Saturday, January 02, 2010
Morris Dancers on New Years Day
Life is back to normal - almost!
We should have set off for a car boot sale this morning; but we peered through the curtains at 6 o'clock and saw a cold, dark world. There has been a minor snow fall during the night.
We climbed back under the duvet again and went to sleep.
Later we regretted this - for the day was sunny and it might have been good at Ford at Littlehampton.
But there was plenty to do at home.
We packed away our Christmas trinkets. The display does not take much room but I like the feeling of a little extra space and freshness when everything is stowed back into the boxes.
Later we walked into town. There was a need for a few basics like bread and milk. We certainly didn't buy much. But Asda was crowded with people buying food like there was about to be a siege.
We caught the bus back.
Lunch was good. Asda do a really good loaf with carrot and pumpkin seeds which we enjoyed with left over curry, made on Thursday.
After lunch I made a pineapple and apple crumble. There was pineapple that needed eating - always unwilling to throw food away.
I presume that many of the shoppers in the supermarket had just cleared their fridges of anything that had been bought for the Christmas holiday and started again.
This afternoon I got some things onto to EBay again at last. I have listed all the items that had not sold during November and December. I have a bid on one of them already - and some watchers.
We will soon have our main meal and maybe find something to watch on TV. If not, we could watch High society which I have on DVD.
So the Christmas holiday is over. We finished it with a flourish along with the traditional Morris Dancers and the Mummers Play.
We went to The Plough at Leigh - just beyond Charlwood.
In truth, I have seen more polished groups of dancers. But they performed with gusto and humour.
We had planned to eat at the pub but it was fully booked.
And so when the performance was over we drove into Horley where we ate a good deal more cheaply - the after 2 o'clock deal at Wetherspoons.
It was crowded in there too - and people were actually more friendly than at the village pub.
Bill stood at the bar to order our food and chatted a while with a young man who had wished "A Happy New Year" . He was originally from North Wales, but has been working at the East Surrey Hospital for several years now.
Random conversations with strangers are so pleasant and crop up often - or maybe its just the way we invite them to start.
Now for a few photos from the pub at Leigh - pronounced Lye.
We had bought our steaming mulled wine and gone out to the tables in front of the pub.
It was a chilly day for outdoors - but the sun shone from a clear blue sky.
We watched as the group of actors and dancers gathered.
My glass of spiced wine really is steaming!
The cast added rhymes which touch on issues of today as well as the old traditional rhymes.
Then the dancing began. Some of the dancers had also been actors and were still in costume.
Many Morris Dances involve the beating of thick sticks together.
Musicians and dancers.
Musicians - and Bill tucked in behind.
St George is now a musician with a concertina.
The group take a photo call. They are called Rampant Rooster.
We should have set off for a car boot sale this morning; but we peered through the curtains at 6 o'clock and saw a cold, dark world. There has been a minor snow fall during the night.
We climbed back under the duvet again and went to sleep.
Later we regretted this - for the day was sunny and it might have been good at Ford at Littlehampton.
But there was plenty to do at home.
We packed away our Christmas trinkets. The display does not take much room but I like the feeling of a little extra space and freshness when everything is stowed back into the boxes.
Later we walked into town. There was a need for a few basics like bread and milk. We certainly didn't buy much. But Asda was crowded with people buying food like there was about to be a siege.
We caught the bus back.
Lunch was good. Asda do a really good loaf with carrot and pumpkin seeds which we enjoyed with left over curry, made on Thursday.
After lunch I made a pineapple and apple crumble. There was pineapple that needed eating - always unwilling to throw food away.
I presume that many of the shoppers in the supermarket had just cleared their fridges of anything that had been bought for the Christmas holiday and started again.
This afternoon I got some things onto to EBay again at last. I have listed all the items that had not sold during November and December. I have a bid on one of them already - and some watchers.
We will soon have our main meal and maybe find something to watch on TV. If not, we could watch High society which I have on DVD.
So the Christmas holiday is over. We finished it with a flourish along with the traditional Morris Dancers and the Mummers Play.
We went to The Plough at Leigh - just beyond Charlwood.
In truth, I have seen more polished groups of dancers. But they performed with gusto and humour.
We had planned to eat at the pub but it was fully booked.
And so when the performance was over we drove into Horley where we ate a good deal more cheaply - the after 2 o'clock deal at Wetherspoons.
It was crowded in there too - and people were actually more friendly than at the village pub.
Bill stood at the bar to order our food and chatted a while with a young man who had wished "A Happy New Year" . He was originally from North Wales, but has been working at the East Surrey Hospital for several years now.
Random conversations with strangers are so pleasant and crop up often - or maybe its just the way we invite them to start.
Now for a few photos from the pub at Leigh - pronounced Lye.
We had bought our steaming mulled wine and gone out to the tables in front of the pub.
It was a chilly day for outdoors - but the sun shone from a clear blue sky.
We watched as the group of actors and dancers gathered.
My glass of spiced wine really is steaming!
First we saw the story of St George. In this version he didn't fight a dragon but a Turk. That is the traditional version of the Mummers play.
There is much sword fighting and people lay slain on the ground.
The doctor comes and restores them.
It is believed that the play symbolises the death of the old year and the future rebirth in the spring.
The cast added rhymes which touch on issues of today as well as the old traditional rhymes.
Then the dancing began. Some of the dancers had also been actors and were still in costume.
Many Morris Dances involve the beating of thick sticks together.
Musicians and dancers.
Musicians - and Bill tucked in behind.
St George is now a musician with a concertina.
The group take a photo call. They are called Rampant Rooster.
Their next public performance is on Box Hill at 5.00am on 1st May.
Labels: interesting bits and pieces, Places in England
