In my past life I used to work on Remembrance Sunday as the service in Harrow was held at the Civic Centre and my presence was required. Never a chore but I used to wonder at how quickly it came round each year involving as it did quite a bit of organisation. Now as time speeds by even faster we hardly seem to have swept the leaves away and it's Remembrance Sunday again. I broke my record for losing Poppies this year; I bought one as I exited Tesco, Tring and by the time I'd walked the 25 yards to my car it was gone. The Poppy, not the car.However that same morning I parked in Berkhamsted to go to the market (best lamb samosas ever!) and there lying on the ground was a Poppy. There is a God I thought as I picked it up and using the pin I had left from the first lost one fixed it to my "pensioner's coat" as Pam so unkindly calls it. I couldn't help but notice a few Berkhamstedians giving me a critical glance (one doesn't stare in Berkhamsted, just a glance will suffice for one to establish that the target may well be from Tring or some other third world area) . They were obviously saddened at the sight of this mean, miserable old bugger scrambling in the gutter rather than buy a Poppy but there you go. That's life. One day you are stood, suited and booted alongside the great and the good of Harrow whilst MPs, Mayors, Councillors lay their wreath, the next incurring the disdain and contempt of the greater and gooder of Berko.
October finished on a high socially. Pam hosted the Awards Ceremony for the Berko Pumpkin Challenge and a very fine night it was with some 30 odd people ( and I use the term advisedly ) complete with Pumpkin entries, recipes and Halloween outfits to see if they had won a prize.
Chorus
Whooa Pumpkin, Whooa pumpkin
Did you ever wonder why
If you divide its circumference by its diameter
Yous’ll get some pumpkin pi
Now those of you that believe in Gourd
We’s gonna tell yah bout the Pumpkin word
We knows it’s true they come from da States
But here’s some facts you can tell your mates
Well de whole thing started long long ago
cos they found some seeds down in Mexico
and when I says long time you listen to me
They found these seeds in 7000BC!
Chorus
Whooa Pumpkin, Whooa pumpkin
Did you ever wonder why
If you divide its circumference by its diameter
Yous’ll get some pumpkin pi
In Greek your pumpkin’s called a pepon
Which comes from de greek for a big fat melon
It was changed to Pompon by some French Bumkin
Then by the English to a Pumpion and the Yanks to a Pumpkin
Now listen here cowboy It was the Indian Sioux
That taught them white folks what to do
They made it into soups and they made it into stews
They made it into carpets but we made it into booze
Chorus Whooa Pumpkin etc
So when you have your pumkin it wont be no mystery
Cos now you’ve all had a slice of de history
It’s for eating my friends and nothing more sinister
So don’t get drunk and don’t eat de Axminister
Are you ready for the Oscars
cos I’m ready to budge
Let’s hear it big for Pamela
Yeah Here come de judge!
Chorus
No sooner was Halloween cleared away than we were off to the theatre to see Farinelli and the King at the Duke of York Theatre off Leicester Square. It was such a mild day we travelled coatless to Euston and walked to St Martin's Lane stopping for refreshment at The Glassblower in Glasshouse Street off Piccadilly and pre-theatre dining at the Cote Brasserie, Very good.
The story of Farinelli and the King -Italy, 1731. Farinelli, the world’s most famous castrato, is rich, adored and lauded with honours. His divine voice has the power to captivate all who hear it.Spain, 1737. King Philippe V lies awake. The Queen, desperate to relieve her husband of his insomnia and depression, begs the castrato to come and sing to the king.
The effect is transformational. Philippe is healed, held captive by Farinelli’s voice – but so is Farinelli…
This intriguing true story is re-told in Claire van Kampen’s play, replete with many of the arias first sung by Farinelli. The part of the King is played by Mark Rylance. Well worth a watch. Very entertaining.
A tremendous evening all round and we were chauffeussed (?) to and from Berkhamsted Station by Natalie. All very pleasant.
Joseph is doing his D of E and as part of that he has been on a Fire-fighting trip to Hemel H Fire Station. His mum, Helen took the following-doesn't he look the part?!
