South Zeal Month

A tranquil month considering the time of year. There is a fine view of Exeter Cathedral from my office, perhaps that helps me to maintain a calm frame of mind. Om.

Anyway….

Tuesday 2 December. Parish Council. Oxenham Arms.
One of the joys of being on the Parish Council is the number of informal meetings I have to attend, generally in the Ox or The Kings Arms. But here am I, performing a public duty, and in response to my reminder to my wife and daughters that I am off to an important meeting, all I get is “Oh, Mum, Dad’s off to the pub again.” I mean really.

This meeting was to discuss the Parish Council’s “Parish Day” (for June/July) the concept of which should be set out in The Beacon for January. I don’t want to jump the gun by saying too much at this stage but if you could look at The Beacon and respond with thoughts and ideas we would be grateful - if nothing else it will mean more informal meetings at the locations specified above.

Thursday 4 December. History Group. Oxenham Arms.
One of the joys of being on the History Group is the number of informal meetings I have to attend, generally in the Ox. But here am I, performing a public duty and in response to my reminder to my wife and daughters that I am off to an important meeting, all I get is “Oh, Mum, Dad’s off to the pub again.” I mean really.

Is there an echo on this website?

Paul is very good to us, letting us use the Residents' Lounge for our meetings.

I make it my business to keep a photographic record of events I go to. Loads of people take pictures everywhere all the time, but when and where do you see the results? How will they available in the future? Digitisation tends to mean that there are few hard copies about. So all I do is store the negatives and CDs, and bung the hard copies into an accessible album. Pretty basic!

Virtually everything goes into the album - good or bad - as I have discovered that sometimes it is the most unexpected pictures that are of the most interest.

Please note that on FRIDAY 6th FEBRUARY 2004 at 7.30 pm Dr Tom Greeves will be giving a talk at the Group’s AGM on the subject of the three hares - a well-known symbol. Many of you will know Tom Greeves and will know that this will be a most interesting occasion. Do come!

Saturday 6 December. Silent auction. FOSTPS.
It is the children’s table that makes me laugh most. A year or two ago when they first had their own auction table I was aghast to find that various children, including mine, were putting in outrageous bids for things on which they had set their heart and soul. Ł350 for a mini Christmas tree, Ł75 for a stockingful of sweets. I had to spend the evening following my two about crossing out their bids - skinflint that I am. At least now their bids are limited to 10p a time, but even that can mount up over two hours!

We finished up this year with lots consisting of trips to zoos and aquariums, tickets to the Belstone Players’ panto: “Sinbad the Failure”, and Patricia Glover’s birthday cake promise. Like many people, I suspect, we do not always take up promises, but Patricia, I am afraid yours is one we won’t let go!

Saturday 13 December. Moor Harmony. Okehampton Hospital.
As usual, we vastly outnumbered the patients who come to listen, but they seemed to enjoy it. One patient sang along with great gusto (which was fine) the only small problem being that he could sing but two notes (and even we can manage more than that) and he tended to push our somewhat leaky vessel quite off course pitch-wise, especially 'The Shepherds’ Farewell' which tends to wander about a bit at the best of times.

Ah well. We knew quite a few of the patients, so it turned into a bit of a family party in some ways!

Monday 15 December. South Tawton Primary School Christmas Play.
I managed to get back to see most of this and even managed to spot my youngest daughter in the melee somewhere - an angel! I ask you?! I admit that I hadn’t the faintest idea what was going on from start to finish as we trundled round the village but I really didn’t mind at all. I just enjoyed catching the atmosphere and watching all those dotty children earnestly concentrating on doing their bit when their turns came and catching up with all the gossip.

Saturday 20 December. Moor Harmony. Belstone Church.
The big day! All that rehearsing, all those panics as the date remorselessly approaches.

The smell of mulled wine and mince pies wafts about; the bells are rung; the Church is freezing as usual but it is packed solid again, and so off we go at a terrific rate as we race through the programme. I always take the view that it is better to have too short a concert than too long. It is preferable that people should go wanting more than wish than that they wish it would stop.

What verse? How did what verse go? Oh you don’t mean that verse from ‘O Come’ do you? Oh, I’d almost forgotten about that. You mean verse three I think.
Yes well that’s enough about that. No I’m not avoiding the issue. Well if you must know 9 out of 10 choir members got 90% of it right 90% of the time and that’s all I’m saying - there’s no need to make such a big thing of it you know!

After the performance we collapsed into The Tors for our annual Christmas Party, about 35 of us I guess, and I have to say that The Tors did us proud, it was a really good meal.