclaiming some nefariously buried goods, for all I knew!

On inquiring, it would seem that it was nothing of a sinister type nature, they were simply planting a cluster of daffodils bulbs for our spring time delectation, which was really very thoughtful.

However, not that I know anything about the plantage of such bulbs, but surely this sort of thing should have been done sometime between September and November, in order to give the roots a chance to develop? December, with snow on the ground, seems a little late?  Perhaps questions might need to be asked in Parliament after all, especially if they fail to flourish at the appropriate time!  I have noted the date in my new 2025 diary just in case.  What am I like?

Rife With Festive Emotion

Yesterday, was Nigel's very last reading session in school of 2024, it was ..... emotional.

He'd worn his Christmas jumper especially, along with all the little ones for Cook Lady's wonderful Christmas dinner .......

..... and then, at the end of the day, after an full afternoon of party games etc., there was a small presentation for him from his beloved 4 Teme, where they gave him the most wonderful Christmas card he had ever seen.

Each child had drawn their very own snowman and then signed the card to say "Thank You"  for helping them read so far this year ........

...... along with a mahooooooosive bar of chocolate! They know him soooooo well. Needless to say, there were a few manly sniffs, discreetly wiped eyes and cuddles, plus a tiny surprise from Nigel, for all of them to hang on their Christmas trees, in a bag Nigel had covertly passed on to the teacher earlier in the day.  

As I said, it was EMOTIONAL, in capital letters! Said, beautiful card is now proud and lovingly on display Chez Towers, with Nigel declaring this was the most magical Christmas card ever, ever, ever and as such, would be treasured for many years to come, perhaps even taken to The Antiques Roadshow, when we are long gone to be valued and declared absolutely priceless and a national treasure! What on earth is he like?

Heaven Help Us ........

Oh good grief, Nigel went to The Range with Alice and our wonderful neighbours across the hallway, Kata and her little boy Krisztian ........

However, I understand that mayhem ensued in the Christmas department, with Nigel "encouraging" young Krisztian to press all the buttons of every one of the all singing and dancing Christmas novelty toys ...... at the same time!!!!! 

Alice recanted that why they weren't all thrown out she'll never know. I think we should just be very grateful that at this time of year all the assistants in said store were probably far too busy to investigate what the ruckus at the far end of the store was ........ thus a charge of the intentional or reckless causing public nuisance thankfully avoided!!!!!  What on earth is Nigel like?

NB There will be posts on Saturday and Sunday this week

All That Glisters .......

Oh dear, Nigel was out Christmas shopping (again) yesterday...........

...... and, as such, sent me a couple of pictures of things he thought Darrell might like, heaven help us all!

I suggested that perhaps a nice cookery book, diary or an addition to his festive cocktail bar might be an easier option, as objets d'art can be a tricky one to call, especially with Darrell's ultra de rigueur and refined tastes.

Let's just say he hmmmm'ed, but hopefully he took in my less contentious recommendations. I also trust that Darrell will be equally as tactful should Nigel send him a similar text with regards to a potential gift for me!

A Festive Mince Pie Review

It has to be said that Darrell takes the making of our traditional mince pies each year extremely seriously, however according to Nigel it doesn't hurt to allow Darrell a bit of a break now and again and use said opportunity to sample and rate the occasional shop opposition, well, it would be rude not to!

In other words, he'd picked up a box randomly in Iceland and then felt a little guilty once he'd got them home, what is he like?

However, Darrell was still up for a taste test in the interest of scientific and comestible yuletide research.

Let's just say, after a cheeky warming up in the oven, Darrell had nothing to worry about.  Though perfectly acceptable, we all had to admit that Iceland's finest sadly missed out on finesse of Darrell's melt in the mouth, seasonal delicacies, which he puts down to the gentle "forking" of the butter, before allowing the icy, coldness of his nimble fingers to "rub in" and work their magic ........ 

...... not to mention the obligatory, very ample slug of best brandy he likes to add to the mincemeat!

