Sunday 6 January 2013

Twelfth Night

I wonder if these neighbours are still talking to each other?

Traditionally Twelfth Night is when we take down all the Christmas decorations. It is considered unlucky to have decorative greenery in the house after the fifth of January. I gathered everything onto the dining room table to fold up and pack away until next December.
It takes a lot longer to wrap up the paper garlands than it does to unfurl them!
Some of the old faithfuls are starting to look a bit battered.
In the evening we went to our book group to discuss, 'Pure', a work of faction, an imaginative telling of the removal of the stinking cemetery of Les Innocents in the city of Paris in 1785.
Being of stout constitutions we sat down happily to supper in spite a lively discussion around bones and putrefaction!
Our hosts looked after us well
The hostess wore a lovely dress, new but very retro looking in black broderie anglaise.
And there was  a delicious pavlova for pudding.
What's not to like? (Those extra pounds are still with me!)

13 comments:

  1. Seriously that not so nice neighbour is rather nutty to put up that message in lights!
    I love dinner with friends...we've all been hit by the flu in these parts so there has not been a lot of socializing for fear of spreading germs.

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    1. I'm sorry to hear that the flu bug got you. There has been a big outbreak of unpleasant illness in England but, so far, we have managed to avoid it. I hope that you are better now and able to have a bit of catch-up entertaining!

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  2. Rosemary, I have a few extra pesky little pounds hanging around...I suspect I have a few more than you. The book sounds interesting. What was the consensus? I am in awe that you have a couples book group. I have suggested it a few times and find no one else thinks it is a good idea. It seems to be strictly a female thing over here. Have a wonderful week. Bonnie

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    1. One couple absolutely loved the book but the rest of us were rather critical. I enjoyed the factual aspects and was quite charmed by the central character but found the symbolism very heavy-handed and the minor characters unconvincing. So, overall, interesting enough but not a book that I could enthuse about.
      I was a member of a female book group and male friends wanted to know what we were reading so we formed a group with friends and partners from Peter's work to avoid evenings where they talked shop. We call ourselves the 'FAB' group, standing for food and books. Everyone brings a contribution to supper. It has been running for about fifteen years and is always a really enjoyable gathering.

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  3. The Christmas lights made me laugh - I hope they were put up as a joke and that the neighbour thought it was as funny as I did. It seems food figures large in your social life - not sure how you manage to maintain such a trim figure.

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    1. The lights image was emailed to me by a friend, I don't know it's history. It made me laugh out loud but I doubt very much that the neighbours were pleased!
      My blog suggests that I live on a diet of pavlova but it isn't the case. Apart from high days and holidays I try to eat a low GL, almost vegetarian diet in order to avoid problems with my health. (And I'm not so trim - I think the camera lies!)

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  4. That word can't mean the same in England as it means here.

    I've always used the Epiphany as the "get down by" date for all decorations but it's not unusual to see outside greens and white lights stay up until February 1st or Valentine's at the latest. I know, we have no class.

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    1. In England it means 'fool', I take it that it means something rather rude over the pond!

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  5. Happy new year. What a coincidence, I bought Pure in the charity shop and have just started to read it, love your decs.

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    1. Happy New Year to you, Lilac. Do let me know what you think of 'Pure' once you have read it.

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  6. OMG I can't believe they did that.

    Around these parts the police would be called and the decorator would have to take down the holiday message(?).

    But there would be a lot of instagram photos taken pre police.

    xo jane

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  7. Mm, I gather from your reaction and Steve's that it has a different meaning entirely in America!

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  8. I've enjoyed reading your xmas posts and did like the picture of the two neighbouring houses. I sense there could be a story here (of maybe a war or perhaps revenge....)

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