No matter how unseasonal I might be feeling, going out to lunch with my WI friends is bound to lift the spirits and in no time at all, the laughter and silliness makes for a fun afternoon.  The Snooty Fox in Tetbury did us proud yet again and provided a table full of party poppers, very smart but rather silly hats, streamers, crackers and loud rocket balloons.  There were also “those things you blow which make a funny noise as the rolled-up paper thing extends out” – I have no idea what they are called, so just googled “Party blowers” and came across that description, as it seems I’m not the only one to be lost for a name.

Our annual Christmas Lunch is always a smart affair and an occasion to give the fine jewellery an airing.  But if the Snooty Fox thought that the elegant ladies of Avening WI were above creating mayhem when provided with a table full of toys, they were wrong.  The rocket balloons were soon screaming about above our heads, cascades of streamers were popping out and only the arrival of the turkey (and all the trimmings) brought everyone to order.

By that time some found their “clear liquid refreshment” had been unintentionally spiked.

A great time was had by all, then, especially because someone else was going to take care of all the clearing away and washing up.  Notice there’s not a party hat left in sight…

We’ve had a little excitement at home, because our lane is being resurfaced.  Never sure if we will be able to drive out or whether we will need to leave our cars up on the main road and walk down, we’ve kept a beady eye on the proceedings.  This was the scene last Tuesday, when I returned from lunch and a week later, they have finally laid the finished surface adjoining our drive.  We are reliably informed the work will be complete tomorrow – phew.

I decided I should take a home made contribution to the WI Christmas party on Thursday so baked some Pecan Tassies, making an alternative to mince pies (which I knew would feature in some form or another).  They were quick and easy to make and we liked them very much!

My team won the chocolate tasting, identifying all but one of the fourteen chocolate bars.  We’d identified Picnic, Double Decker, Topic and Mars Bars, we’d been able to taste the difference between Galaxy and Dairy Milk, but one single milk chocolate defeated us.  No wonder we were unfamiliar with it,  because it was a Yorkie -  “Not for Girls” !

Our prize: a bar of chocolate, of course!

Actually, my table won the “tray zoo” competition as well, as the eight of us created a curious set of playdough creatures including a pig, a penguin, a turtle and the cutest dinosaur you’ve ever seen.  Not a single “worm” in sight (though such things were seen in great number on other trays, disguised as snakes, eels and slowworms!)

Collecting a present from our secret Santa, the jollity was over for another year.  With calls of “Happy Christmas!” we all went our separate ways, though we’ll see one another again before the big day, making and serving Christmas lunch to a group of old friends from the Macular Society on the 21st. 

We have our party hats at the ready