We have to agree, although we don't exactly understand all the technicalities involved in the making of a humble mince pie, but when compared to Darrell's annual masterpieces, we feel we can only give Iceland's own brand pies a still  respectable six out of ten pastry lids on our world famous Richter Scale of Noms ..... 

..... but nonetheless, happy festive days!

A Precious Festive Gift From Pharmacy Michelle

Yesterday, we found a wonderous envelope in our festive mail box, let's just say it was ........ emotional!

It was from our beloved friend, Pharmacy Michelle in tres romantic Southport .......

...... a seaside town, as you know, we've had the great pleasure of visiting a number of times over the years, that always evokes so many memories.  How can we ever forget the out of this world fish and chips we once devoured in a café there once upon a time, not to mention our christening it the ice cream capital of the world, with so many establishments, purveying so many exotic flavours, but always with soooooooo little time for us to embrace all but a dozen or so at a time!

Michelle thanked us for our much anticipated, limited edition, annual Christmas card, featuring, for the very first time, the ever fragrant Alice ........

...... and in turn, sending us the most beautiful Southport calendar, which we promise to treasure. We all ooohed and ahhed at all the locations we've visited before, like the Wayfarers Arcade, the scene of much browsing, mooching and the occasional considered purchase, plus a couple we are very much strangers to, like the train station and The Grand Brassierie, which could be erm ..... a very interesting place to explore!!! 

 

Michelle also expressed the hope that perhaps 2025 might be the year we all actually meet up, after all these years, so perhaps the picture of Southport Station, featured in April could be a spooky, late, great Derek Acorah (RIP) type omen ........

........ as we must be due another visit by now and those coin pushers in the arcades must be missing our skilful and exceptional manoeuvrings, so who knows ........ we shall have to see!

Seasonal Pester Power

Sometimes, I wish we could keep Nigel in at this time of year as the pester power tends to mount the nearer to the big day we get and yesterday was just one of those days.

He'd been charity shop mooching over in Worcester with Alice, when what did the little fellas eyes light upon?  

Not one, but TWO organs, both of which, he was assured, were in excellent working order.  Well, that was it, he was already there, imagining a raucous Christmas sing song round the old Joanna (all be it of electric and with a lot more knobs type nature) a la Eastenders and pictures were quickly sent to both Darrell and I, to which Darrell caustically replied, that it might help if one of us could actually play one or 'tother,

Coming back to earth with a slightly crestfallen bump, but not out, Nigel then text back asking whether a wifi microphone or two might be OK, so we could have a Karaoke evening with YouTube, like we had had back at our Greek hotel in September!  Well, what could I say and more importantly what would someone who shall remain nameless, say on hearing our festive catawalling? .........

..... So, I said yes, why not and if they were reasonably priced, why not go the whole hog and get four, one for each of us ....... after all, it is the season of goodwill to Nigel and all men!  What am I like? 

Nigel's Knitted Nativity ........ AND ...... A BRILLIANT Idea!!!

Christmas wouldn't be Christmas chez Les Towers, without Darrell setting up Nigel's knitted nativity, for the little fella's return from the very last school run of 2024!  

Said nativity, an overwhelming gift from our beloved Seaside Karen in romantic Lytham St Annes, after seeing how distraught Nigel was on leaving "the original" behind in the homeland when we moved to Evesham and then following that, the unbelievably, sad demise of Motorworld (now a Domino ooooo ooooo's)

Needless to say, it was an emotional homecoming ........

..... with so many memories of Christmases past at Castle Greysquirrel come flooding back ........

....... with trips each evening to Motorworld, full of awe and wonder for Nigel, often with a mug of hot chocolate and a festive Hob Nob in his hand. 

How long ago it all seems now, but never ever to be forgotten. Thanks to Seaside Karen, the legend continues to live on for yet another generation, to hear the stories of whenever Uncle Nigel went missing over the festive season, we'd always know exactly where to find him, in sleet, rain, hail, snow and ice or just an ordinary, cold, winters evening, with his nose pressed up against those immortal windows ........... thank you Seaside Karen, it really is the gift that keeps on giving! 

