Christmas Rapping

I am browsing bias binding in Fabricland * . A young woman enters in a state of excitement, I hear her say to her friend behind the counter

There’s a crowd outside watching wrappers

?

Another customer standing at the counter has heard differently she says:

Watching a ruckus - what’s the ruckus about?

The first girl says:

No - rappers – like singing

The friend behind the counter becomes slightly interested:

Are they famous rappers – or just community rappers?

(for verisimiliutude do not pronounce the ‘t’ in community when you say that sentence in your head))

The first girl says that  she doesn’t recognize them so they’re probably just 'community rappers'.

I need to know what 'community rappers' look like so I abandon the bindings and go outside.

This is Mr Woodnote, he has more videos on Youtube


*Fabricland is my favourite Bristol shop, decorated with shouty notices in multi-coloured text, I can always depend on seeing a bit of community improv theatre when I visit

Sandwich Night

Yesterday was our wedding anniversary, our celebration would take the form of going out to watch a movie together (we never do this).

Usually on Friday evenings the gentlemen in the neighbourhood cycle to a pub just far enough away to make them believe they’ve earned  a pint. This particular Friday was going to be special so he tried to persuade me to do the movie thing a day early:

When we get to the pub on the Friday before Christmas they bring out a plate of sandwiches - it's the only night of the year they do this! (sad, pleading face)

I remained stony in my resolve that we do the anniversary thing on the anniversary day.

He checked the calendar to make sure there’s no possibility that Sandwich Night and our anniversary will clash next year.

Placebo Pies

Waiting at a bus stop I listen to a woman wearing sparkly antlers telling her friend about a recent party hosted by a stuffy friend;

Sparkly had volunteered to supply the mince pies...

Sparkly: … so then Malcolm said he’d help me cook them ... and when he came over he had this bag of grass and we made a special one for us with a cross on it so we’d know which one it was… but then the pastry all kind of melted in the oven and the cross disappeared so we didn’t know which was ours … I took them anyway and didn’t say anything about the grass ... everyone was there and eating them and  they all seemed normal but when Malcolm turned up a couple of hours later he was pissed and I knew he’d told someone ‘cos a ripple went through the room…

…and then everyone started behaving really differently … in a good way

That Time of Year - Postscript

Judging by the comments on the last post we all do a bit of ‘regifting’, that's good, it’s ecologically sound behaviour and saves cash - but there are rules: (1) check that the book you’re handing on isn’t dedicated to you in the original giver’s hand and (2) do remember where the gift came from, last year my parents (unwittingly?) returned a bottle of homemade Sloe Gin to their daughter who had lovingly made it with her own fair hands!

Do you still visit here Dad?

That Time of Year...

My husband and his son were discussing Christmas this weekend:

Son: What d'you want for Christmas then Dad?

Dad: I dunno something useful ... gloves, scarves .... they're always good

Son: A scarf then ... would you like one like the one you gave me last year?

Dad: That was a really nice scarf that was  ... Welsh wool ... very good quality 

Son: I could let you have that one if you like, I've never worn it.

Dad: Sounds great - yeah all right

Christmas - sorted!