Iden

GOING ‘ALL GINGHAM.’: There are stirrings in our household, because I am thinking of a Christmas theme, and this year it’s going to be kind of log cabin meets Santa’s work shop .Homey [I hope], so today, I bought a surfeit of red and white gingham cushions[ gosh they are everywhere] To be honest, I don’t know why I bother, because as soon as everyone arrives on Christmas Eve, my whole kind of’ ‘Seven Brides For Seven Brothers’ look will be a mass of muddy boots , wet mittens, onesies, sleeping bags, and every kind of technology under the sun., draping the window sills.[talk about the best laid plans of mice and men !]

A GOULISH FEW DAYS: Damp, dark, creepy, and thrilling, is how you could describe the past few weeks, what with Halloween, and then Bonfire night, both conducted at night, with a background of orange pumpkins, matched with orange flames.. There is nothing quite as nice as a sausage in a bun, eaten on a squelchy stretch of grass, with the smell of a bonfire and the whizz of a Catharine Wheel. It’s a celebration of autumn, that leads us into winter, introducing us to dark mornings, and even darker nights. Iden’s lack of street lights only adds to the ambiance. It’s all about a pair of wellies, a bobble hat, a torch and a clutch of stars--- Oh and it wouldn’t be the same without Dad and Grandad fighting over who lights the touch paper!

A TOUCH OF THE CLINT EASTWOODS: The Iden and District Natural History Society are having a meeting in the village hall on 14th November, and a talk entitled. ‘Wild Life of The Wild West’ by Brian Nobbs. Sounds intriguing doesn’t it? So if you wish to hear the talk, it will be at 7.30p.m, and visitors pay £3.

COFFEE MORNING TOMORROW: Do go along to the coffee morning in Iden village hall tomorrow [8th November] at 10.30am. I understand that there will be some fine bric- a –brac and books on sale, and also a raffle. Cakes will be on sale, and donations of cakes will be much appreciated [you can bring them to the hall from 9am.] It’s all for a good cause, which is the village hall, and lets face it , a good bit of our time is spent in our village hall isn’t it [it’s a veritable oasis]

THE POPPIES SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES: This year poppies are especially significant, and whenever we see a poppy in someone’s lapel, we know that there is goodness and respect in the world, and there are an awful lot of poppies in people’s lapels wherever we look.

THE POP-IN: The next Pop-In, will be on Monday 10th November at 11am in the village hall. Everyone is welcome for coffee, biscuits, bric-a brac, and a chat.

BINGO: Bingo will be held on Thursday 13th November, in Iden village hall. Doors open at 2pm. Eyes down at 2.30pm. Anyone from Iden and surrounding villages is welcome. A light tea is served, and it’s great fun.

THE SERVICE OF HOLY COMMUNION: There will be a service of Holy Communion, on Sunday, 9th November at 9.30 am, in Iden Parish Church.

JUST LOVING THOSE WEEDS!: On Friday 21st November at 2.30 pm in the village hall, ‘The Iden and Playden Garden Society’ are having an illustrated talk entitled ‘How To Love Weeds’, by Mrs Katherine Hall. Members pay £1, and non- members £2.

HEY! LAY OFF MY SOCKS: We had a bit of a barney [a domestic] the other day, because my husband said I was wearing his socks, and I was, in fact I had been for ages, and he was justified in being territorial about his socks. My son said, “well you’re taking your life in your hands there mum, you couldn’t pay me to wear Dad’s socks”.[ “Oh very funny sunbeam”, said my husband] Anyway, the poor man was right, I’d totally taken over his sock drawer without a by your leave.—So, I bought my own flowery pink socks , quite a few pairs[they’ll probably see me out!]. I have hardly owned a pair of socks since child hood. I was never a ‘sock’ kind of person., and now I feel kitted out, [suited and booted] and peace once again reigns around here .Whatever happened though to, ‘with all my worldly gifts I thee endow’ [ it obviously didn’t include socks”]

THE THREE DEGREES: I don’t feel ready to go out without a squidge of perfume. I have three different categories of perfume, going to bed perfume, getting up[housework perfume] and going somewhere special perfume. The housework perfume is the splash –on variety that takes the colour out of my shoes. The going to bed kind is a spray kind, that quite honestly is pleasant but, you wouldn’t write home about that one either, and the third kind is one I’ve used for years, moderately –priced that I feel comfortable with. They say [whoever ‘they’ are], that we should outgrow the perfume of our youth., but I plod on with the same old- same old because my daughter says that is the smell she associates with me. My aunt Dingy [I don’t know how she came by that name!] always wore Coty ‘Muguet,’ and I always think of her when I smell ‘lily of the valley’ My mum liked ‘Blue Grass’. More than anything else, smells conjure up memories don’t they? Speaking of smells, have you ever noticed that a cake only smells when it’s just about ready to come out of the oven?. Maybe it’s reached it’s point of perfection, but who knows, maybe it’s saying [in cake language of course] “hey, you there in the apron, open the oven door will you, cause me and the other eleven guys in this patty tin have just about had it with the 200 degrees Celsius!”

CONTACT ME: If anyone has anything to add to the Village Voice, please ring Gill Griffin [telephone 01-797 280311] , and I’ll be glad to include it.

Gill Griffin

Belfield, Main Street