Sunday.

Got a 'phone call this morning from a fellow chorister asking for a lift to church: she lives at the top of a hill nearby and the roads up there are still a little dodgy. Agreed to fetch her, of course, but warned her that as I would have to be in Felsham by one p.m. we would have to leave church immediately after the service (no staying for coffee and a chat!) in order for me to run her home, and then drive to Felsham for my luncheon date with friends. She agreed happily , so I then 'phoned Senior Daughter, whose birthday is today. Sung 'Happy Birthday' to her, not to the usual tune, but to the tune of 'We wish you a Merry Christmas'. So my version went :- 'We wish you a Happy Birthday' (three times) and ended :- 'Many Happy Returns' - it was unpremeditated, but came out alright. Sarah said :- 'That was lovely Pa; very seasonal.' Then picked up Sylvia and on to Church. Choir practice went well, as did the service. Then ran Sylvia home, and drove on to Felsham, and found the Village Hall, where friend Jill (my lunch hostess) was helping at the tea counter at a Christmas produce and craft fair. Pottered round the fair till Jill was ready, bought some home made candles and locally produced apple juice, then drove Jill to her home where her husband Keith was presiding over the cooking (although I think Jill had made it). Excellent lunch - pork and prune casserole, baked potato, and red cabbage (cooked with apple and carraway seeds - interesting taste). This was followed by treacle tart ( made not by Jill, but by mutual friend Ros Cook, whose treacle tart is unrivalled in our area). Then excellent coffee (made by Keith). Was offered a cheese board, but declined this on the grounds that I had had a very good and sufficient lunch. We took our coffee through to the sitting room where they showed me couple of recently aquired pieces of stock (they are dealers specialising in early furniture and metalware- Keith wrote the book on paktong or tutenag- I put both names in case any of my readers aren't aware of the other one) and we talked about a clock that Keith will eventually need work done on. Left them at about half past three and arrived home just after four o'clock.

Should have said - the above photo is of a brace of pheasants Jill gave me. She doesn't shoot, but is a beater (with her spaniels) for the local shoot, and she is paid in game. As they were only shot yesterday I've hung them in the forge for a day or two (depending on the weather) to ripen. Time now to do a little work before bed, so will bid you all goodnight now.