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| Jose? No. Hose B |
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| Joe and sibling Theo |
A sad note. To Dorset on Friday 6th to attend the funeral of a former colleague from Harrow, Geoff Bevan. I'd known Geoff since 1963 and although he and Bette had moved to Dorset some time back we kept in touch by way of emails and Christmas Cards. He had been ill for a while and despite a brave fight passed away on 28th October. My initial thought was that I must let all the Harrow gang know but it was easier said than done because we're all getting older and some have gone already. I realised there would be only a handful working at Harrow (twas ever thus-just joking) that would have any idea who Geoff was. I did my best to spread the word amongst those retirees known to me and was able to glean a few more along the way which was pleasing. The family had asked for donations to Macmillan Working Locally and our little gang garnered together 200 quid in memory of a good bloke with whom we counted ourselves lucky to have been friends and workmates. The service was lovely and very well attended-Geoff and Bette have obviously made lots of friends since moving. There was a delay of about 45 minutes at the Crematorium and the thought did cross my mind that Geoff had, as part of his duties once been in charge of the Hatch, Match and Despatch registrars and would be pleased to squeeze a bit of extra time out of the local authority. It was a bit damp waiting outside for the previous funeral to finish but the setting is in a beautiful forested part of Poole and a walk and some quiet reflection did no harm
Afterwards a gathering at their local golf club which was very pleasant especially meeting Bette and their two sons. I decided I would not brave the M3/M25 as it was still chucking it down but instead booked into a hotel in Christchurch, watched the rain and raised a glass to my good friend Geoff Bevan RIP
Well we got past Remembrance Sunday with very mild weather and before last week's rain some beautiful sunny Autumn days. That's all changed now with the arrival of strong winds and more rain and a definite drop in temperature, I write this with a blazing fire warming the boat with the smell of chicken and butternut squash curry on the stove. The curry was a by-product of the Pumpkin Challenge when I was looking for something tasty to do with a pumpkin and came across a recipe for butternut squash. I've never eaten one before so wish me luck. It certainly feels like curry weather but it is mid November and we have been treated pretty softly by the Weather Clerk till now. The Doom merchants in the odious Mail and Express have, I am told, been forecasting the worst Winter since records etc. All because a few swans turned up early from Russia. Strikes me that it is more likely that the weather in Russia is such that the swans thought "Sod this-I'm offski to a sunny Hertfordshire with proper unfrozen lakes where we are less likely to get shot and eaten by the peasants."
Peter off Wessex on our mooring just knocked to give me a few more bits and pieces for our next auction (St George's Day, 23rd April 2016) as he and Christine have sold Wessex and had a clear out. They are looking for another boat and I hope they find it before St George's then they can but all their stuff back again. Wessex leaves this weekend so bon voyage to her and her new owners.
I've booked Independence into the dry dock at Bulbourne for the week after St George's and am thinking I ought to have a hull survey as it's been a long time. I fear major expense looming and God knows where the money is coming from. Ah I know-from the auction. Don't tell anyone will you.
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Before I start worrying about hull surveys etc we have Christmas. Yippee! We're having three events organised by and for the Cowroast Lock Moorers one of which is a quiz. Our Boaters Buffet will raise money for the local hospice plus collect a few tins and stuff for the Emergency Night Shelter for the homeless.
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Christmas Quiz Supper
Friday, 11th December
Cowroast Inn at 7.30
Profits to British Heart Foundation
£7.50 pp for quiz (£2.50) and supper of either Boater’s Stew or Veggie Chilli
!!Raffle, Carols, Mince Pies!!
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I'm hoping to get 30-40 people to make it viable and raise a few pennies for the British Heart Foundation. I've been working on the quiz over the last couple of nights and it's slowly (very) coming together.
QUIZ SALE!
If you can't make the quiz-and I appreciate this will be difficult for some of my Ukraine followers-I shall email a copy to anyone that wants (after the 11th Dec of course) and as long as they promise to stick a pound or so in their local hospice box ( or send it to me to add to our tally) I'll send them the answers as well. So that's your Christmas Afternoon sorted.
Let me know if you want a copy.
Enough for now-the fire looks like it's in need of tlc and I have to write my application for the Fulham Manager's job so until next time......"Oh there's Only One F in Fulham..."
