In meteorological terms December 1st is the start of winter which certainly rang true on Monday when we woke up to a heavy frost.
Well hurrah for the arrival of some dry albeit it cold weather as walking the dogs has been miserable, drizzly, muddy and wet. Last week I was on Rhondda Radio with Jeremy Vine’s allotment guru Terry Walton and conversation turned to bedding down for winter, winter greens and the thrill of the first shoots of spring. Every season has something special to offer in the garden but I do enjoy winter for the hibernation time which is at odds with my missing the longer days, then again I enjoy spring with the soil warming up and seeing what the season will bring, but give me summer any day as the garden is full of colour and becomes an outside room, the autumn colours are spectacular and then it’s back into winter.
Last weekend we organised a surprise 50th for a school friend, we went back to our old school in Malvern part of which has been turned into a Retirement Village which has a gym, pool, restaurant with delicious food, a bar, golf buggies and a bus into town. Quite a difference to the Lino floors, outdoor unheated pool with lean to changing rooms, repulsive food and walking around in all weathers in our disgusting brown cloaks. It was nice to catch up with friends who I had spent 5 years with and reminisce about the 80s. There was a massive conversation going on behind the scenes about who was taking what and I was in charge of the flowers which meant a chat with the lovely Darren at the market and a beautiful and bright hand tied bouquet. He’s always ready with a smile and friendly advice, and this time of year he is wrapped up warm on market days (Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday) with a fabulous selection of flowers, plants and seasonal floral decorations. It’s Small Business Saturday on the 7th, give your small business friends and acquaintances some love and tag them and @smallbizsatuk on social media #smallbizSatUK #FindYourLocalHero.
There have been lots of Christmas events going on locally and I understand Father Christmas has been busy. This weekend I was admiring Christmas trees going up in people’s houses and the main theme was how hard it was to decorate the tree with children. I have to admit that the words “decorating the tree with small children” were never words that tripped easily off my tongue when my lot were young. On a scale of 1 to 10 my stress levels rocketed when the youngest one put the heaviest bauble on the weakest branch and it would fall, there would be tears, tutting and the dustpan and brush would come out. That’s after the brouhaha of sorting the lights out and finding which bulbs didn’t work and where the detachable plug might be. I have to admit to being organised, though can’t remember quite when, and sorting everything into boxes and labelling it all up before shoving it in the loft, however there is always one decoration that hangs around taunting you, it’s hiding in the corner with a bulb and a small branch.
I have to say that Wokingham town is looking absolutely beautiful and festive with the tree lit up and the lights around the Town Hall. I had a mooch around town over the weekend and it took me ages as it was busy and everyone was chatty. Not long to go until the cinema opens which will be great. There were a couple of threads on the Facebook group “Memories of Wokingham” about what people had seen there and how long it had been there. I was struggling to remember what was at the front of the fire station until someone said it was houses. If you have recently moved to Wokingham, are from Wokingham and have moved away, or have never left Wokingham and would like to read more about the town in the olden and not so olden days please do request to join and the friendly admin team will deal with action it accordingly.