AND, the BRILLIANT idea?  Look what came up on our AOL feed yesterday ........

https://www.aol.co.uk/news/knitted-nativity-figures-tour-london-080030884.html

With many thanks to:- Christ Church, Southgate/PA - ......... you've just got to see this ........ Nigel is already getting ideas!!!!!!

https://www.christchurch-southgate.org/worship/travelling-crib/

'Tis The Season For .......

'Tis the season for erm ....... the playing of board games ........

 ...... and it turns out that the ever fragrant Alice is a mean player of Guess Who.  

Young Bertie spent the day with us yesterday as it was a Teacher Training Day, so out came a few of our favourite seasonal games to help occupy him and well, it's never too early to get in some practice before Boxing Day is it?

HOWEVER, let's just say we saw Alice in a steely new light, finding that she certainly takes no prisoners as to a competitive game, despite her beguiling and demure demeaner .......

Darrell is now seriously contemplating holding back on the Monopoly board, having now seen her in action and wondering whether Mouse Trap and Kerplunk might be a little less cut-throat!!!!!!!  What is she like?

Nigel Embraces His Crafty Side And Enrols A New Volunteer In The Process!

With the festive season about to take flight in school, alongside a very full and comprehensive diary of Christmas activities, Nigel was asked if he'd like a break from listening to his beloved readers for a spot of Christmas card making, a bit like a couple of years ago ....... well, we (Darrell, Alice and I) were so unbelievably proud and though a little nervous, Nigel once again rose to the challenge.

In groups of six, the little fella managed to get all the cards done in just one day ........

......... with the help of one of cook's most excellent roast dinners (with second helpings) to help keep his spirits buoyed.

Fortunately, everything had been very well prepared for him beforehand, all he had to do was acquaint himself with the design and the creative process, so he knew exactly what he was doing ........ and then he was away!

He said he and the children worked together seamlessly, not unlike the elves in Santa's workshop. Glue was delicately applied and kept mostly in the pots, rather than globbed unceremoniously all over the table and shirt sleeves .....

..... resulting in thirty very individual snowmen, with personalities of their own, lovingly put together to grace the yuletide homes of thirty, happy, little bods.

Alice was soooooooooo impressed and later admitted she was just a tad envious of Nigel's voluntary endeavours and, as such, has decided that her New Year's Resolution will be to offer her services, alongside Nigel, to listen to readers and whatever else she might be asked to do, subject, of course, of a full, robust and rigorous, exemplary DBS check with Nigel as her mentor.  Let's just say, this  decision proved a little emotional for all of us, especially the little fella, who again, it has to be said "dun gud"! 

Perusing The Festive Iceland Flyer.

Although Darrell has our festive menu pretty much in hand, he still says it never hurts to be open to new comestible ideas and products ........

...... so when Nigel bought home a copy of Iceland's seasonal flyer .......

...... well, it would have been rude not to peruse it's colourful and incising pages.

Now, we're not too sure who Josie Gibson actually is or what experience, if any, she has setting a Christmas menu, so Darrell decided that he would rather trust in his own judgement as far as our palates and budget are concerned.  

Suffice to say that all frozen, buffet food was out, as we all agree, from experience, they all have a "certain" frozen taste to them, except perhaps for the profiteroles!

Therefore, he won't be going gung ho into the possible purchase of any recommended cocktail king prawn ring, breaded brie wedges or chicken Christmas trees........

..... however, the luxury, giant sausage based profferings weren't entirely lost on him, especially knowing what Nigel's reaction to them was likely to be.

Nevertheless, if he were to make a considered purchase, it might well be the white chocolate snowman dessert  (toffee filled sponge and a caramel sauce, enrobed in white chocolate and suitably decorated) .......

...... if only to appease the Nigel's almost constant yuletide, pester power. 

And me?  Well, to be honest, I'm more than happy to leave such complex decisions to Darrell, as I barely know my vol au vent from my spring roll, although I do know my sausage rolls, both of the cocktail or normal size and preferably Greggs.

I'm sure it'll all be very wonderful and absolutely perfect, whatever Darrell comes up with!